Jason E. Havens is a highly experienced business and tax attorney who uses creative problem solving and strategic insight to achieve planning objectives – including asset protection goals – for high-net-worth individuals, families and charitable organizations. He focuses on complex estate and charitable gift planning (domestic and international), wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, and probate and trust litigation.
Mr. Havens is a Board Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS) by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization and a Board Certified Specialist (B.C.S.) in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law by The Florida Bar.
Complex Estate Planning for High-Net-Worth Clients. The intricate estate planning challenges encountered by many high-net-worth individuals and families require a high level of insight into the evolving state of tax laws, market conditions and family business situations. As one of only two board certified attorneys in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law in the Destin and Rosemary Beach area, Mr. Havens has used his specialization and sophisticated estate planning advice to build a strong base of affluent clients from throughout the Southeast, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, Houston, Louisville, Memphis and Nashville, with whom he works through the Tallahassee office. Mr. Havens has also advised domestic clients with international holdings as well as international clients who need business entities, trusts or a combination of structures to achieve their planning objectives.
Charitable Planning and Organizations. Tax law considerations, finance and fundraising efforts are critical to the survival of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. Mr. Havens is committed to providing charitable planning advice for donors and private clients as well as entities of all types. He has also developed a niche in charitable gift planning and exempt organizations law (nonprofit law) in relation to churches, their affiliated auxiliaries and other religious organizations. He has extensive experience advising nonprofit entities on planned giving issues, donor advised funds and asset protection, including the use of supporting organizations. Mr. Havens has served in leadership roles for nearly a decade in the ABA's Charitable Planning and Organizations Group.
Business Succession Planning. Succession planning requires more than traditional estate planning tools. A business owner's personal financial success is often inexorably intertwined with the future of their business, requiring customized solutions that address both the business structures and the family relationship issues that affect current and long-range aspects of the business. Mr. Havens regularly advises business organizations on legal structures, tax issues and succession planning. He has extensive experience in partnership and S corporation matters, particularly regarding business succession issues such as business interests being transferred to a trust or other structure.
Trust and Estate Administration and Litigation. Mr. Havens advises fiduciaries in administering trusts and estates being probated, which is generally the implementation phase of planning described above. He has also utilized Florida’s judicial trust reformation provisions to modify numerous irrevocable trusts due to changes in circumstances or tax laws. Mr. Havens has also represented fiduciaries and in limited circumstances beneficiaries in state and federal courts.
