PRACTICE

Deirdre R. Wheatley-Liss focuses her practice in the areas of business planning, taxation, estate planning and administration, and elder law for individuals, closely held businesses and non-profit organizations.  She has experience in Medicaid, retirement benefits and asset protection planning, guardianships and advocacy for the elder.

Ms. Wheatley-Liss' continuous pursuit of knowledge distinguishes her from other practitioners in her fields. She has an LL.M in Taxation, an advanced legal degree. She is also accredited as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, one of fewer than 60 attorneys in New Jersey with this credential.

In order to educate both the public and the legal community about issues relating to her areas of practice, Ms. Wheatley-Liss is a frequent lecturer and author of legal and consumer-oriented articles. She also authors the New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog, a leading commentary on developments in tax law, estate planning, estate administration, elder law and business law.

Ms. Wheatley-Liss is active in the local business community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Steering Committee for the Women in Business Committee of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. She acts as a legal advisor to a number of local non-profit organizations created to support various populations in Morris County.

PRIOR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• Fein Such Law Group, Parsippany, New Jersey,  Shareholder.
• Power, Weiss & Kurnit, LLP, Livingston, New Jersey, Associate, 1997 – 1998.
• Prudential Financial, Business Consultant- Estate Planning, Business Planning and Retirement Planning, 1995 - 1997.

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Boy Scouts of America 2011 Tribute to Women
• Recognized on New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars List -2009, 2010
• NJ BIZ Top 50 Women in Business - 2009
• NJ BIZ Top Forty under 40 – 2008

ORGANIZATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS

• American Bar Association -  Probate and Real Property Section; Tax Section
• New Jersey State Bar Association – Tax Section; Real Property and Probate Section; Elder Law Section
• New York Bar Association – Probate Section
• National Association of Elder Law Attorneys
• Essex County Coalition for the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (ECCPVA)
• Morris County Chamber of Commerce – Board of Directors
• Morris County Advisory Committee on Women

PUBLICATIONS

• New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog, 2005 – present.
• Quoted in “Planning for the future may minimize estate tax liability,” NJBIZ, October 2011.
• Quoted in “Financial Candor Makes Second Marriages Sweeter,” Educational Employees Credit Union – Home & Family Finance Resource Center, December 2010.
• Quoted in “Business Hopes for a Balanced High Court,” NJBIZ, May 10, 2010.
• “No Such Thing as Free Money,” Business Edge, April 2010.
• Quoted in “Despite its Expiration, Don’t Lose Sight of Federal Estate Tax, NJBIZ, January 2010.
• Quoted in “Employers Craft ‘Stay-Home’ Policies,” The Daily Record, October 2009.
• Quoted in “How to Talk Money With Mom and Dad,” Money, September 2009.
• “Client Handout: Estate Plan Review Checklist,” New Jersey Lawyer, October 2008.
• Quoted in “Survival Guide -  Keys to Successful Estate Planning,” Consumer Digest, October 2008.
• “An Elder Law Attorney Can Help You and Your Loved Ones Prepare for the Future,” Garden State Woman, May 2008.
• “Family Care Contracts,” inRE, April 2008.
• Quoted in “My Alzheimer’s Dad,” Town and Country, November 2007.
• Recent Trends in Trust and Estates, New Jersey Bar Association Probate and Real Property Section Newsletter, Winter 1999.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Co-Speaker, "Estate Planning Basics,"  New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, New Brunswick, New Jersey, February 15, 2014.
• "Estate Planning is Dead – Basis Planning is the New Wealth Preservation Planning," New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education,  New Brunswick, New Jersey, February 10-11, 2014.
• "Elder Law Taxation," CPE Seminar, 1st Constitution Bank, Hamilton, NJ, July 31, 2013.
• "Elder Care Law and Asset Protection," Porzio Bromberg & Newman, Morristown, NJ, July 24, 2013.
• "Current Issues and Trends in Elder Law," Bergen County Section NJSCPA, June 10, 2013.
• "Put Your Mind At Ease, Learn How To Protect Your Assets," Franciscan Oaks, May 30, 2013.
• "Estate Planning, 3.8% Medicare Tax, Elder Law," Lakeland Bank, May 21, 2013.
• “Guardianship: Safeguarding Children with Special Needs,” The Calais School, Whippany,  NJ, October 2012.
• “10 Points to Test Your Business Infrastructure,” The Alternative Board, Morristown, NJ, April 2012.
• “Special Estate Plan for Special Needs Children,” The Calais School, Whippany, NJ,  July 2011.
• “The Art of Public Speaking – 5 Reasons Why Speakers Miss Their Marks,” Morris County Chamber of Commerce, Florham Park, NJ, March 2011.
• “Social Media for Lawyers,” New Jersey State Bar Association 12th Annual Elder Law Section Retreat, Cape May, New Jersey, June 2010.
• “Estate Planning,” Morris County Retirees Education Association, Inc., Mountain Lakes,  NJ, March 2010.
• “Long Term Care,” Brokerage Northeast Seminar, Clark, NJ, October 2009.
• “Make a Will Come to Life,” NJICLE Will and Probate Seminar, Morristown, NJ, October 2009.
• “New Jersey Will Drafting and Probate Practice,” NJICLE Skills and Methods Course, Piscataway, NJ,  January 2009.
• “Estate Administration Basics,” NJICLE Seminar, Whippany, NJ, May and September 2008.
• “Let’s Write a Will!,” NJICLE Seminar, Fairfield, NJ, May 2008.

Firm Description

• Estate Planning 
• Elder Law
• Special Needs Planning
• Wills and Trusts 
• Long Term Planning 
• Guardianships 
• Conservatorships 
• Probate and Estate Administration

Hours

Cost