Phoebe Moffatt
Phoebe Moffatt
Scottsdale
Arizona (AZ)
Estate Planning & Probate
Estate & Trust Litigation
Profile
Phoebe Moffatt is a two time Super Lawyer® 2010 & 2011. She is rated Top Lawyer in 2011 North Valley Magazine. Ms. Moffatt focuses her legal practice in the areas of estate planning (revocable trusts, wills, health care powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and other irrevocable trusts), trust administration, preparation of estate and gift tax returns, administration of decedent's assets with/without probate (collecting assets, paying liabilities, and distributing assets to heirs), legal counsel for beneficiaries, representation in guardianship/conservator matters, and representation on small business formation matters. Phoebe Moffatt is a one of only 49 specialists in Estate and Trust law as certified by the Arizona State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Moffatt is also highly rated on www AVVO.com.
In her continuing endeavor to provide highly qualified legal services to her clients, Ms. Moffatt recently decided to merge her law firm with Sacks Tierney, P.A. Phoebe Moffatt is currently a member of Valley Estate Planners, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona, the Arizona Women Lawyers Association, and the Arizona Society of CPAs. She has been a member of the East Valley Estate Planners, Central Arizona Estate Planning Council, the College of Estate Planning Attorneys, and the Mental Health & Elder Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona.
Ms. Moffatt has served on the Arizona State Bar Board of Governors during her term as President of the Young Lawyers Division. She has also served as the Chair of the Gift of Life Program sponsored jointly by the Maricopa County Bar Young Lawyers Division and the Donor Network of Arizona. She was on the Committee for the Arizona Burns and Trauma Foundation Annual Tree Festival. Phoebe has spoken before the Phoenix Tax Workshop and the American Society of Women Accountants regarding trends in tax legislation. Ms. Moffatt has participated in national conferences of the American Bar Association as an Arizona delegate.
Phoebe Moffatt graduated from The University of Memphis Law School in 1997 with honors granted by the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She is a published staff writer for The University of Memphis Law Review. Her alma mater is Arizona State University where she graduated from the ASU Honors College, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree with magna cum laude honors.
Prior to her return to Phoenix, Ms. Moffatt had practiced law in Tucson where she was active with the Southern Arizona Estate Planning Council, the Southern Arizona 20/30 Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. She also served as Chair of the Guardianship Program sponsored in conjunction with the Beacon Foundation.
Before law school, Phoebe worked as a project manager on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee; she was a campaign manager for a State Representative in Florida; and she served as a Victim's Advocate for the United States Attorney in the District of Arizona.
Selected To
Southwest Super Lawyers 2011
Southwest Super Lawyers 2010
About Phoebe Moffatt
Admitted: 1997, Arizona
Professional Webpage: www.moffattlaw.com
Honors and Awards:
- Phi Kappa Phi Honors, 1997
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Certified in Estate and Trust Law by the State Bar of Arizona
Bar/Professional Activity:
- State Bar of Arizona
Scholarly Lectures and Writings:
- A discussion of the ethical considerations of Arizona attorneys who handle Estate Planning Matters or Probate/Trust Administration Matters, with a focus on issues concerning ethical rule for Confidentiality of information, ethical rule for Conflict of interest, and ethical rule for dealing with a client with diminished capacity, Faculty Presenter, Ethical Considerations of Estate Planning Attorneys, State Bar of Arizona, 2007
- Materials include information on how to coordinate and file the Estate Tax and Fiduciary Income Tax Returns, with an Overview of Tax Compliance and Post-Mortem Planning, Planning for an Estate Tax Audit, use of Disclaimers, concerns with Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes and use of Reverse QTIP Elections, Faculty Presenter, Basic Tax Matters, McQuillan Education, 2008
- A discussion of the essential basics of closing up a probate matter which includes discussion of the timing of Distributions, Transfer of Probate and Nonprobate Assets, Distributions to Minors and Trusts, Preparing the Final Account, Petition for Complete Settlement, and eventually Obtaining the Discharge of the Personal Representative., Faculty Presenter, Closing the Estate, McQuillan Education, 2008
- A review of methods using annual exclusion gifting to reduce gift taxes and generation skipping transfer taxes; includes discussion of requirement of a present interest in the gift; includes various techniques for using the annual exclusion to make gifts and reporting requirements; includes discussion of family limited partnerships and a discussion of the use of crummy and hanging powers in irrevocable life insurance trusts, Faculty Presenter, Annual Exclusion Gifting, National Business Institute, 2009
- A review of the constitutional issues regarding the distinction between a person's right to refuse medical treatment versus the lack of any right to die or assist in committing suicide; includes a summary of case law regarding the creation of health care power of attorney forms and living wills; includes sample forms, Faculty Presenter, Advanced Medical Directives, National Business Institute, 2009
- An in depth review of what a living will can and cannot accomplish, proper use of a health care power of attorney and health care proxy, an analysis of preserving the client's dignity through the Patient Self-Determination Act, and an examination of making the difficult decisions during life and death through organ donation and the process of making anatomical gifts, Planning Methods to Control Medical Treatment, 2011
- A summary of the legislation passed into law on December 17, 2010, Summary of the Tax Relief Act of 2010, 2011
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Published Author - Law Review Dean's List- Decedent's Estates
Educational Background:
- Arizona State University, B.S. Magna Cum Laude, 1990The University of Memphis, J.D. Phi Kappa Phi Honors, 1997
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
