Edward A. Renn

Of Counsel | New York New Haven Greenwich


Secretary Phyllis Taneszio

Ed is of counsel in the private client and tax team.

He focuses on domestic and international private client matters. Ed provides legal advice on US and international estate planning, income maximization strategies, FLP and LLC planning, wealth preservation, business succession planning, international tax planning for entities and individuals, trust structures and estate administration.

Ed often uses sophisticated domestic and offshore insurance strategies to solve client problems. He is a frequent speaker and has co-authored several books on estate planning.

Ed has been recognized as a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) by STEP USA. The TEP® credential is a significant milestone for members of the legal community who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in trust and estate practice.

Ed is named 'Lawyer of the Year' in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers® in Tax Law in Connecticut. Additionally, Ed is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Tax Law and Trusts and Estates.

Talks

  • 'The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): What You Need to Know,' Surgent Webinar Series - April 23, 2026, speaker
  • 'Top Business Tax Planning Strategies,' Surgent Webinar Series - March 20, 2026, speaker

  • 'New and Expanded Tax Benefits Associated with Section 1202 - Qualified Small Business Stock,' Surgent Webinar Series - March 4, 2026, speaker

  • 'Update on the SECURE Act 2.0,' Surgent Webinar Series - January 20, 2026, speaker

  • 'Taxation of Tips and Overtime Under OBBBA,' Surgent Webinar Series - December 16, 2025, speaker

  • 'Making Sense of Essential OBBBA Provisions,' Surgent Webinar Series - December 10, 2025, speaker

  • 'What Practitioners Need to Know About the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Its Extensive Reach,' Surgent Webinar Series - December 5, 2025, speaker

  • '2025 Tax Changes and Year-End Planning Opportunities,' Surgent Webinar Series - December 2, 2025, speaker

  • 'Taxation on Tips and Overtime Under OBBBA,' Surgent Webinar Series - October 22, 2025, speaker

  • 'Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Individuals and Small and Medium-Sized Businesses,' Surgent Webinar Series - October 15, 2025, speaker
  • 'Weekly Expert Hour,' Surgent Webinar Series - October 2, 2025, speaker
  • 'Advising a Client Regarding the Tax Consequences Associated with Buying or Selling a Business,' Surgent Webinar Series - September 23, 2025, speaker
  • 'The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): What You Need To Know,' Surgent Webinar Series - September 10, 2025, speaker

  • 'What Practitioners Need to Know About Estate Planning and Administering a Client's Estate,' Surgent Webinar Series - September 9, 2025, speaker

  • 'Portability and estate planning,' Surgent Webinar Series - August 28, 2025, speaker

  • 'Top Individual Tax Planning Strategies,' Surgent Webinar Series - August 20, 2025, speaker
  • 'Weekly Expert Hour,' Surgent Webinar Series - July 31, 2025, speaker

  • 'Critical Issues for General Tax Practitioners Regarding IRAs and Retirement Plans,' Knowfully Webinar - July 11, 2025, speaker

  • 'Overview and Analysis of the New Tax Law: Part 1 - Focus on Individual Taxation,' Surgent Webinar Series, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Hour,' Surgent Webinar Series - July 3, 2025, speaker

  • 'Stock vs. Asset Acquisitions of C Corporations,' Surgent Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 27, 2025, speaker

  • 'Comparison of House and Senate’s Version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA),' Surgent Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 26, 2025, speaker

  • 'Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Achieving Success in a Worker Classification Audit,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 17, 2025, speaker

  • 'The New Tax Bill,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 22 , 2025, speaker

  • 'Top Individual Tax Planning Strategies,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 16, 2025, speaker

  • 'Basis Shifting Final Regulations,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 14, 2025, speaker

  • 'Republican Tax Proposals,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 1, 2025, speaker

  • 'All-Star Tax: Business Tax Update and Planning Strategies,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - December 4, 2024, speaker

  • 'All-Star Tax: Individual Tax Update and Planning Strategies,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - November 13, 2024, speaker

