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Jeffrey L. Knapp is one of only four New-Jersey based Estate Planning Law Specialists, an exam-tested national credential that has been available for more than 20 years.
Jeff is known as a trusted advisor who combines over 30 years of varied legal experience with focused forward vision to inspire and draw out in his clients great thinking, connection and significance. Jeff is recognized by his colleagues in several national networks as a creative thinker and teacher. These national networks serve clients who relocate, or extended families who seek to coordinate their planning.
Jeff declined appointments to Annapolis and West Point to stay in New Jersey and earn his Bachelors (Honors English) and Juris Doctor (1985) from Rutgers University. He has also completed a three-year post-doctorate Masters in Wealth Strategies Planning® and become an EPI Fellow. He has served as a licensed CE provider for CPA’s, CFP’s and Insurance Professionals.
Jeff has co-authored books on estate planning, business planning and charitable planning, and has helped produce The Ultimate Gift movie (starring James Garner, Drew Fuller, Brian Dennehy, Bill Cobbs and Lee Meriwether), which inspires charitable and legacy planning. The movie has also inspired a prequel (The Ultimate Life) and a sequel (The Ultimate Legacy), and all three movies are aired regularly on The Hallmark Channel. Based on a study of 18,000 estate plans, Jeff has over the past 20 years created the Partners In TrustTM estate planning experience that is designed to achieve true results for client families. He has licensed several of its components to ten law firms in other states.
Jeff works with clients from ages under 20 to over 100 years, in planning estate ranging from under $20,000 to over $100 million. He is also a Certified Time To Think Consultant, and one of the first Certified Legacy Advisors in the country.
A lifelong leader, Jeff has recently served as president of the Eagle Scout Alumni Association, chair of the Coalition on Family Caregiving at Overlook Hospital, and chair of the Stewardship Team at the Church of Saint James. Jeff is active with other charitable and youth programs, and you may have heard him on STAR 99.1 FM. He has enjoyed renovating older buildings in Basking Ridge (1880) and Mendham (1738) for comfortable offices. Jeff and his wife Deb have lived in Basking Ridge since their 1986 marriage. They have four sons in their 20s, one of whom is in Law School. Jeff loves his work and—God willing—plans to be at it for another 30 years.
In terms of practicing advance planning, Jeff and Deb have three-deep attorney backup outside the firm, put their deposit on Fellowship Village at age 41, and have their mausoleum drawer in Basking Ridge, so they literally do not plan to leave town.
The Knapp Law Firm