“Helping a client to pass values from one generation to another is just as important as helping them to pass value. Obviously, we can do much more to effectuate the latter. But drafting documents divorced from knowledge of the client's values and personal goals and pain points, no matter how technically perfect those documents may be, is only doing half of the job.”
Jeff is a partner in HMB’s Private Client, Trusts and Estates Group. He focuses his practice on estate planning and administration, fiduciary counsel and litigation, business planning, asset protection planning, and philanthropic planning and deployment of capital for social impact.
He works with high-net worth families and individuals, corporate and individual trustees and other fiduciaries, business owners and entrepreneurs, charitable foundations and donors. Jeff helps clients preserve assets for the long-term, aligning growth strategies with their personal and civic objectives.
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Jeff built his practice by creating long-term relationships with clients who value his accessibility and ability to bring creative, practical and empathetic solutions to their unique matters. He prides himself on responding to calls and emails promptly and answering his own phone when sitting at his desk.
Values-Driven Advice to Preserve and Grow Wealth
With over 30 years of experience helping people manage the passing of their wealth and wisdom across generations, clients rely on Jeff for the practical, forward-thinking, values-driven counsel he brings to all aspects of their wealth, family, philanthropic and business planning.
Education
- American University Washington College of Law, J.D., cum laude
- University of Massachusetts, B.A., Commonwealth Scholar, magna cum laude
Honors
- AV Rated
- Best Lawyers in America, 2010-2024
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2010-2024
- Leading Lawyers, 2023
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow
- Bloomberg BNA, Estates, Gifts, & Trusts Advisory Board
- Chicago Bar Association
- Chicago Estate Planning Council
- Greater North Shore Estate Planning Council
- Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Board of Directors, Policy Committee Co-Chair
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Events
- Jeffrey A. Zaluda Presents, “Creating Intelligent Philanthropic Legacies in any Economic Climate” hosted by FELNET – 11/16/22November 15, 2022
Have questions about charitable giving? Join HMB’s Jeffrey A. Zaluda and Scott Vender of Morgan Stanley for the Friends of ELNET’s upcoming seminar, “Creating Intelligent Philanthropic Legacies in any Economic Climate” on November 16th.
- Jeffrey A. Zaluda Presents a Webinar, "ESG: No Longer a Trend You Can Ignore" to the Northern Trust Institute Wealth Planning Symposium - 4/22/21February 9, 2021
4/22/21 6 credit hours for CLE, CPE and CFP offered. The Northern Trust Institute’s inaugural Wealth Planning Symposium will examine key themes transforming wealth planning from leading industry thought leaders. This two-day virtual conference will provide unique perspectives and actionable insights on how to embrace this moment and advise clients with a more collaborative, data-driven and purposeful approach. "ESG: No…
- Jeff Zaluda presents "Some Trends in Philanthropy Impacting Large Publicly Supported Charities" - Jewish National Fund - 9/18/19September 6, 2019
09/18/19 Chicago, IL While Americans remain the most generous and philanthropic people in the world, the landscape for giving is changing at an accelerated rate. Jeff Zaluda discusses how Millennial and generational subgroups have dramatically impacted the manner in which philanthropy is carried out. He will examine some of the reasons behind the changing landscape and ways in which donors…
- Jeffrey Zaluda Presents "How To Survive As An Estate Planner In 2018"October 11, 2018
10/11/18 - 10/12/18 2018 Duke University Estate Planning Conference Duke University Durham, North Carolina Click here for more info and to register. Building and maintaining a financially successful estate planning practice is much harder today. From building a practice to the importance of social media, Jeff will discuss how the estate planning department of a mid-sized firm in a very…
Publications
- SLAT’s: An Old Idea with New UrgencyOctober 8, 2020
Client calls are coming in droves regarding the need to engage in estate planning if Joe Biden wins the White House and the Democrats have a majority in the Senate. And for good reason. There is every reason to think that the currently high estate tax exemptions will be substantially reduced as part of a tax overhaul relatively early in…
- 30 Things I've Learned After 30 Years as an Estate PlannerMay 29, 2017
The ABA published this article in one of their journals and it expresses my views of what makes a satisfying client relationship, as well as a satisfying relationship with partners, referral sources, and the legal practice generally.
News
- HMB Attorneys Selected to the 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars ListsJanuary 25, 2024
Congratulations to Jeralyn H. Baran, Nathan E. Delman, Jeffrey A. Zaluda and Payal J. Patel for being selected to the 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists! Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
- HMB Wins Unanimous Decision at the Illinois Supreme Court in High-Stakes Will ContestDecember 22, 2023
Huge win for HMB’s Litigation team at the Illinois Supreme Court! Congratulations Litigation Partners Hal J. Wood and Matthew R. Barrett on securing a unanimous decision in a contested will case. They successfully defended their hard-fought trial court win and appellate decision in favor of HMB’s client that allowed the client to retain control over the disposition of her late-husband’s company.
- HMB Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in America 2024August 17, 2023
HMB is proud to have 16 attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers in the 2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Congratulations to our attorneys!
- HMB Announces 2023-2024 Board of DirectorsJuly 18, 2023
HMB is pleased to announce its 2023-2024 Board of Directors.
- Congratulations to HMB Attorneys Named to 2023 Leading LawyersFebruary 21, 2023
Congratulations to Jeralyn H. Baran, Keith H. Berk, Aaron L.Hammer, Jeffrey H. Hechtman, James L. Jerue and Jeffrey A. Zaluda for being named 2023 Leading Lawyers! Only lawyers who are most often recommended by their peers and later approved by the Leading Lawyers Advisory Board are selected.
blog
- Estate Planning Awareness Week 2022October 17, 2022
Why Estate Planning Awareness Week? In 2008, Congress designated the third week of October (October 17-23, 2022) as National Estate Planning Awareness Week as a reminder to the public of the importance of estate planning. Having a proper estate plan is important to ensure that you and your loved ones are taken care of. When done well, estate planning aims…
- New Illinois Statute Creates Presumption of Invalidity as to Transfers to Caregivers Over $20,000October 11, 2015
A new section in the Illinois Probate Act, 755 ILCS 5/4-a, et seq., titled "Presumptively Void Transfers," which took effect January 1, 2015, creates a rebuttable presumption that a document that transfers assets upon a person's death, referred to as a "transfer instrument," that transfers $20,000 or more to a caregiver is invalid. The intent of the new law is…
- Recycle Your Charitable DollarsJune 6, 2014
For private foundations interested in a "return on investment" on the distribution of their foundation's charitable dollars (that is, a return beyond the satisfaction of doing good), Program Related Investments ("PRI's") are generally the tool of choice. A PRI can be counted as part of the foundation's required 5% annual distribution provided that the investment accomplishes one or more the foundation's charitable purposes, is not made to achieve a significant investment return, and is not used for lobbying or political campaigns...
- How Do You Define "Philanthropy"?May 20, 2014
For many Gen Y'ers (a/k/a Millennials, and generally understood to be people in their 20's and 30's today), philanthropy goes far beyond writing a check to one?s favorite public charity (or, even, texting a donation to the Red Cross following some natural disaster or another). Instead, philanthropy is now understood as a broader deployment of social capital with consideration of the Return on Investment (ROI) to be achieved through that deployment...
