Back to People

Benjamin S. Candland Partner

Save current page as PDF
Richmond T +1 804 775 1047 F fax +1 804 225 5341
vCard

As a partner in the firm’s Private Wealth Services group, Ben serves as a trusted advisor to dozens of ultra-high-net worth families, closely held businesses, and family offices. Ben also provides guidance and advice to banks and other financial institutions concerning wealth management, regulatory requirements, and fiduciary litigation matters.

For his individual and family clients, Ben’s practice involves complex estate planning, estate administration, and estate and gift tax issues. His clients look to him to design and implement creative and effective wealth transfer and charitable giving plans. Such planning often involves assisting business owner clients in the smooth and tax effective transition of closely held business entities to the next generations.

In addition to his work for individuals, a large part of Ben’s practice involves advising banks and financial institutions, particularly in the wealth and fiduciary space. Such representations involve advising financial institutions on a wide range of matters involving disputes with customers and beneficiaries, investment diversification issues, trust modifications and terminations, and tax and regulatory issues, including matters involving the FDIC, OCC, and FINRA. Ben’s goal is to assist the financial institution in protecting itself by complying with federal and state laws, while maintaining strong relationships with customers and beneficiaries.

Ben is a sought-after speaker for continuing education and in-house training seminars and is the author and editor of numerous books and articles. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

Experience

  • Have been retained on multiple occasions to advise some of the largest banks in the country regarding issues involving the Corporate Transparency Act.
  • Represented multiple large banks in the sale of all or a portion of their trust business segments.
  • Advise large banks concerning fiduciary responsibilities with respect to investments and Regulation 9 requirements.
  • Represent trustee of trust with assets in excess of $4 billion.
  • Reformation of testamentary trusts to qualify as charitable remainder trusts – saving millions of dollars in unnecessary taxes.
  • Advising and assisting clients regarding the tax-efficient transmission of family-owned business to younger generations, including the strategic use of partnerships, LLCs, grantor trusts, reorganizations, recapitalizations, employee benefit plans, buy-sell agreements and installment sales.
  • Establishing complex giving strategies, including charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts, to accomplish the charitable goals of clients while minimizing taxes.
  • Obtaining favorable private letter rulings from the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service regarding estate and generation-skipping transfer tax issues.
  • Representing corporate fiduciaries in general fiduciary claims, including actions for removal and improper investments.

News

More News