  • 'Post-Election Potential Tax Changes and Tax Planning,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - November 8, 2024, speaker

  • 'All-Star Tax: Tax Issues Associated with the Purchase and Sale of a Residence,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - October 16, 2024, speaker

  • 'All-Star Tax: What Tax Practitioners Need to Know About Purchasing and Selling a Business,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - August 14, 2024, speaker

  • 'Summary and Analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 28, 2024, speaker

  • 'Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Achieving Success in a Worker Classification Audit,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 18, 2024, speaker

  • 'Taxation of Partnership Distributions and Sales of Partnership Interests,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 11, 2024, speaker

  • 'Top Individual Tax Planning Strategies,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 5, 2024, speaker

  • 'Issues and Challenges Related to S Corporations and Partnerships,' Surgent Continuing Education Live Seminar - June 4, 2024, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Hour,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 23, 2024, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Hour,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 16, 2024, speaker

  • 'All-Star Tax: Implementing the Corporate Transparency Act,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 1, 2024, speaker

  • 'Taxation of Partnership Distributions and Sales of Partnership Interests,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - April 29, 2024, speaker

  • 'Inflation Reduction Act's Changes to Auto and Energy Related Tax Credits,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - April 17, 2024, speaker

  • 'Business Tax Update,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - November 29, 2023, speaker

  • 'Top Business Tax Planning Strategies,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - November 20, 2023, speaker

  • 'Summary and Analysis of Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - November 14, 2023, speaker

  • 'Update on the SECURE 2.0 Act,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - October 26, 2023, speaker

  • 'Taxation of Partnership Distributions and Sales of Partnership Interests,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - October 23, 2023, speaker

  • 'Top Ten Questions from Partnership Clients Regarding the Section 754 Election,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - October 19, 2023, speaker

  • 'The Inflation Reduction Act's Changes to Auto and Energy-Related Tax Credits,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - October 18, 2023, speaker

  • 'IRS Whistleblowers,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - August 31, 2023, speaker

  • 'High Earners to Lose 401(k) Tax Break,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - August 24, 2023, speaker

  • 'The Section 754 Election and Related Adjustments to Inside Basis of Partnership Assets,' The All -Star Tax Series - August 2, 2023, speaker

  • 'Tax Issues Related to Buying and Selling a Business,' The All Star Tax Series - July 26, 2023, speaker

  • 'Loss Limitations,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - June 14, 2023, speaker

  • 'Estate Planning,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - May 31, 2023, speaker

  • 'Weekly Tax Update,' Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour Webinar Series - January 19, 2023, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Update,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - November 17, 2022, speaker

  • 'Partnership Distributions and Sales,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - November 3, 2022, speaker

  • 'Top Ten Questions re: Section 754,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - October 20, 2022, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Update,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - September 22, 2022, speaker

  • 'Must-Know Rules Relating to IRAs and Qualified Plans for 2022,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - September 12, 2022, speaker

  • 'Weekly Expert Update,' Surgent Knowfully Webinar Series - August 11, 2022, speaker

  • 'The American Families Plan Tax Compliance Agenda,' Surgent Accounting & Financial Education Expert Hour - May 27, 2021, speaker

  • 'Checklist 2020:Moving forward,' Withersworldwide webinar - November 10, 2020, co-presenter

  • 'Checklist 2020: Planning for any outcome,' Withersworldwide webinar - October 6, 2020, co-presenter

  • 'Estate Planning Opportunities in a Low Interest, Rate and Value Environment,' Withers/Marcum Webinar - June 11, 2020, presenter

  • 'Surgent Labor Law & the Cares Act: Navigating Employer Employee Conflicts in Times of Economic Distress,' Surgent Webinar - May 18, 2020, presenter

  • 'Opportunity Zones: IRC Sec. 1400Z Two Years On,' South Carolina Association of CPAs webinar - May 15, 2020, presenter

