By Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished)
This article profiles a once-in-a-lifetime talent who is a mere 15 years old. His name is Sidd Finch, III. I recently learned about him when reading an online article at Law.com noting that he had just passed the California State Bar Exam.
Early Childhood: Chess Grandmaster at 12 Years Old
Sidd is unlike any other 15-year-old. He was born and raised in a small town in New Jersey to parents Sidd Finch, II and Shelly Finch. Sidd is a cardiologist and Shelly is a family law attorney. They realized at a young age that Sidd was too advanced to attend regular school so they home-schooled him.
Sidd began playing chess at the age of three and was traveling nationwide to play adults in national tournaments at the age of six. He became the youngest chess grandmaster ever at the age of 12.
Estate Planning Attorney at 15 Years Old
Sidd has always wanted to practice law, especially estate planning since he is fascinated by the tax system. He was introduced to estate planning at an early age because it’s related to his mother’s family law practice.
Since California is the only state that doesn’t require a law degree to take the Bar Exam and practice law, the Finch family moved to California in 2021 so Sidd could take the California Bar Exam. Sidd passed the exam and recently interviewed with and was given offers from multiple BigLaw firms. [To this author’s best knowledge, he has not yet decided which offer to accept.]
Memorizing the Estate Tax Code in Five Minutes
At one of his BigLaw interviews, the Managing Partner handed Sidd a thick book containing the entire Tax Code. He asked Sidd to read the entire estate tax chapter of the Code right there on the spot and then close the book and recite the rules without looking.
Sidd is an avid speed-reader who also has a photographic memory. So it took him no more than about five minutes to read the entire estate tax chapter. He shut the book and started reciting the statutes word-for-word! The interviewer stopped him after a few minutes and offered him a job right there on the spot.
This was leaked to the press, but without disclosing the name of the law firm or the name of the Managing Partner who was conducting the Interview.
Sidd’s Famous Grandfather
Sidd isn’t the only famous member of the Finch family. His grandfather, also named Sidd Finch, was at one point signed to the New York Mets and profiled in 1985 in Sports Illustrated as the greatest Major League Baseball prospect ever. Those who are interested can read about him at Sidd Finch – Wikipedia.
What Day is it?
I would like to wish you all a HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!!! 😂😜
RELATED EDUCATION
You might also be interested in these other educational programs and products by Steve Oshins:
- The Spousal Lifetime Access Trust: A Gifting and Creditor Protection Technique
- Estate Planning Techniques in a Time of Low Interest Rates
- The Installment Sale to an Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust
- The Grantor Retained Annuity Trust: Significant Estate Tax Savings with Nearly Zero Gift Tax Risk
- Steve’s FREE State Rankings Charts
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished) is a member of the Law Offices of Oshins & Associates, LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was inducted into the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame® in 2011. He has been named one of the 24 “Elite Estate Planning Attorneys” and the “Top Estate Planning Attorney of 2018” by The Wealth Advisor and one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Worth. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® which also named him Las Vegas Trusts and Estates/Tax Law Lawyer of the Year in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022. He can be reached at 702-341-6000, ext. 2, at soshins@oshins.com or at his firm’s website, www.oshins.com.