Brigitt Orfield

Attorney

“Being sincerely invested in you and having your best interests at heart fuels my passion for estate planning. By taking a personal approach, I create a positive experience that serves as the foundation of my practice.”

Contact Me

[email protected]

(612) 252-2816

Brigitt Orfield

Attorney

SERVICES

- Tax-Exempt Organizations

Assisted By

Kathy Godfrey

(612) 252-2836

[email protected]

Clients Say

“Brigitt has a unique way of making complex and intimidating topics much simpler; she puts me at ease so I can focus on my goals.”

“Brigitt is always a pure pleasure to work with—she’s welcoming, relatable, easygoing, positive, and confident.”

“When I am nervous, she calms me and lets me know all is well.”

“It’s more than a job to her; she really gets to know her clients and their families and relationships truly matter to her.”

I feel privileged to assist you with your estate planning and honored to be a trusted advisor in your life’s most meaningful moments. Over the past 30 years, I’ve built enduring relationships with my clients by navigating life’s complexities with care, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to their goals.

My practice focuses on helping individuals and families plan for the smooth transfer of wealth, both during life and upon death, while minimizing tax implications. Whether I’m drafting a will, creating tailored trusts, or designing an antenuptial agreement, I craft plans that reflect your values, protect your loved ones, and achieve your objectives.

When the unexpected happens, I’m here to guide families through the probate process, asset transfers, and related tax filings to ensure carefully laid plans are fully executed. My approachable nature and ability to simplify complex matters allow clients to feel confident and in control.

Known for my optimism, energy, and compassion, I pride myself on being more than an attorney—I am a partner in your journey, committed to easing the challenges of estate planning while focusing on what matters most to you.

REPRESENTTATIVE RESULTS

I have worked closely with clients to design and execute effective estate planning strategies tailored to their unique goals, including:

Trusts and Property Transfers:
- Created multiple qualified personal residence trusts to hold various vacation properties and transfer them to the next generation with a significant discount in gift tax value.
- Structured an intentionally defective grantor trust (IDGT) to hold a client’s interest in land used for a country music festival, benefiting the client’s children while further reducing estate value through continued income tax payments associated with the trust.
- Represented a client in transferring ownership of an apple orchard to heirs at a reduced gift tax value through the use of a limited liability company (LLC).
- Successfully helped clients transfer valuable lake property to their heirs through the use of a cabin trust.
Charitable Planning:
- Designed a charitable lead trust to hold proceeds from the sale of a substantial family business, offsetting income tax liability with a sizable charitable deduction.
- Established a charitable foundation for a client to support her philanthropic interests and involve her family in the process of selecting charities to support.
Advanced Tax Strategies:
- Structured non-reciprocal spousal access trusts to fully utilize applicable exclusion amounts.
- Used short-term rolling grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) during a stock market downturn to transfer stock at a low value, resulting in significant appreciation for the next generation.
Family Dynamics and Protection:
- Successfully drafted and negotiated numerous antenuptial agreements protecting family business assets and ensuring inheritances for children from prior marriages.
- Established supplemental needs trusts to assist clients in supporting children without disqualifying them from eligibility for governmental benefits.
Complex Legal Structures:
- Structured a self-settled Alaska Trust to meet a client’s financial and estate planning goals.
- Created family limited partnerships and limited liability companies to protect and manage multigenerational assets.

Through these strategies and others, I help clients achieve their estate planning objectives while protecting their wealth and family legacies.

EDUCATION

J.D., cum laude, William Mitchell College of Law, 1994
B.A., University of St. Thomas, 1991
CFP Professional Education Program, College for Financial Planning

BAR ADMISSIONS

Minnesota

HONORS

Best Lawyers in America honoree, 2021-present
Minnesota Super Lawyers honoree, 2020–present; Rising Stars honoree, 2004
North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2023
Top Lawyer honoree, Minnesota Monthly Magazine, 2022-2023

PROFESSIONAL

American Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association
Hennepin County Bar Association

ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT

Attorney, Orfield & Petroski Law Firm, 1994–1996
Estate and Charitable Planning Specialist, Thrivent for Lutherans, 1996–1998

COMMUNITY

Volunteer, Mission Haiti Inc.
Volunteer, Annunciation Catholic School

ARTICLES

Co-Author, “Estate Planning and Other Considerations for your Legally Adult Children,” Henson Efron Thought Leadership, November 2022
Co-Author, “Coronavirus Threat Should Prompt Action on Key Estate Planning Documents,” Henson Efron Thought Leadership, March 2020
Co-Author, “Taking a Step from Graduate to Grown-up: Estate Planning and Other Considerations for your Recent Graduate,” Henson Efron Thought Leadership, June 2018
“Estate Planning in the Digital Age: Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets,” Henson Efron Thought Leadership, May 2018
“Estate Planning for Lakeshore Property–Passing on the Fun to the Next Generation,” Outdoor News, March 2002
“IRS Pulls the Plug on Charitable Split Dollar Life Insurance,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, October 1999
“American Council on Gift Annuities Publishes New Rate Schedule,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, October 1999
“IRS Issues New Mortality Tables Applicable to Split-Interest Gifts,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, October 1999
“Charitable Strategies Manual for Clients, Congregations, and Institutions,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, 1997
“Charitable Remainder Trusts: IRS Releases Proposed Regulations,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, August 1997
“Primer: Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, August 1997
“To Give or Not to Give: Problems with Making Charitable Gifts of Certain Assets,” Lutheran Brotherhood Advanced Marketing Review, April 1997
“Building Credibility in the Charitable Marketplace,” Lutheran Brotherhood Leader, April 1997
“Identifying Charitable Prospects: You Might be Surprised Who You Find,” Lutheran Brotherhood Leader, December 1996
“NIMCRUT: More Than Just a Funny Name,” Lutheran Brotherhood Leader, November 1996
“Making Big Donors Out of Young Adults: Three Simple Ways,” Lutheran Brotherhood Leader, October 1996
“The Perks of Charitable Life Insurance,” Lutheran Brotherhood Focus, Fall/Winter 1996

PRESENTATIONS

“Estate Planning for Mid-Career Professionals,” Fort Snelling, January 2008
“Estate Planning for the Sages of our Parish,” Annunciation Church, November 2005
Multiple Presentations on the Following Topics, Lutheran Brotherhood, 1996-1998
- Charitable Giving in the Business Market
- Estate Planning Strategies
- The Estate and Charitable Markets
- Educational Incentives: How to Tap into the Young Adult Market
- Getting Started in the Estate and Charitable Markets
- Charitable Consortium at Lutheran Brotherhood
- Charitable Strategies
- Creating and Growing Endowments
- Charitable Giving Tools
- What’s New in the Estate and Charitable Markets
- Nuts and Bolts of Planned Giving
- Estate Protection and Charitable Giving Basics
- Resources Available in the Estate and Charitable Markets
- Charitable Giving in 1997: A Track to Success