Primary Practice Areas

• Estate, Wealth Transfer & Tax Planning 

• Real Estate Transactions 

• Business Structure and Succession Planning 

• Personal, Corporate and Partnership Taxation 

• Corporate & Business Transactions

Richard (“Rick”) A. Corleto is a Partner in the firm and represents individual clients and businesses in a variety of practice areas, including estate tax and family wealth planning, real estate, personal, corporate and partnership planning and taxation, and business and corporate transactions. 

Taxation and Estate Planning

Rick’s taxation and estate planning practice has a highly regarded reputation based on more than 40 years of experience in all aspects of tax and estate planning for businesspeople, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and highly compensated individuals. When advising clients on the design and implementation of an appropriate estate plan, consideration is given to each client’s desires and goals in light of his or her financial and personal family situation, business goals and tax issues. He has extensive expertise in the implementation and drafting of revocable (or “living”) trusts, conventional wills, life insurance trusts, QPRTs, IDGTs and other estate and charitable planning arrangements. Rick authored “The Use of Annuities in Estate Planning”, which appeared in J.K. Lasser’s Estate Tax Techniques. 

Rick is also experienced in the formation and operation of nonprofit entities and in working with and supervising accounting professionals in obtaining tax exempt status for such entities when required. 

Real Estate

Rick’s real estate practice includes all aspects of transactional real estate law, including the acquisition, sale, financing, development and leasing of commercial, industrial and office projects, retail centers and multifamily residential projects located throughout the United States, including tax-deferred 1031 exchanges. 

Business Structure and Succession Planning

Rick advises various businesses and entities, including corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, individuals and investors. This includes advising on entity formations and dissolutions; purchases and sales of businesses; mergers and acquisitions; federal, state and local tax planning, advice and advocacy; buy-sell agreements; and general contract negotiations and drafting. 

Education and Background

Rick graduated from the UCLA School of Management (now the Anderson School of Management) with a B.S. degree in Business Administration (Accounting), and a J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and is admitted to practice before state and federal courts in California, and the United States Tax Court. Rick previously served as President of Stephen S. Wise Temple from 2011-2013.