Kenneth M. Bloom
Partner312.667.1355 kbloom@llflegal.com- Biography
- Credentials
- Experience
For Partner Kenneth M. Bloom, estate planning is not just a matter of preparing documents, and wealth preservation strategies are not simply about minimizing tax liabilities. He recognizes that the work he does for his clients has profound effects that can span generations. He knows that the plans he develops and implements can provide them with invaluable peace of mind. And he understands that every client he meets with has their own unique story, perspectives, needs, and goals.
Ken is a certified public accountant as well as an attorney, focusing his practice on estate planning and administration, wills, trusts, special needs planning, probate, guardianships, asset protection, powers of attorney, and business succession planning. He works closely with personal injury attorneys to help them and their injured clients with disabilities navigate the maze of public benefits eligibility through the appropriate use of special needs trusts and related techniques designed to protect the settlement/recovery on a long-term basis.
Deriving great satisfaction from being a true counselor and trusted advisor to his clients, Ken empowers them with information and provides them with proposed strategies and solutions that are as understandable as they are effective.
Ken believes strongly in the value and importance of estate planning, especially for families of those with special needs, and regularly gives speeches and presentations to the community on the subject. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Special Needs Alliance, an invitation-only national organization of estate planning attorneys who devote a specific portion of their practice to providing special needs planning for families with a loved one with disabilities.
Priding himself on constantly staying abreast of changes in the law that intersect with estate and special needs planning, Ken lectures extensively to both attorneys and consumers and has been published in several professional journals, including those of the American Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association, as well as the Chicago Tribune. He has also served for 20 years as Chair of the Planning Giving Committee of the American Technion Society, which supports the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.
Ken is a cum laude graduate of the University of Illinois and earned his law degree, cum laude, from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. When not serving his clients, he likes to spend his time golfing, walking/running/hiking with his wife and two dogs, playing disc golf with his boys, cooking, and discovering new ethnic restaurants.
Education
- IIT Chicago Kent, College of Law, J.D., 1988, cum laude
- University of Illinois, B.A. (Accounting), 1985, cum laude
Admissions
- Illinois, 1988
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1988
- Certified Public Accountant, 1988
Professional Affiliations
- American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- American Technion Society
- Chicago Bar Association
- Chicago Estate Planning Council
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Special Needs Alliance
Experience
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Counsels clients with guidance that will plan for and protect their assets during their lifetime and for their family after the client’s death.
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Assists families with planning for disabled adults and children through creating special needs trusts, asset planning and coordination of private and public resources, helping families maximize resources and enhance quality of life for loved ones.
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Appears regularly in the Probate Courts to effectively and efficiently administer Guardianships and Decedent’s Estates.
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Collaborates with personal injury attorneys, structured settlement professionals, corporate trustees and financial advisors to help develop and implement a comprehensive approach to protecting damage recoveries and/or public benefits for plaintiffs with and without disabilities.
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Provides tax law services including estate, gift, trust and income tax planning and compliance in order to minimize taxes utilizing installment sales, private annuities, deferred payment arrangements, tax-deferred exchanges, qualified personal residence trusts and advanced charitable planning.
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Handles real estate, general corporate and business transactional matters, including choosing the proper corporate entity; formation of the corporate entity; drafting and filing articles of incorporation; drafting partnership agreements, LLC operating agreements and corporate by-laws; buying and selling existing businesses; purchasing and leasing assets and real property in conjunction with your business; negotiating, drafting, and executing business contracts; and planning as it relates to tax issues.