Amie focuses her practice on estate and tax planning, including charitable planning, estate and trust administration and organizing and advising tax-exempt organizations.

Vanover has received her Estate Planning Certification from the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and the Probate & Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan. The certification demonstrates her in-depth study of estate planning and administration including: estate tax returns, post-death tax plans, trusts, contested proceedings, and other areas.

Amie is admitted to practice law in Ohio and Michigan.

Education

  • The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2001, Class rank: top 5%; Order of the Coif
  • Capital University, B.A., 1998, summa cum laude

Representative Matters

  • Drafted and implemented basic and complex estate plans, including pour-over wills with revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts (such as gift trusts, insurance trusts ("ILITs"), qualified personal residence trusts ("QPRTs"), lifetime qualified terminable interest property trusts ("Lifetime QTIP Trusts"), charitable remainder trusts ("CRUTs" and "CRATs"), charitable lead trusts ("CLUTs" and "CLATs"), grantor retained annuity trusts ("GRATs") and special needs trusts)
  • Drafted and implemented documents related to business succession planning (such as buy-sell agreements and prenuptial agreements)
  • Handled all aspects of estate and trust administration for taxable and nontaxable estates (including sales of closely-held business and disclaimer planning)
  • Engaged in asset protection planning (such as preparing and funding irrevocable trusts and limited liability corporations)
  • Prepared beneficiary accountings and fiduciary tax returns (such as Forms 1041, 706, and 709)
  • Prepared tax filings for tax-exempt organizations (such as Forms 1023, 1024, 8734, and 990-PF)
  • Formed, obtained tax-exempt status for, advised in operational and governance aspects for, and participated in succession planning for tax-exempt entities (such as private foundations (operating and non-operating), public charities, social welfare organizations, social clubs, trade and business associations and community foundations)
  • Formed and maintained family limited partnerships and limited liability companies (including analyzing and taking action related to Internal Revenue Code Section 2036 issues)
  • Assisted with sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts ("IDGTs")
  • Analyzed complex tax issues (such as transfer tax issues and income tax issues related to estate planning and tax-exempt entities)
  • Developed and coordinated gift strategies to take advantage of gift tax annual exclusion and lifetime unified credit
  • Represented beneficiaries of trusts and estates to protect their interests, particularly charitable beneficiaries
  • Prepared various policies for tax-exempt organizations, such as conflict of interest policies, policies regarding sharing of office expenses between a corporate private foundation and its donor corporation, and scholarship policies
  • Assisted in change of tax-exempt classification
  • Prepared funding agreement templates for community foundations
  • Developed and implemented tax-sensitive charitable giving for individuals and corporations
  • Formed limited liability companies for tax-exempt entities
  • Formed and assisted in the operations of an employee relief fund

Professional & Civic Involvement

Professional Associations

Ohio State Bar Association
Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section
State Bar of Michigan
Columbus Bar Association
Grand Rapids Bar Association

Professional Activities

Columbus Estate Planning Council
National Committee on Planned Giving, 2003-07
Society of Financial Service Professionals, 2003-06
West Michigan Estate Planning Council, 2003-07
West Michigan Planned Giving Group, 2003-07
Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, 2001-07

Community Activities

Leadership Columbus, Class of 2009
Columbus Metropolitan Club
Columbus Young Professionals Club
Inforum, 2006-07
Leave a Legacy West Michigan Steering Committee, 2003-05
Menttium 100, 2006-07

Publications

Published

  • Note, Williams v. General Motors Corporation: Giving Sexual Harassment Plaintiffs a Chance, 61 Ohio St. L.J. (2001).
  • Estate Planning Focus
  • Three Costly Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid, Mi Biz West

Quoted

  • IRS Provides Way to Receive, Grand Rapids Business Journal regarding charitable remainder trusts (October 25, 2004).
  • Who Profits When Nonprofits Die?, Grand Rapids Business Journal (April 10, 2006).


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Presentations

Various presentations to community groups and employees of corporate clients regarding estate planning, planned charitable giving, and forming and operating tax-exempt entities.

Awards & Honors

  • Managing Editor, The Ohio State Law Journal
  • Order of the Coif
  • Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honor Society
  • Psi Chi, National Psychology Honor Society
  • Alpha Chi, National Honor Society
  • The Kenneth J. Martin Award for outstanding scholarship and contribution in political science
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Awards (Property, Evidence, Employment Law and Administrative Law)