  • 'CARES Act Webinar,' Wealthmanagement.com - April 27, 2020, presenter

  • 'CARES Act Webinar,' The All Star Tax Series - April 14, 2020, presenter

  • 'CARES Act Webinar,' Surgent Webinar - April 8, 2020, presenter

  • 'Annual Roundtable Even,' CEG Worldwide - March 12, 2020, speaker

  • 'Don't get Capsized by the Blue Wave: Opportunities for Wealth Planning in the Face of Proposed Democratic Tax Policies,' 2020 Forum 400 - January 27, 2020, speaker

  • 'Democratic Tax Policies and Planning with Life Insurance,' 2020 Forum 400 - January 25, 2020, speaker

  • 'The SECURE Act and tax extenders: What you need to know now to help your clients,' The All Star Tax Series - January 13, 2020, panelist

  • 'SECURE Act Panel,' Surgent Webinar - January 6, 2020, panelist

  • 'SECURE Act Panel,' Surgent Webinar - December 30, 2019, panelist

  • 'Update on Pass-Through Entities After Tax Reform: Corporations, Partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies (PTTR),' The All Star Tax Series - November 14, 2019, speaker

  • 'Update on Pass-Through Entities After Tax Reform: Corporations, Partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies (PTTR),' The All Star Tax Series - November 6, 2019, speaker

  • 'Tax Practitioner's Guide to Buying or Selling a Business (BYSB),' The All Star Tax Series - October 29, 2019, speaker

  • 'Tax Practitioner's Guide to Buying or Selling a Business (BYSB),' The All Star Tax Series - October 23, 2019, speaker

  • 'CEG Worldwide Roundtable,' CEG Worldwide - October 17, 2019, speaker

  • 'Tax Practitioner's Guide to Buying or Selling a Business (BYSB),' The All Star Tax Series - October 15, 2019, speaker

  • 'FSN NYC Mixer and QOZ Update,' YPO Financial Services - April 4, 2019, speaker

  • 'Opportunity Zones - Investing with Purpose,' SVN Webinar - February 2019, speaker

  • 'Private Placement Life Insurance Symposium,' New York, NY - June 2017, speaker

  • 'Presentation to China Merchants Bank,' New York, NY - April 2017, speaker

  • 'New First Financial Resources Sales and Marketing Symposium,' Laguna Beach, CA, - March 2017, speaker

  • 'U.S. Taxation of Resident and Non-Resident Aliens Q & A,' - November 2016, speaker

  • 'New First Financial Resources Board Meeting,' Amelia Island, FL - October 2016, speaker

  • 'Latest Estate Planning Ideas and Strategies,' Webinar - October 2016, speaker

  • 'Pacific Life Symposium,' - Huntington Beach, CA - September 2016, speaker

  • 'How Businesses are Impacted by Gift and Estate Tax Regulations,' - Interview with Barron's - September 2016, speaker

  • '2704 Regulations Webinar,' - August 2016, speaker

  • 'Advanced Planning Symposium,' - New York, NY - July 2016, speaker

  • 'U.S. Taxation of Resident and Non-resident Aliens Webinar,' - July 2016, speaker

  • 'Sophisticated Estate Planning for Super High Net Worth Clients Webinar,' - July 2016, speaker

  • Charter Financial Publishing Conference, Boston, MA, - October 2015

  • Delaware Trust Conference, Wilmington, DE - October 2015

  • Inc. Magazine Business Owner's Council, frequent presenter

  • Surgent McCoy, frequent presenter

  • 3nd Annual Creating an Exceptional Family Office, Boston, MA - September 2014

  • 'Retirement Strategies for Wealth Business Owners', Financial Advisors Magazine, Las Vegas, NV - April 2014

  • 'Sourcing and Working with Super-Rich Inheritors', Rothstein Kass, New York, NY - April 2014

  • '2nd Annual Creating an Exceptional Family Office,' Boston, MA - October 2013.

