Mark J. Deal

Mark J. Deal focuses his practice on private client matters, including all forms of estate planning and estate administration for high net worth individuals. This planning includes estate, gift and GST tax planning, life insurance, and business succession planning for families. His experience also includes advising fiduciaries in areas related to estate and trust administration, including preparation of tax returns and probate documents as well as issues to consider with trust investment and distribution decisions.

Mr. Deal has significant experience in cross-border estate planning on behalf of clients with connections to the Bahamas, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Israel, Spain, and the United Kingdom.  He works closely with advisors in countries outside the United States to create tailored estate plans for clients with international connections. Mr. Deal also has experience advising on both “inbound” and “outbound” transactions, both with U.S. clients who have non-U.S. connections as well as non-U.S. clients with U.S. investments or family members.

Mr. Deal also has significant experience in reviewing and incorporating life insurance into clients’ estate planning, including reviewing and funding split-dollar insurance plans, reviewing and setting up private placement insurance arrangements, creating irrevocable life insurance trusts, completing “transfer-for-value” and other tax analyses for life insurance transactions, and analyzing captive insurance structures.

In addition, Mr. Deal has extensive experience advising large, international charitable foundations on a variety of matters which range from general foundation administration and corporate governance to FATCA/CRS and other regulatory compliance matters. He often works closely with family members in their capacity as board members or chair positions, advising them on matters related to board issues and the general management of large private foundations. 

Mr. Deal is admitted in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey only; he is not admitted in California.