ROBERT E. KASS is a tax attorney whose practice is heavily concentrated in the areas of estate planning and administration. An honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he is a recipient of a Fulbright-Swiss University Fellowship to the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, and earned his Master’s Degree in Taxation from New York University. Bob is a member of the Detroit law firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC, where he serves as Chairman of the Tax, Estate Planning and Probate Group, and is a member of its Executive Committee.

His practice is also heavily involved in charitable and planned giving techniques. He is an active advisor and member of the Planned Giving Professional Advisory Committees of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Institute of Arts, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, and the Holocaust Memorial Center.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and is listed in Michigan Super Lawyers and in Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Trusts and Estates.
A frequent and lively speaker on tax topics, Bob has delivered numerous lectures for the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and to many civic, professional, and religious groups on subjects related to estate planning and wealth preservation. He has also appeared on the CNN and CNN/Financial television networks, on radio throughout the United States, as well as on cable television.

Along with Robert H. Downie, he co-authored an earlier edition of this book, published under the title What Do We Do Now? A Practical Guide to Estate Administration for Widows, Widowers and Heirs. He also co-authored Kass and Carrie, Who Will Care When You’re Not There? Estate Planning for Pet Owners.

YUH SUHN KIM serves as the Estate Administrator of the law firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC. She is an attorney who dedicates her practice to settling probate and trust estates and other probate matters. Her practice also includes guardianships and conservatorships of minors and adults, the preparation of gift and estate tax returns, and trust funding, administration, and termination. She also handles hearings in Probate Courts involving proceedings to modify irrevocable trusts, contested matters involving the validity of estate planning documents, capacity issues, objections to inventories and accountings, and breaches of fiduciary duty.
 
Yuh Suhn joined BSD&D in 2005, and was formerly an attorney for UAW-GM Legal Services, where she handled several hundred estates over a period of seven years.
She is a graduate of the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, cum laude, and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Oakland County Bar Association, Macomb County Probate Bar Association, and the Wayne County Probate Bar Association.

Yuh Suhn served as Editor of the current edition of this book, bringing it up to date and helping expand it with timely new topics.

ROBERT H. DOWNIE co-authored the first edition of this book. He was previously the Estate Administrator of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker. Prior to joining the firm he served as a Vice President in the Trust Tax Department of NBD Bank (now JP Morgan Chase), handling the tax administration of more than 200 decedents’ estates and trusts.
Rob’s extensive background in estate administration helped make this book the practical guide that it is. He taught federal estate and gift tax in the Master of Science in Taxation program at Wayne State University in Detroit, and was on the faculty of the Midwest Trust School. He holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Michigan State University. He was also designated an Enrolled Agent by the Internal Revenue Service and was admitted to practice before the IRS.

Although Rob has retired to Oregon (where we understand he is as busy as ever), we remain ever grateful for his friendship, dedication, energy and solid contributions to the first edition of this book, over a decade ago.