  • 'Life Insurance and Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts: Perfect Together!' Newport Beach, CA - March 2013

  • 'Private Placement Life Insurance and Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts: Perfect Together!' New York, NY - January 2013

  • 'Gift Planning Opportunities in 2012', IMI, Greenwich, CT - December 2012

  • 'Planning Opportunities Using Preferred Partnerships', Boston Estate Planning Council, Boston, MA, November - 2012

  • 'Estate Planning', Tax University, Rothstein Kass, New York, NY - October, 2012

  • '2012 Gifting Strategies', Elite Wealth Management Conference, Boston, MA - October 2012

  • 'Creating a Multi-Family Office Conference', New York, NY - May, 2012

  • 'Sophisticated Estate Planning', Cromwell, CT - December 2011

  • 'Sophisticated Estate Planning', Norwalk, CT - December 2011

  • 'Sophisticated Estate Planning', Hamden, CT - December 2011

  • 'Protecting the Principals: Estate Planning', Greenwich, CT - November 2011

  • 'CBIA Family Business Program', Farmington, CT - October 2011

  • 'Cultivating the Super Rich', Forbes/Private Wealth, New York, NY - October 2011

  • 'Succession Planning for Business Continuity', Exit Planning Exchange Seminar, Stamford, CT - May 2011

  • 'Unique Wealth Transfer Planning Opportunities for Fund Professionals in 2011 and 2012', Greenwich, CT - May 2011.

  • 'Window of Opportunity: Saving Taxes in 2011-2012 and Providing for Certainty with Succession Planning', Greenwich, CT - May 2011

  • 'Multi-Generational Wealth Planning', NY - March 2011 __

  • 'Estate and Wealth Planning in 2011', IvyPlus Event, New York, NY - March 2011

  • 'Finding and Working with Affluent Physicians', New York, NY - November 2010

  • 'End-of-the Year Power Moves', Speaker, Inc. Magazine, Wayne, NJ and New York, NY - October 2010

  • 'Marketing Life Insurance to the Financial Elite', Presenter, New York, NY - October 2010

  • 'Estate Freeze Techniques for Family Businesses', Presenter, Merrill Lynch, New York, NY - September 2010

  • 'Create a Multi-Family Office Practice', Presenter, Private Wealth, Chicago - July 2010

  • 'Tax Efficient Hedge Fund Investing', Family Office Association, Greenwich - July 2010

  • 'Sourcing the Super-Rich for Life Insurance', Rothstein Kass, New York, NY - June 2010

  • 'Business Succession Planning', Herald Bank, New York, NY - June 2010

  • 'The Wealthy Family/Family Office Forum/PPLI', IMI, Greenwich - June 2010

  • 'Estate Planning', CLE Presentation, Rothstein Kass, New York, NY - March 2010

  • 'Trends in Family Office', Speaker, IvyPlus Event, New York, NY - March 2010

  • 'International Aspects of Estate Planning', to the Lower Fairfield County Estate Planning Council - December 2009

  • 'FLP Planning with GRATs and Defective Grantor Trusts', to financial professionals in Hong Kong and Singapore - May 2009

  • 'Working with Family Offices', Connecticut Chapter of The Alliance for Alternative Asset Professionals - March 2009

  • 'Wealth Planning for Hedge Fund Managers', to MARHedge World Wealth Summit, Bermuda - October 2006

  • 'Family Offices and Trusts Tax Efficient Cross-Border Planning', to World Offshore Covention, Puerto Rico - October 2005

  • 'Succession Planning for Family Offices', to Family Office Business Operations, New York - July 2005

Insight

External publications

Admissions

  • State of Connecticut, 1988

  • Registered Foreign Lawyer in the UK, 2002

  • Washington DC, 2003

  • State of New York, 2004

  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2007


Education

  • Syracuse University, B.A.

  • University of Connecticut School of Law with high honors, J.D.


Languages

  • English

Memberships

  • Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)

  • Member, Financial Planning Association

  • District of Columbia Bar Association

  • Connecticut Bar Association

  • American Bar Association

  • New York Bar Association



Certifications

  • STEP USA Certified TEP® (Trust and Estate Practitioner)

Key dates

  • Year joined: 1991
  • Year became partner: 1998