Sharon Quinn Dixon is a Florida Board Certified tax lawyer with over four decades of experience advising business clients about their employee benefit plans and executive compensation as well as individuals and organizations regarding their estate, probate and trust planning and administration.
Sharon has particular technical proficiency and an ability to simplify and demonstrate complex legal concepts. She has been ranked Band 1 (the highest ranking) in Chambers USA since 2005 and Best Lawyers in America® has named her Miami Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year five times.
Areas of Concentration
Employee Benefits
- Tax and ERISA compliance and litigation matters involving 401(k), retirement and equity incentive benefit plans
- Executive compensation issues including nonqualified deferred compensation plan compliance with tax Code Section 409A
- Representation of employer-plan sponsors in audits by IRS and U.S. Department of Labor
- Representation of tax-exempt employers in connection with 403(b) and retirement plans (qualified and nonqualified) and health and welfare plans
- Correction of 401(k) and retirement plan compliance deficiencies and submission for IRS approval
- COBRA issues
- Section 125-Cafeteria Plans
- Equity-based plans for employees including stock option and stock appreciation rights plans
- Medical and insurance plan questions
- Affordable Care Act compliance, reporting and “penalty tax” issues
- Merger and acquisition due diligence reviews and agreements
- Planning for employee benefits in implementing Family Leave Act policies
Estate, Probate and Trust Planning and Administration
- Estate planning for retirement benefits
- Development and implementation of individual estate plans
- Federal estate, gift and income tax issues
- Representation of corporate and individual fiduciaries in connection with the administration of estates and personal trusts
- Successful defense of IRS challenges to estate tax valuation
- Drafting personal trusts and planning for family business succession
- Formation and operation of tax exempt organizations, (including obtaining and maintaining tax status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)