Biography
For more than 35 years, Sam K. Hildebrand has helped clients protect their wealth, minimize their estate, gift, and income tax exposure, and convey their wealth to their families and charities in a wise and thoughtful manner. Sam emphasizes establishing strong, long-term working relationships with his clients and their professional advisors.
A significant part of Sam’s practice is his work with wealthy families in developing their family office. This involves establishing the formal structures and educating family members on how to satisfy their family goals, including securing the family wealth for themselves and future generations and adhering to their charitable desires.
Sam assists family members and professional fiduciaries with the estate and trust administration process after a death has occurred. While much of this work involves the careful and efficient transfer of property to the intended beneficiaries, Sam also assists with contested probate and fiduciary matters.
Education
A.A., Schreiner University
B.B.A., with highest honors, University of Texas at Austin
J.D., University of Texas School of Law
Certified Public Accountant
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1985
Court Admissions
United States Tax Court
Board Certifications
Estate Planning and Probate / Tax
Sam represents a wide range of clients, including entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate executives, oil, gas, and mineral owners, farmers, ranchers, entertainers, artists, doctors, professors, athletes, and philanthropists.
His practice encompasses the full breadth of wealth planning and probate, including:
- Preparation of will and trusts
- Estate, gift, and income tax minimization
- Protection against unforeseen claims
- Charitable planning
- International estate planning
- Premarital and marital property agreements
- Employment agreements
- Business creation and ownership
- Planning for potential mental incapacity
- Estate and trust administration
- Will contests and fiduciary litigation
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2006-2022
- Lawyer of the Year – Austin, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, 2022
- Lawyer of the Year – Austin, Trusts and Estates, 2020
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates, 2011-2021
- Trusts and Estates, 2006-2021
- Texas Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2003-2021
- “Austin’s Top Attorneys” List – Wills, Estates, and Probate, Austin Monthly, 2021
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow
- Estate Planning Council of Central Texas, Former President
- State Bar of Texas – Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section
- Trust Code Committee, 2002-2004
- Decedent’s Estate Committee, 2015-Present
- Austin Bar Association – Estate Planning and Probate Section, Former Board Member
- National Committee of Planned Giving – Central Texas Chapter, Former President
- University of Texas at Austin’s Planned Giving Advisory Council, Member & Former Co-Chair
- Equality Texas, Board Member
- Austin Parks Foundation, Board Member