Education

Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1979, cum laude

Wayne State University, B.S., 1975, Accounting

Bar and Court Admissions

Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

Photo of Francis ("Frank") G. Seyferth, J.D., C.P.A.
Farmington Hills
32300 Northwestern Highway
Suite 230
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
T: 248.538.6328
F: 248.851.7504

Francis ("Frank") G. Seyferth, J.D., C.P.A.

Shareholder

With over 30 years of experience as a corporate and tax attorney and Certified Public Accountant, Frank Seyferth has earned a reputation as a caring and trusted financial advisor. Frank helps clients with family wealth and estate planning needs, Medicaid planning, business succession planning and probate-related litigation.

He has handled a wide variety of real estate issues——comprising tax, financing and other aspects of both residential and commercial property——as well as all aspects of business mergers, sales and acquisitions. Frank’s experience spans several industries, including manufacturing, professional services and personal financial services.

Frank is also well-regarded for handling large, sophisticated corporate transactions. His history of completed deals includes many high-stakes public finance matters throughout Michigan.

Frank’s work in municipal bond work shows the depth and extent of his strength in this area. In the course of his career, he has successfully dealt with…

  • Preparation of tax opinions in financings involving 501(c)(3) organizations
  • Private–activity issues
  • Municipal and state-level exempt financing arrangements
  • Preparation and filing of all tax-compliance documents
  • Analysis of arbitrage and rebate issues, and
  • Drafting and analysis of non-arbitrage certifications

Frank has taught for years at the undergraduate and graduate levels on taxation issues. He is also active in the Business Leadership Institute at Walsh College in Detroit.

Additional Estate Planning Information:

Highlights & Recognitions

BV® Distinguished™ Martindale-Hubbell

Best Lawyers in America (Trusts and Estates)

Representative Matters

Estate Planning

  • For one client, Frank created an extremely detailed estate plan. The plan saved the client millions of dollars (and preserved family harmony) by reducing proposed estate tax exposure through inter-family gifting, creative charitable planning (including Private Foundation work) and insurance and tax structuring.
  • A married couple came to Frank for help dividing an eight-figure business. He arranged an agreement that did this amicably, avoiding a threatened divorce and enabling the spouses to run the separated businesses successfully.
  • Frank created complex, generation-skipping trusts for one client, with advanced incentive provisions. This allowed a chemically-dependent adult son continued access to the family fortune in a very “controlled” environment, thereby preventing substantial waste of hard-earned assets.
  • The parents of a special-needs adult wanted to ensure that their child continue receiving governmental-supplied benefits following their demise. Frank drafted numerous discretionary trusts for this client.
  • Frank created the first conservation easement for a well-known Michigan resort lake. The agreement protected the environmental integrity of substantial waterfront frontage, while reducing his client’s property tax obligations to less than half and creating a substantial charitable contribution deduction.

Corporate Law/Mergers & Acquisitions

  • A start-up company in the recycling industry needed second-stage seed capital. Frank arranged and negotiated a successful private placement memorandum, which the client refers to as a “life saver.” The company now successfully operates a Tier-1 integrated recycling facility.
  • Frank arranged for and successfully negotiated the acquisition of a retail franchise operation. This enabled the client to secure suitable financing, cost-effective retail space locations, and retain key personnel.
  • The head of a family-owned business had a life-long dream: Allow their children an opportunity to continue participating in the business. Frank was hired and successfully managed an inter-family business transfer involving multiple siblings.
  • Frank helped a client maneuver through a very sensitive, potentially disastrous, near-acquisition of an international target company. Thanks to Frank’s work, his client avoided the acquisition while maintaining strong inter-personal business relations with the other party.
  • Sibling co-owners wanted a “business divorce.” Frank helped minimize any acrimony, with both parties avoiding litigation and continuing their close family relations.

Real Estate

  • Frank has successfully negotiated and closed multiple multi-million dollar sale and leaseback transactions, including a transaction with a national IRA custodian agreeing to hold the LLC units created.
  • A prior counsel has mistakenly mis-deeded a large industrial property needed help. The owner hired Frank, who helped subdivide and reorganize the property into usable, salable individual industrial lots.
  • Frank successfully arranged a 1031 sale transaction involving entity-owned, multi-tenant properties. He has also negotiated and drafted several single-tenant, long-term leases with complex lease termination provisions. 

News

Speaking Engagements

  • May 11, 2010
    Don't Just Survive - Thrive
    Walsh College Business Leadership Institute
  • March 16, 2010
    Estate Planning and Long Term Care
    Brookdale Senior Living

Publications

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • American Bar Association
Industry & Professional Associations:
  • Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants
Community Involvement:
  • Band of Angels
  • Clarkston Chamber of Commerce
  • Walsh College
    • Adjunct Professor since 1983, Taxation
    • Business Leadership Institute, Affinity Group Leader