Thomas H. Bergh Partner
- Office
- Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids
- Phone
- 248/567-7421, 616/336-6990
- Fax
- 248/567-7440
- thbergh@varnumlaw.com
- thbergh@varnumlaw.com
- Download
- V-Card, Resume
- Assistant
- Susan Edwards, 248/567-7424
Trust and Estate Experience
Tom has over 30 years of experience in helping clients efficiently and effectively define their estate planning goals and to arrange their affairs accordingly. His expertise includes facilitating the direction of a client-centered and directed strategy and then drafting clear and understandable legal documents to implement it, thereby protecting client wealth, closely-held businesses, and families from taxes, post-mortem chaos and expense, and unnecessary complexity. He has expertise and experience in dealing with the IRS in administrative hearings and litigation, developing creative tailored solutions for business succession planning, charitable trusts and private foundations, and IRA distribution planning. He is a frequent speaker and author on estate planning, employee benefits, charitable planning, and is the past chair of the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit.
Education
-
Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
LL.M. in Taxation, 1985 -
Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 1980 -
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
B.S., 1976
Recognition & Rankings
- Listed in Michigan Super Lawyers since 2008
- Selected as one of Best Lawyers® Lawyers of the Year since 2012
- Five Star Wealth Manager, 2010 - 2012
Professional Activities
- Adjunct Professor of Law for Thomas Cooley Law School at the Oakland University Campus
- The Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit (past President)
- State Bar of Michigan: Probate and Estate Planning Law Section; Taxation Section; Business Law Section
- Oakland County Bar Association: Taxation Committee (past Chair)
Community Activities
- Board Member of the Chamber Music Society of Detroit
- Board Member of the Michigan Council on Economic Education
- Serves on the Planned Giving advisory boards for the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan, the Salvation Army, and Wayne State University