Attorneys

Jeffrey H. Skatoff

Attorney Jeffrey Skatoff practices in the areas of Florida probate, estate litigation, estate planning and taxation. In the estate planning area, he regularly prepares estate plans of all complexities, for young families with minor children, to owners of large, complex, multistate businesses. In the probate area, he oversees the administration of dozens of estates each year in Florida and also represents personal representatives and beneficiaries in probate litigation, trust litigation, and power of attorney litigation.

Mr. Skatoff started his career in 1991 as a trial attorney in the Honors Program of the Tax Division at the Department of Justice, in Washington DC. Mr. Skatoff litigated primarily civil income tax and estate tax cases on behalf of the federal government. In 1993, Mr. Skatoff was awarded the Tax Division’s Outstanding Attorney Award, for superior performance.

Mr. Skatoff left government service in 1995 and has been a practicing attorney since that time. Mr. Skatoff is a regular speaker and author on the topics of estate planning, tax, and probate. Mr. Skatoff is a frequent on-air legal commentator for CNN on the topics of probate litigation and estate planning.  Mr. Skatoff was also recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal on the topics of estate planning for second marriages,  and on the abuse of a power of attorney.  Mr. Skatoff was also recently quoted in the Palm Beach Post on an estate tax issue of note regarding the sale of the Miami Dolphins.  

Articles & Publications

  • Asset Protection Planning for Florida Residents
    Under the New Bankruptcy Act
    Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, Fall 2005 Magazine
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  • Will and Trust Drafting for Florida Attorneys
    National Business Institute Seminar, Fall 2005
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Education

  • Duke University, AB (Chemistry), 1988.
  • Washington University School of Law, JD, 1991. Associate Editor, Washington University Law Quarterly. Order of Coif (Top 10% + Faculty Approval). American Jurisprudence Award.
  • Georgetown University, LLM (Taxation), 1996. Graduated With Distinction (Top 10%)

Memberships

  • AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Florida Bar
  • Tax Court and the Court of Federal Claims Bars
  • Palm Beach County Bar Association
  • Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of Florida Bar
  • American Bar Association; Member of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section; Member of Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Committee

Reported Cases

 

  • IU INTERNATIONAL CORP. v. U.S., 77 AFTR 2d 96-696 (34 Fed Cl 767), 2/08/1996
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  • GUMP v. U.S., 76 AFTR 2d 95-8112, 3/06/1995
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  • CLAYTON, ET AL. v. U.S., 76 AFTR 2d 95-5197 (33 Fed Cl 628), 6/30/1995
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  • HARRIS v. U.S., 75 AFTR 2d 95-2228 (33 Fed Cl 470), 5/25/1995
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  • FISHER v. U.S., 71 AFTR 2d 93-2184 (28 Fed. Cl. 88), 04/07/1993
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Please note that these cases represent only a small portion of the cases handled by Jeffrey Skatoff. In general, only cases that address an important point of law are reported.

To contact Mr. Skatoff, please call 888-752-8633 or send an email.