Oliver R. Merrill
Oliver “Olly” Merrill advises clients on estate and tax planning matters, wealth transfer strategies, and business succession planning. He serves as a trusted advisor for individuals, business owners, and multi-generational families in addressing their estate planning needs.
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Olly provides legal advice on a wide-range of wealth transfer, wealth preservation, and tax planning strategies. He counsels individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and closely-held business owners on both the tax and non-tax aspects of their estate planning and business succession needs. He has drafted and implemented a wide-variety of estate planning documents and strategies, including wills, powers of attorney, revocable and irrevocable trusts, SLATs, ILITs, GRATs, and INGs, and also has experience preparing both estate and gift tax returns. In addition, he has prepared operating agreements for both operating and passive business entities, such as LLCs and Limited Partnerships, and frequently assists with valuation, governance, and other business-succession matters. Olly prides himself on his ability to adapt his in-depth knowledge of wealth transfer tools and tactics to address the personalized needs and goals of his clients.
Boards, Memberships & Certifications
- National Louis University, Board of Trustees, Member
- AmeriCares, Junior Council, Member
Publications, Presentations & Recognitions
Publications
- “Update: Hands Off Your Trust: U.S. Supreme Court Limits State Income Taxation of Trusts,” (co-author) Client Alert (Nov. 11, 2019)
- “U.S. Supreme Court Addresses State Income Taxation of Trusts in Kaestner,” (author) Illinois State Bar Association: Trusts & Estates (Jul. 2019)
- “Hands Off Your Trust: U.S. Supreme Court Limits State Income Taxation of Trusts,” (c0-author) Client Alert (Jun. 27, 2019)
Presentations
- “The Illinois Trust Code: Highlights for Fiduciaries,” Illinois Bankers Association, Webinar (Sep. 11, 2024)
- “Tax Considerations for Trusts and Estates” Chicago Estate Planning Council, Webinar (Feb. 13, 2024)
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Education
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, LL.M., honors, 2018University of Wisconsin Law School, JD, honors, 2016Williams College, BA, 2011