Douglas A. Venturelli, Esq.
PRINCIPAL — ESTATE & GIFT, TRUST AND PROBATE
Douglas A. Venturelli is an Estate & Gift, Trust and Probate Principal at KROST. He has 45 years of experience in tax, estate, and business services. His main focus is federal estate and gift taxes. Doug consults with clients in the entertainment, legal, real estate, and medical industries.
Doug can assist with the transition of family wealth and estate succession. He has experience working with family-owned and privately held companies, as well as high-net-worth individuals. His primary goal is to assist individuals and their attorneys to effectively transfer wealth while minimizing unnecessary estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes. In addition, he can coordinate all of your Estate & Gift, Trust and Probate Planning needs to ensure a smooth transition while minimizing emotional, tax, and administrative burdens.
Professional Experience
- KROST, Principal — Estate & Gift, Trust and Probate (Present)
- Venturelli, Cary & Company, President and Shareholder (November 2004 — August 2015)
- Cary, Troncale & Venturelli, Principal (December 1998 — November 2004)
- McPherson, Troncale, Cary & Company, CPA’s, Principal (November 1995 — December 1998)
- Douglas A Venturelli, A Professional Corporation (December 1985 — November 1995)
- Lloyds Bank Trust Tax Department, Estate Planning and Consultant (1980 — 1985)
Education
- JD Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
- Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, University of California, Los Angeles
Professional Affiliations
- Member of California State Bar Association (1974 — Present)
- Member of Los Angeles County Bar Association (1975 — Present)
- Admitted to US Tax Court (May 30, 1990 — Present)
Doug's Thought Leadership

Benefits of Disclaimers in Post-Mortem Estate Planning
October 27, 2022When considering the creation of a will or a trust, one usually thinks about pre-death planning. However, the beneficiaries have an opportunity where post-mortem planning comes into play. Let’s look at an important post-mortem planning tool – the disclaimer. A disclaimer is a refusal to accept an interest in or a power over property – Read the full article…

What is a SLAT?
August 31, 2022A Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) is a trust established between spouses. Essentially, one spouse gives the other spouse assets in an amount that uses up the unused Federal Estate Tax Exemption. The trust of one spouse must be materially different from the trust of the other spouse. The reciprocal trust doctrine allows the IRS Read the full article…

Common Ways to Hold Title in California
August 16, 2022We often get questions from clients on how to hold title to property they are about to purchase. As real estate might be the most important asset that an individual or couple may own, how ownership is vested is extremely important. Proper titling will affect the current and future rights of parties to the transaction, Read the full article…

Uncommon Trusts
June 13, 2022In our last article in this series, we covered the different types of trusts that can be established. In this article, we’ll discuss uncommon trusts that can be utilized. Other Trusts That Can Be Established Blind Trust The trustees of a blind trust manage the assets in the trust without the beneficiaries’ knowledge. The beneficiaries Read the full article…

Get Organized with KROST’s Will & Trust Asset Legacy Planner
June 6, 2022Please note the following updates for 2022 Estate and Gift Exclusions: Estates of decedents who passed away during 2022 have a basic exclusion amount of $12,060,000, up from a total of $11,700,000 for estates of decedents who passed away in 2021. The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $16,000 for the calendar year 2022, up Read the full article…

Types of Trusts
May 11, 2022In the last article in our series, we covered the benefits a trust offers for creators and beneficiaries. In this article, we’ll dive into more detail about the types of trusts that can be established and the pros and cons. Types of Trusts Revocable Trusts Revocable trusts (living trusts) can be changed or canceled at Read the full article…

Get Organized with KROST’s Will & Trust Asset Legacy Planner
February 25, 2022Please note the following updates for 2022 Estate and Gift Exclusions: Estates of decedents who passed away during 2022 have a basic exclusion amount of $12,060,000, up from a total of $11,700,000 for estates of decedents who passed away in 2021. The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $16,000 for the calendar year 2022, up Read the full article…

Estate Tax – Current Law, 2026, Biden Tax Proposal
February 15, 2021With the advent of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the estate, gift, and generation skipping tax exemptions increased dramatically, but these changes were only temporary. With the Biden administration now in place and at least some Democratic control of the senate, there is added uncertainty that should be evaluated soon. It is Read the full article…

Loan-Out Corporations: To Be or Not To Be
November 20, 2019This is a preview of one of the articles in the new KROST Quarterly Sports & Entertainment Issue, titled “Loan-Out Corporations: To Be or Not To Be” by Douglas Venturelli, Esq. with guest author Jonathan Louie, CPA. With the passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, many actors, writers, directors, and Read the full article…

KROST Quarterly Magazine: The Sports & Entertainment Issue is Now Available!
October 14, 2019We are happy to announce the release of our newest quarterly magazine! The Sports & Entertainment Issue highlights some of the hot topics pertaining to sports & entertainment professionals such as tax issues for athletes, Loan-Out Corporations, Qualified Business Income Deduction, and more. What You’ll Find Inside this Issue: Game-Changing Tax Matters for Athletes By Read the full article…