An expert in business and taxation matters, Mr. Acker has authored numerous articles on tax and estate planning strategies for owners of real property; workouts and debt restructuring; tax deferred like-kind exchanges of property; partnership; state property tax and other tax matters for the Journal of Taxation, and the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s professional journal, The Real Property Review.
His articles also appear in the Wayne Law Review, and State Bar of Michigan Taxation Section’s professional journal, the Michigan Tax Lawyer.
He is a frequent lecturer on the tax impact of federal tax legislation on real estate development, financing, investment and ownership, as well as the structuring of real estate and other business and joint commercial ventures. He speaks at seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, Michigan’s Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the Real Property Section of the State Bar, the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants and for other professional groups of real estate attorneys, tax attorneys and certified public accountants.
Education
J.D., University of Michigan, 1975
B.B.A., with high distinction (first in class), University of Michigan, 1972
B.S., Central Michigan University
Bar and Court Admissions
State Bar of Michigan, 1975 U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Tax Court, 1976
Mr. Acker has extensive experience before the Internal Revenue Service
Memberships
State Bar of Michigan He is a member of the sections on Taxation; Corporation, Banking and Business Law; Real Property; as well as Probate and Trust Law. He is a former multiple term member of the Council of the State of Michigan Real Property Section and continuing Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s Tax Aspects of Real Estate Transactions Committee.
American Bar Association Mr. Acker has served as a member of the Steering Committee for Leadership Oakland and co-chair of Leadership Oakland’s Justice System Subcommittee, which provides leadership education for Oakland County business.
Oakland County Bar Association Mr. Acker has served as a member of the Steering Committee for Leadership Oakland and Co-Chair of Leadership Oakland’s Justice System Subcommittee, which provides leadership education for Oakland County business.
He was formerly a multiple term member of the Council of the State of Michigan Real Property Section and served for each year of his multiple terms as Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s Tax Aspects of Real Estate Transactions Committee.
Mr. Acker has maintained an “AV” peer review rating with Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest peer review rating for attorneys for more than 30 years. He was also selected for inclusion in the 2010-2023 issues of Michigan Super Lawyers magazine featuring the top 5% of attorneys in Michigan in the practice area of Estate Planning & Probate. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023 in the fields of Litigation & Controversy – Tax; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates; and Real Estate Law (Copyright 2021 by Woodward/White, Inc., of SC) and was named the Best Lawyers® 2019 Tax Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Troy. Additionally, Mr. Acker was selected by a vote of his peers to be included in DBusiness magazine’s list of Top Lawyers in 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018 in the practice area of Tax Law. He has also been designated a “Leading Lawyer” in Tax Law: Individual, Tax Law: Business, and Trust, Will & Estate Planning Law for the years 2014 to the present (granted to the top 1% of attorneys in Michigan). Mr. Acker was also selected as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Taxation Law by American Lawyer Media.
Estate Planning and LLCs: Time to Review and Amend LLC Operating Agreements, as well as Estate Plans; Commentator, Summer 2018
New Tax Partnership Audit Rules; Commentator, Summer 2017
Estate Planning: Wealth Transfer Advantages May Require Prompt Action; Commentator, Fall 2016
Reducing tax costs of foreclosure and deed in lieu transactions; Commentator, Fall 2012
Extension/expansion of home buyer tax credit, but act early in 2010!; Commentator, Spring 2010
Other Published Articles:
Deed in Lieu of Foreclosures and Foreclosure Transactions – Cancellation of Indebtedness Income may be Excluded by Solvent Taxpayers under the Qualified Real Property Business Debt Exclusion; Real Property Review, Fall 2011
Taxation of Landlords and Tenants of Real Property: Deferred and Prepaid Rent – a Primer for Real Property Practitioners; Real Property Review, Winter 2004
Safe Harbor for Reverse Like-Kind Exchange Transactions; Real Property Review, Fall 2001 (co-author)
Tax Deferred Like Kind Exchanges: Early Distributions by Qualified Intermediaries; Real Property Review, Fall 2000
Property Tax and Environmental Indemnification; Real Property Review, Fall 1999 (co-author)
Check-the-Box: A Major Step Toward Tax Simplification; Real Property Review, Spring 1999 (co-author)
Estate Planning for Owners of Real Estate; Real Property Review, Part I, Fall 1996; Part II Fall 1997
Exchange Real Estate and Save Tax: Recent Developments; Real Property Review, Winter 1994
The Michigan Limited Liability Act: New Opportunities for Michigan Business; Real Property Review, Fall 1993 (co-author)
Federal and Michigan Tax Aspects of Real Estate Partnership Workouts and Foreclosures; Real Property Review, Part I, Winter 1991; Part II, Fall 1992 (co-author)
Tax on Receipt of Partnership Interest for services: The Campbell Case; Real Property Review, Fall 1990 (co-author)
