BIOGRAPHY OF
JON S. GRAFT, ESQ.

Jon S. Graft has a passion for helping people establish and maintain estate plans that work. After three years with another estate planning law firm, Jon became convinced that working on his own was the best way to meet his goal of helping families create the highest quality plans. Since then, Jon has built a reputation as a good listener who clearly explains the complicated world of estate planning and estate taxes through easily remembered stories.

Jon’s strong academic background includes earning three degrees from the College of William and Mary: a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting in 1984; a Juris Doctor in 1991; and a Master of Laws in Taxation in 1993.

Jon has been recognized as a leader by his piers. He is a Contributing Veteran Member of The National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys, a nationwide group of independent estate planning attorneys dedicated to combining the experience of hundreds of attorneys throughout the nation to create and maintain the best plans in the country. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, including the trusts and estates section. Jon is a former President of the G.T. Toastmasters Club and has received the CTM, ATM-Bronze and CL awards. He is President of the Northern Virginia Business Alliance, a Centreville-based group of businesspeople from many different professions, allied to help each other grow their businesses.

Jon is the author of “Is It Gone? or: The Non-Repeal of the Estate Tax”, addressing the changes to the estate tax in the tax law passed in 2001. First Command Magazine published that article, as well as, “What About Me?” addressing disability planning as a crucial part of estate planning. Jon is the estate planning columnist for Sunrise Magazine and has published two articles in that publication so far.

Jon is a frequent speaker on a variety of legal and other topics. His speech titled “Conquer Your Fear,” won Toastmasters’ Inspirational Speech Competition for his club and area in 2003. He is a co-author and co-presenter of the NBI continuing education programs, “Trusts, Estate Planning and Divorce in Virginia” and “Estate Planning Basics.” He has spoken to the Northern Virginia Society of CPAs; the McLean Estate Planning Council; and numerous groups of insurance agents, accountants, financial planners, and the general public. He has presented “The Truth About Estate Planning” workshop dozens of times.

Jon is the son of a career Army Officer. He grew up in Springfield, Virginia, where he earned his Eagle Scout award. Jon served four years as a Lieutenant of Field Artillery, serving in a variety of leadership and staff positions and helping start a new battalion. He married another Springfield native, Diane Roberson Graft; they have two young children, Mary and Elizabeth. They live in Centreville, Virginia.