Roy S. Ross

Overview

Roy S. Ross advises multiple generations of families, developing relationships that allow him to understand not only their assets, but the priorities, relationships and concerns that shape their decisions. That perspective helps him create tax-efficient estate plans that reflect what clients want to accomplish today while anticipating the needs of the generations that follow.

Roy S. Ross is a partner in Dilworth Paxson’s Trusts and Estates Group, where he counsels high-net-worth individuals and families on estate planning, wealth transfer, trust and estate administration, charitable giving and related tax matters. Many of his relationships extend across generations, allowing Roy to bring an understanding of a family’s history and objectives to new decisions as circumstances evolve. He advises on lifetime gifting, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning, asset protection and other strategies designed to preserve and transfer wealth efficiently. For clients, that continuity means planning can evolve with the family rather than being reconsidered in isolation each time a new need arises.

The right estate plan is not always determined by the most tax-efficient option alone. Family members may have different priorities, strained relationships or competing ideas about what constitutes a fair outcome. Roy takes the time to understand those dynamics and helps clients work through the financial and personal consequences of the choices before them. When family members have divergent objectives, he looks for areas of common ground and structures solutions that balance tax efficiency with the client’s broader goals.

Roy also guides individual and corporate executors and trustees through estate and trust administration, often when families are coping with the illness or death of someone close to them. He gives fiduciaries a clear framework for what needs to happen and helps them navigate complex will and trust provisions, tax obligations, asset issues and distributions. Just as importantly, he brings context to decisions that may involve people and relationships he has known for years. His calm approach and familiarity with the family can provide valuable continuity at a time when clients are managing unfamiliar responsibilities and difficult personal circumstances.