About
Ivan has extensive experience representing US-connected families in the Greater China region and Southeast Asia. He frequently assists individuals and families with their estate plans, trust structures, investment structures, immigration/expatriation tax plans, real estate investments, and IRS disclosures. In addition to representing individuals and families, Ivan's clients include major accounting firms, private banks, trust companies, and other financial institutions.
Ivan obtained his Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law where he graduated with the Bruce I. Hochman Award for Excellence in the Study of Tax Law. He obtained his Master of Laws in tax law from NYU School of Law. He completed his undergraduate degree at Queen’s University where he graduated with the Harry Abramsky Prize in Hebrew.
Ivan is a US-qualified lawyer and a member of the State Bar of California.
Ivan is fluent in English and Mandarin.
Experience
- Represented a major bank trustee in restructuring a foreign non-grantor trust with accumulated income and US person beneficiaries.
- Represented the heir of a billionaire family in relinquishing her US citizenship without triggering Covered Expatriate status under 877A.
- Represented the heir of a billionaire family in IRS compliance and disclosure programs and assisted the client with relinquishing his US green card.
- Represented a Chinese billionaire with US person heirs regarding his estate plans.
- Retained by one of the Big Four accounting firms in relation to complex US tax law and trust law.
- Drafted a pre-immigration non-grantor trust for a Thai billionaire family.
- Assisted numerous clients with structuring foreign grantor trusts, whether governed under US laws or governed under non-US laws.
- Assisted numerous clients with structuring trusts, including US domestic trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, and pre-immigration trusts.
- Drafted the trust templates of an international independent trust company.
- Assisted numerous clients with IRS compliance, disclosures, and appeals, whether through the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures or other IRS programs.
- Provided US tax training to numerous private banks, law firms, accounting firms, external asset managers, and family offices.
- Provided advice and guidance relating to real estate investments in the US and the US taxation of insurance policies.
- Provided advice and assistance regarding US Federal estate tax returns for estates of non-US persons with US-situated assets.
