TAX • TRUSTS • ELDER LAW • PROBATE 

ESTATES • NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Sheila Moragas advises clients in all types of federal, state, and local tax matters, including gift and estate planning, elder care law, exempt organizations, and business taxation. Beginning with the 2012-2013 Supplement, Ms. Moragas co-authors Estate Planning in Louisiana (Thomson West, 1991), a two-volume treatise used by many Louisiana estate planners. Ms. Moragas is an adjunct professor at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law where she teaches Elder and Disabled Law.  In addition, she has been named to the Thompson Reuters Publication Super Lawyers  for ten consecutive years, 2013 through 2022 and receives the highest level of peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell - AV Preeminent®.  

Ms. Moragas advises and assists in sophisticated gift and estate tax planning, including drafting of last wills and testaments, living wills, inter vivos and testamentary trusts, and family businesses.  Her practice includes the probate of estates, including state and federal tax filing requirements, as well as tutorships for minors.  Ms. Moragas brings valuable legal experience to address legal structures to assure the well being of heirs and legatees with special needs through the use of special needs trusts.

Her practice area includes acts of procuration (powers of attorney), health care powers of attorney, living wills, and other advance directives.  She handles complex interdictions, including the requisite annual court reporting.  With her knowledge and understanding of Medicaid and Medicare in relation to long-term care, Ms. Moragas provides advice on the impact of those programs as it relates to her clients and their property.

The provisions of the Tax Code regarding non-profit organizations are ever-changing.  Ms. Moragas brings her special tax training to provide guidance to non-profit, charitable organizations and private foundations in satisfying and maintaining federal taxation exemption requirements.  She works to develop qualifying charitable gifting documents, for example, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trust, and charitable gift annuities, to ensure that benefactor-designated gifts meet all legal requirements of the Code.

Sheila Moragas

Partner

SMORAGAS@LALALAWFIRM.COM

Born

December 1969


Education

University of Florida (LL.M. Taxation, Master of Laws, 1996)

Louisiana State University (J.D., 1995)

University of New Orleans (B.S., 1992)


Honors

AV Preeminent Peer Rating, 2023 (Martindale-Hubbell®)

Super Lawyers (Thompson Reuters), 2013 - 2022

New Orleans Magazine Top Lawyers 2021, 2023


Publications

Legal Treatise Co-Author, "Estate Planning in Louisiana" (Thomson West, 1991).   


Bar Admissions

Louisiana (1996)


Court Admissions

Supreme Court of Louisiana

United States Tax Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

United States District Courts for the 

Eastern, Middle, and Western District of Louisiana


Memberships

Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist by the Louisiana Board of Specialization

Louisiana State Bar Association

Louisiana Elder Law Task Force 

New Orleans Estate Planning Council

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

Academy of Special Needs Planners

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel