Mitchell A. Port

Mitchell A. Port is an attorney in Los Angeles specializing in four areas of law: Tax Controversies, California Probate, Estate Planning, and Business Transactions.

He began his career as a lawyer with the IRS national office in Washington D.C, where he worked on tax collection and litigation matters. He later worked at two noted local law firms where he further developed his tax controversy skills and represented clients in estate planning, probate, and business transactions. Mitch is a former Internal Revenue Service revenue/collection officer.

After gaining the skills, knowledge and experience, Mitch founded the Law Office of Mitchell A. Port. As a sole practitioner, Mitch provides each client with the specialized skills, experience, personal focus and hands-on attention they need at cost-effective rates.

In addition to administering a decedent's estate as well as identifying and distributing assets to beneficiaries, Mitch also offers services for other issues that may require the attention of a probate court, including the following:

Lost wills

Will contests

The removal of executors and trustees

Petitions for probate

Trust administration

Probate litigation

Other legal matters that must go through the California
probate court, including conservatorships
(a court proceeding for incapacitated and incompetent adults)
and guardianships (a court proceeding for minors)

Post-Mortem tax planning

Our firm has also successfully represented clients in probate cases involving real estate, stocks, bonds and investments of all kinds, such as general and limited partnerships; limited liability companies; sole proprietorships; corporations; and active businesses.

In the event that your probate case involves a tax controversy matter, such as unpaid income taxes owed by the deceased or estate taxes, Mitch is an experienced specialist in tax controversy who will offer you simple yet effective solutions.

Probate is rarely straightforward. Working with your law firm should be. Probate litigation can be a stressful experience, involving high risk exposure and unpredictable results. You need a lawyer who will simplify the process and not complicate it further. At the Law Office of Mitchell A. Port, the firm is committed to helping our clients find the most direct route to a successful outcome.

When you are faced with probate, choose a law firm that will help you chart the right course. Choose the Law Office of Mitchell A. Port. Attorney Mitchell A. Port will represent you in any probate court in California.

Mitch also represents individuals and businesses with cases pending before the IRS, the U.S. Tax Court and Superior Courts throughout California. He handles estate planning matters as well as trust administration services. As a business transaction attorney, Mitch provides legal advice and representation on business formation, business organization, business transactions and business tax matters.

Mitch Port translates all legal and tax jargon into plain English for his clients when dealing with tax controversy cases in the U.S. Tax Court and problems with the Internal Revenue Service, while strategizing during a California probate case and when discussing estate tax planning so that every client he works with is informed, up-to-date, aware of case developments, and able to make educated and informed decisions.

A California attorney since 1982, Mitch is licensed to practice before the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, the U.S. Tax Court and state courts throughout California. He earned an L.L.M in tax law from the University of San Diego School of Law and a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. Mitch graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a B.A. in Political Science.

Mitch is a pro bono speaker for many professional accounting associations, service and non-profit organizations, as well as a writer whose articles have been published in several trade publications. He serves or has served on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations. Mitch is an avid and skilled cyclist who has ridden throughout the eastern seaboard and on long rides from California to Mexico. He has also backpacked in half a dozen national parks, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Canada. He is currently learning to play the piano so he can share this interest with his two daughters.

• Probate
• Tax Law
• Estate Planning
• Business Law

• Free Consultation
  Mitch will gladly discuss your situation and provide help when possible.
• Credit Cards Accepted
  We accept PayPal.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  $350 to $400 per hour.

California

Since 1982

9th Circuit

U.S. Tax Court

Law Office of Mitchell A. Port

Current

Attorney

Law Office of Mitchell A. Port

1993 - Current

(1) California Probate Law (2) IRS and California Tax Controversies and Tax Problems (3) Estate Planning (Wills, Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives) (4) Business Transactions

Associate Attorney

Law Firm

1987 - 1992

In-house counsel and associate attorney engaged in estate planning, tax planning, ERISA, probate and business transactions.

Office of Chief Counsel

Internal Revenue Service

1984 - 1986

Tax research involving IRS collection activity.

Revenue Officer

Internal Revenue Service

1981 - 1984

Enforced collection action against delinquent taxpayers.

University of San Diego School of Law

LL.M. / Tax Law

1986 - 1988

Southwestern University School of Law

J.D. / Law

1978 - 1981

University of California - Los Angeles

B.A. / Political Science

1974 - 1978

AV Preeminent

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review

2012

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings recently came out with it's rating of me. The Ratings are an objective indicator of a lawyer's high ethical standards and professional ability. Attorneys receive a Peer Review Ratings based on evaluations by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States. I have been honored with an "AV Preeminent" rating which is a significant rating accomplishment- a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. My piers gave me a rating of 5 out of 5 in all possible areas analyzed: Legal Knowledge, Analytical Capabilities, Judgment, Communication Ability, Legal Experience. I'm pleased and honored.

For: Estate Planning & Probate, Tax Controversy and Closely Held Business

Southern California Super Lawyer

2009

I am honored by being selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer for 2009 in areas of law including Estate Planning & Probate, Tax Controversy and Closely Held Business. There is a very nice badge on the right side of this blog posting. Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers is published as a special supplement in leading newspapers and city and regional magazines across the country. Super Lawyers magazine, featuring articles about attorneys named to the Super Lawyers list, is distributed to all attorneys in the state or region, the lead corporate counsel of Russell 3000 companies and the ABA-approved law school libraries. The objective of the Super Lawyers selection process is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource to assist attorneys and consumers in the search for legal counsel. No other legal publisher goes through the unique multi-step process that Super Lawyers employs to find evidence of peer recognition and professional achievement.

California State Bar # 106192

Member

1982 - Current

"Death and Taxes"

United States Patent and Trademark Office

November 1, 2006

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Q. Before a county can seize your property for tax due, do they have to do anything like take you to court?

3 July 2013

A: The county does not have to go to court to foreclose on a tax lien it probably filed to secure the tax debt you have. If you don't think the tax is due, the dispute it through the use of proper channels. I hope this helps. Mr. Port is licensed to practice law throughout the state of California with an office in Los Angeles where he handles probate, tax disputes, estate planning and business transactions. He is authorized to handle IRS matters throughout the United States. His phone number is 310.559.5259, his email address is [email protected]. For more tax, probate, estate planning and business articles visit his website www.los-angeles-lawyers.biz, his tax blog at www.californiataxattorneyblog.com and his probate blog at www.californiaprobatelawyerblog.com.

Q. My parents are cosigners on my house do they have to pay capital gains taxes when I sell it?

3 July 2013

A: As co-signers, I assume your parents are not co-owners. When a capital asset is sold, only the owner pays tax. They are simply relieved of their contingent obligation to pay your debt if you default and that does not give rise to capital income on which a tax is due.