International Wealth Planning

Partner

Marsha is licensed to practice law in both the United States and Canada and leads the firm's US-Canada cross border tax and estate planning practice. She also provides US international income, trusts and estate tax planning for high net worth individuals, and family businesses with respect to their global assets, investments and activities, with an emphasis on US, Canada and Australia. She also advises trustees, executors and fiduciaries as well as financial, tax and legal advisors on international tax exposures and reporting obligations for beneficiaries and heirs of trusts and estates with US connections.

Marsha's practice includes US tax planning for foreign investors, founders and entrepreneurs deriving income from US-based sources and operations, as well as tax advisory services for foreign legal, financial and tax advisors on the US taxation of foreign pensions and retirement arrangements, US-based investments and exit strategies for corporate executives, global employees and US persons living abroad.

She is an author and frequent speaker on international tax issues. Marsha has published tax technical papers that have been presented to the tax-writing committees of the US Congress and the US Treasury Department on the US taxation of Australian Superannuation Funds, Mexican AFOREs and Canadian registered plans (RESPs and RDSPs). She has also spoken at international conferences and seminars in the US, Canada and Australia on the US taxation of foreign pensions and retirement, cross-border estates and trusts, international withholding and compliance enforcement initiatives, IRS voluntary disclosure programs and U.S. expatriation and green card termination alternatives.Prior to joining Withers, Marsha was a director at a large accounting firm in San Francisco providing international tax consulting and compliance services to high net worth clients with a global footprint, businesses and entrepreneurs. She also worked in Canada providing US tax advisory and compliance services for global high net worth individuals, cross-border families and businesses.

Marsha is a public arbitrator for the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and instructor in US international tax for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Marsha has been recognized in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide in the area of Private Wealth Law – Northern California since 2022. She is also recognized as a recommended lawyer in The Legal 500 US guide in 2024 in the area of International Tax. She was also named “Woman of Inspiration” (Authentic Leader Category) by the Canadian Business Chicks in 2018 and “Woman to Watch” (Experienced Leader Category) by the California Society of CPAs in 2020.

English, Tagalog

Australian American Chamber of Commerce (San Francisco)

San Francisco Tax Club

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

CHIEF member

Alberta Law Society

San Francisco Tax Club

Canadian Tax Foundation

Australian Tax Institute

California Lawyers Association (CLA)

California Society of CPAs (CalCPA)

Michigan Bar Association

National Asian American Bar Association (NAPABA)

U.S. Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

American Chamber of Commerce (West)

Canadian Business Chicks

Georgetown University Law Center, LLM in Taxation, with distinction, 1999

Golden Gate University School of Law, JD, Certificate of Specialization in International Law, with honors, 1996

University of the Philippines, BA Political Science, cum laude, 1993