Matthew F. Hafen
Shareholder
Estate Planning
Asset Protection
Probate & Trust Administration
Real Estate
Start-up & Early Stage Companies
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Location: St. George
Main: 435.674.0400
Direct: 435.986.7608
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BIOGRAPHY
Matthew F. Hafen assists clients throughout Utah, California, Nevada and Arizona on a variety of matters including complex trust, estate, and business matters including the development and implementation of estate plans, wealth-transfer strategies, business-succession plans, gift plans for families for effective gift and estate tax planning, and the formation, governance, and sale of business entities. Mr. Hafen offers practical advice to families and business owners to help each of his clients ensure that their vision for the future is achieved. Mr. Hafen is a Shareholder in D | J | P’s St. George office and is a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Tax, and Business and Finance sections.
Mr. Hafen’s practice includes advice regarding sophisticated tax, estate, asset protection, and business planning strategies, including the preparation of documents such as wills, living trusts, durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, asset protection trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, gift programs, grantor retained annuity trusts, education trusts, family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, generation-skipping transfers, charitable giving, charitable remainder trusts, private foundations, property agreements, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
In addition, Mr. Hafen is experienced in assisting families through the legal process of guardianships, conservatorships, probate and trust administration, resolving complex estate administration and probate disputes, and transition planning for families with closely held businesses and real property holdings.
Mr. Hafen also maintains an active practice in the firm’s Business and Finance Section, where he counsels clients on the formation and governance of business entities such as limited liability companies, S-corporations, and non-profit entities. His business practice includes experience in advising clients regarding the purchase and sale of businesses, as well as successfully resolving contract disputes and disputes between business partners.
Estate Planning: How Does It Benefit You and Your Family?
The Importance of Estate Planning & Asset Protection: Avoiding Common Pitfalls – From “The Underground Economy” Fox News Radio show, with Jacob Cooper and guest Matthew Hafen.
- “With End-of-Year Gifts, Stay Out of the IRS’ Doghouse”, UtahBusiness.com, December 22, 2016
- Adding Value for Clients by Weaving Asset Protection into Estate Planning, presented to the Southern Utah Estate Planning Council (October 2016)
- Estate Planning with Portability and Asset Protection Trusts, presented to the Soltis 9th Annual Client Appreciation and Wealth Management Conference (September 2015)
- The New Normal: Some Practical Thoughts on Estate Planning After the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, presented to the Southern Utah Estate Planning Council (April 2015)
- Winning at Non-compete Agreements: Tips for Drafters and Litigators, presented to the Southern Utah Bar Association 12th Annual All-Day CLE (December 2014)
- Planning Strategies for Buy-Sell Agreements, presented to the Southern Utah Estate Planning Council (January 2014)
- Estate and Asset Protection Planning Concepts for Business Attorneys, presented to the D|J|P
- Business and Finance Section (May 2013)
- Estate Planning Law Update, presented to the Utah Association of CPAs, Southern Utah Chapter (May 2011)
- Panel participant regarding Estate Tax Law Updates, presented to the Southern Utah Estate
- Planning Council (March 2011)
- Considerations for Buy-Sell Agreements, presented to the D|J|P Corporate and Securities Section (February 2011)
- Asset Protection Planning, presented to D|J|P Estate Planning Section (November 2010)
- Named in Utah Business Magazine’s ‘Legal Elite’
- Member of the Dixie State University Planned Giving Advisory Council (2015 – Present)
- Member of the Dixie Regional Medical Center Planned Giving Advisory Council (2015 – Present)
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Utah Estate Planning Council (January 2014 – Present)
- Member of the Board of Directors of George Washington Academy (2011 – Present)
- Participant in an Ad Hoc Committee on Legislation of the Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections of the Utah State Bar regarding revisions to Utah’s asset protection trust laws (2013)
- Admitted to Utah State Bar (2009), Nevada State Bar (2010), Arizona State Bar (2011) and State Bar of California (2011)
- Former Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School – J.D., cum laude (2009)
- Senior Editor, BYU Law Review
Southern Utah University – Masters of Accountancy
Arizona
California
Nevada
Utah
- Portuguese