Knowledgeable, energetic and compassionate, Jennifer Woodhouse assists clients with estate, charitable and business transition planning, probate, trust administration, and tax controversies.

A customized approach to estate planning

Jennifer advises clients with planning for federal, Oregon, and Washington estate taxes and can help with planning issues unique to farming and timber businesses and closely held businesses. Working closely with her clients, Jennifer helps identify their estate planning needs and drafts the necessary documents. Depending on each client’s individual circumstances, Jennifer can prepare wills, revocable or irrevocable trusts, joint or individual trusts, qualified domestic trusts (QDOTs), powers of attorney, and advance directives. She also helps form non-profit organizations and private foundations, and prepares and files applications for federal tax-exempt status. She helps charitably inclined clients with evaluating and implementing charitable plans, including charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, private foundations, and non-profit organizations.

Next-generation business planning

For clients seeking to transition a business to the next generation of ownership, Jennifer develops and implements succession plans for all types and sizes of businesses.  

Counsel to the counselors

Jennifer represents personal representatives through the probate process in Oregon and Washington. She assists and advises trustees with the administration of trusts of all types and sizes, handling even relatively small matters in a cost-efficient manner. Jennifer also assists trustees and beneficiaries with the modification and termination of irrevocable trusts as permitted by Oregon and Washington law.

Resolving tax controversies

Jennifer represents clients in a range of tax matters, including collection cases, innocent spouse cases, audits (including estate and gift tax audits), and state and federal tax court cases. She helps clients respond to lien and levy notices as well as evaluate and pursue collection options. Jennifer represents clients through all stages of the trust fund recovery penalty interview process.

Testimonial

Jennifer Woodhouse has a wide-ranging private wealth practice and regularly acts for wealthy families and business owners. One Portland attorney says Woodhouse is "a great lawyer" who is "very conscientious and very easy to work with." — Chambers USA 2020

Memberships

• Oregon State Bar Taxation Section, Executive Committee (Past Chair)
• Oregon State Bar Estate Planning and Administration Section
• Multnomah Bar Association Member
• Oregon Women Lawyers Member
• Schwabe's Portland Women in Business group Chair

Awards

• Ranked for Private Wealth Law in Oregon, Chambers High Net Worth (2019-2021)
• Oregon Rising Stars List, Estate Planning & Probate (2018)
• Oregon Rising Stars List, Tax (2016-2017)  
• Lewis and Clark Law School, Rising Star award (2014) 
• Daily Journal of Commerce, Up & Coming Lawyer (2012) 
• Multnomah Bar Association, YLS Rookie of the Year (2010)

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

"Tax Reform Part I: Key Changes for Individual Clients," Oregon State Bar CLE, April 2018

"Charitable Planning: Trends, Tips, and Tax Issues," Schwabe CPA Shoptalk, January 2018

"Perspectives on Planned Giving From the World of Estate Planning", Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable Membership Meeting, May 2017

"Transitioning an Agricultural Business," Schwabe CPA ShopTalk, January 2017

"Charitable Lead Trusts: Yes, They Really Do Work," OHSU Gift Planning Workshop, October 2016

"Estate and Gift Tax Updates," Schwabe CPA Shoptalk, January 20, 2016

"Living and Testamentary Trusts, Marital and Disclaimer Trusts Post-ATRA, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts and QDOTs for Noncitizen Spouses," Trusts: The Ultimate Guide CLE, December 14, 2015

"Estate and Gift Tax Audits," Tax Controversy Seminar, November 2015

"Administrative Summons and Summons Enforcement: Recent Changes to the Information Document Request Process," Tax Controversy Seminar, November 2015

"Gifting Creativity: Opportunities and Challenges in Donating Intellectual Property," OHSU Foundation Gift Planning Workshop, September 2015

"An Overview of Innocent Spouse Relief," Family Law CLE Series, March 2015

"Digital Assets and Estate Planning," Schwabe CPA Shoptalk, January 2015

"Understanding Tax Procedures," Estate Administration Procedures CLE, December 2014

"Information Document Requests: Changes to Issuance and Enforcement Procedures," Portland Tax Forum, January 2014

"Tax Litigation, Tax Collection and Innocent Spouse Relief," Tax Controversy Seminar, October 2013

"Tax Collection," Broadbrush Taxation, October 2013

"Tax Collection," Oregon LITC Training, March 2013

Publications

Community Activities

• Lewis & Clark Law School, Mentor
• Taxation Section of the Oregon State Bar, Mentor (2017)
• Taxation Section of the Oregon State Bar, Newsletter Committee
• Taxation Section of the Oregon State Bar, Past Chair

Services