Finance role
Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager Recruiters
Financial Headhunters: Managing complex trust tax filings and estate transfer strategies for private family wealth.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
Executive-search discipline at every level, with conversations shaped around the work.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
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- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
01
What does this hire really come down to?
Can you manage multi-generational estate planning without losing focus on annual compliance? Can you manage trust tax filings while advising on gift and estate tax exposure? The work centers on managing the tax footprint of private family wealth.
Your new hire will spend their days drafting complex trust distributions and evaluating tax-efficient transfer strategies. They must accurately translate intricate legal documents into precise tax schedules. If they cannot explain a grantor trust arrangement or a generation-skipping transfer issue, they are not ready for this seat.
Ask candidates these questions. How do you handle non-grantor trust adjustments during a tax season crunch? Describe the last time you identified a flaw in a client wealth transfer plan that saved tax liability. How do you explain estate tax changes to a client who lacks a technical background?
Focus your next scope conversation on the specific mechanics of multi-jurisdictional wealth transfer. Ask candidates to walk you through a case where they navigated conflicting state tax laws for a trust holding diverse asset classes. Do not accept general claims of experience. Demand a concrete walkthrough of their methodology for identifying tax exposure in an existing estate plan that had not been updated for recent law changes. Ask them how they reconcile discrepancies between the legal intent of a trust document and the practical tax reporting requirements on Form 1041. Look for evidence that they have personally managed the entire lifecycle of an audit from the initial notice to the final resolution with the taxing authority. If they cannot describe the specific research software or professional circulars they use to validate their technical position on a complex valuation discount, they lack the rigor required for this seat. This conversation must uncover whether they can defend their tax positions under pressure when client goals conflict with standard technical interpretations of the code.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
We verify these specific items for every candidate.
Before you meet a candidate, we verify their technical reach during a scope conversation that identifies if they prioritize speed or accuracy when tax law shifts. We ask for evidence of how they manage valuation discounts when the IRS challenges an asset appraisal. A common hiring tradeoff involves choosing between a candidate who can produce high-volume compliance versus one who writes complex private letter rulings. We test if they prefer clean billable hours or messy, multi-year resolution tasks. You need a person who understands how to balance aggressive tax savings against the risk of an audit in a sensitive estate environment.
- 01Active CPA license or JD with an advanced tax focus to confirm they possess the credentials for complex practice.
- 02Direct experience with IRS form 1041, 706, and 709 to confirm they can produce accurate filings.
- 03Proof of hands-on management of complex trust and estate portfolios across multiple jurisdictions.
- 04Evaluation of their ability to resolve audit inquiries regarding valuation discounts and asset transfers.
- 05Review of their specific experience with tax research software to confirm they keep current on shifting regulations.
- 06Verification of their history in managing client relationships to confirm they can interpret client goals.
03
Where do we find them?
We look within established CPA firms, private family offices, and boutique wealth management tax practices. Most strong candidates are currently working in public accounting where the constant volume of high-net-worth filings is the standard. We also target tax attorneys at firms specializing in trust and estate planning who want to move into a more operational tax role.
A candidate is ready to move when their current environment limits their exposure to complex estate planning or when they seek a deeper focus on private wealth advisory over general compliance work. They often look to transition when their current team structure prevents them from owning the full lifecycle of a client’s tax strategy.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring a generalist tax professional who lacks specific experience with the unique demands of trust and estate tax forms.
- 02Prioritizing software expertise over the ability to perform deep technical research on current tax code and estate law.
- 03Ignoring the need for strong client communication skills in candidates who are technically proficient but cannot translate complex tax concepts.
05
The search in three steps
- 01We screen applicants against the precise tax filings and trust structures you manage to confirm technical alignment.
- 02We conduct a direct interview focusing on their ability to explain and apply complex estate tax regulations to real-world scenarios.
- 03We present you with only those who have cleared these technical and communicative benchmarks for your final interview.
How your Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
Research, direct conversations and professional judgment, with follow-through through the offer.
Search Calibration
We establish what this person must own: reporting demands, systems responsibilities, team, decision authority and first-year needs. We ask what would make an otherwise good candidate wrong for this job.
You get: An agreed search brief and a clear basis for judging fit.
Market Mapping
We research relevant operating environments, not just matching titles. An owner-led business, a portfolio company and a regulated lender can need different experience from someone with the same job title.
You get: A reasoned research direction, with scope differences made explicit.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We research professional ways to contact the people identified. Finding a name is a starting point; it does not establish availability, interest or fit.
You get: A route to a professional conversation, not simply a candidate list.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We contact people directly about the actual work and follow through on the conversation. We explain the remit and discuss whether a move could make sense. Not everyone will answer or want to move.
You get: A candid view of interest, objections and the tradeoffs in your opportunity.
Live Candidate Qualification
We discuss what each person actually owned, the complexity involved, their reasons for considering a move, compensation expectations and practical constraints. The questions fit the assignment, from a staff accounting seat to CFO.
You get: A candidate account of relevant ownership, with gaps left visible.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
Written recruiter context explains relevant experience, strengths and remaining questions. After introduction, we gather feedback, resolve questions, discuss changed requirements and support interviews and offer decisions. You retain the hiring decision and technical assessment.
You get: Continuity through the offer, rather than a handoff that ends at an introduction.
Questions people ask
Do I pay before I hire a manager for complex trust tax filings and estate planning?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How do decision rights for this role compare to a Senior Tax Manager?
The Trusts and Estates Manager holds full authority over the technical tax strategy for private clients, whereas a Senior Tax Manager usually handles general entity compliance. This role requires independent judgment on wealth transfer decisions that have multi-generational consequences.
Do you accept remote work?
We qualify remote candidates by their ability to maintain document integrity and client communication in a distributed environment. We prioritize those who have successfully managed a book of business while working away from the primary office.
Is this position suitable for seasonal contract work?
This role is designed as a permanent hire, but we can discuss contract or busy-season support if you have specific interim needs. Terms for such arrangements will be agreed upon separately per engagement.
What is the fee for a Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The fee and terms are agreed in writing before we start.
How soon will I see a Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What about counteroffers on a Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager hire?
We ask every Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager candidate early why they would move and what their employer might do to keep them. Counteroffer risk goes in the written brief before you make an offer.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
Start a search
Tell us about the seat.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Not ready to start a search?
Get a practical read on the talent market or the job description. No fee or obligation.
What does the published pay data show?
$166,570 national annual median. SOC 11-3031: Financial Managers.
BLS reports Financial Managers, not a separate wage for Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax Manager. This broader occupation does not distinguish seniority, work arrangement or language requirements.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released 2026-05-15. This is not a separately measured salary for this exact title.
Read the full salary guide