Rhonda A. Miller

Rhonda A. Miller is the founder of Miller Legal Group, PLLC, where she advises business owners, families, and fiduciaries on complex wealth and tax planning matters.

Her practice specializes in designing and implementing advanced planning strategies, including special needs trusts, asset protection trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), charitable remainder trusts, qualified small business trusts, and other structures used to address capital gains and estate tax issues. Besides planning, she represents clients in administering large and complex estates, handling contested matters and correcting documents to improve tax efficiency and long-term results.  

Rhonda’s work often involves situations that require careful coordination between legal structure, tax considerations, and long-term planning objectives. She regularly advises on sophisticated techniques designed to preserve assets and navigate multi-layered financial decisions. 

Earlier in her career, Rhonda was an active litigator, representing clients in court and managing complex disputes. That experience continues to influence her planning approach today, enabling her to anticipate challenges and craft plans that are not only technically sound but also durable in real-world situations.  

Rhonda takes a thoughtful, client-centered approach to her work, focusing on clarity, precision, and long-term alignment with each client’s goals. Her practice reflects a commitment to addressing complex planning issues with both technical depth and practical judgment.

Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA – Juris Doctor

Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA – Bachelor of Arts

Bar Memberships

• Virginia State Bar, 2003
• District of Columbia, 2009
• State Bar of California, 1995
  • United States District Court Central District of California, December 12, 1995

• AV Preeminent® Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
• • Client Champion Silver 2018
• “Superb” ranking on AVVO
• 2013, 2014, 2015, Woman Leader in the Law as seen in Forbes Magazine
• 2013 Top Lawyers in California, Virginia and D.C.
• 2014 Best Attorneys in Virginia and DC
• 2015 Top Lawyer in Virginia and DC as seen in Wall Street Journal
• 2016 Women in the Law
• 2017 Legal Leader: Trust & Estates
• 2017 Legal Leader: DC Metro Area as seen in the National Law Journal
• 2017 Women Leader in the Law
• 2018 Women Leader in the Law
• 2018 Top Rated Lawyer in Trust and Estate Law
• 2018 10 Best Client Satisfaction Award given by American Institute of Attorneys

• High-Net Worth Estate Planning and Staying Ahead of the Changes 2026
• Estate Planning Tools and New Law: What Still Works and What Must Change – Jan 2026 BEST SELLER
• Virginia Estate Administration Task and Disputes – Oct 2025
• Estate Planning for Business Owners for Strafford, March 2020
• Joint and Separate Trust Planning for Planning for Common Law and Community Property States for Stafford Seminars, September 2020; and
• IRC Section 199A Explained – Opportunities and Risks for Pass-Through Businesses (National Seminar) for National Business Institute, June 2020
• Inherited IRAs: New Realities and Planning Opportunities National Filmed Seminar for National Business Institute, July 2020
• The Secure Act (National Seminar) for National Business Institute, March 2020
• New Tax Basis Reporting Requirements in Estate Administration (National Seminar) for National Business Institute, October 2019
• Trust A to Z for National Business Institute, June 2019
• TCJA, National CLE for Law Practice CLE, October 2019
• TCJA, National Law CLE, national seminar for NBI, February 2019
• Trust Used for Tax Reduction for National Business Institute, October 2018
• TJCA (National Seminar) for National Business Institute, June 2018
• Taking Advantage of TCJA Tax Rules Before They Sunset National Teleconference for National Business Institute, September 2018
• Estate Planning: A How-To Guide for National Business Institute, February 2018
• DAPTS and Charitable Planning to Reduce Taxes for National Business Institute, April 2017
• Using Trust to Eliminate Tax and IDGRIT for National Business Institute, October 2016
• Special Needs Trusts for the Catoctin Estate Planning Counsel, March 2015
• Medicaid for National Business Institute, April 2015
• GST & Decanting for the JAG, Ft. Belvoir, October 2014
• Trusts 101 for National Business Institute (section was on GST, CRT, CLT, QDOT, QPRT, Defective Trusts, and Education Trusts), October 2014
• Asset-Based Guide to Probate for National Business Institute, October 2013
• Domestic Asset Protection Trust & Decanting for Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, March 2013
• Using Joint Revocable Trust in Virginia for Fairfax Bar Association, November 2012
• Probate Boot Camp for National Business Institute, October 2012

• Virginia Estate Planning Guide for LexisNexis

While headquartered in Virginia, Attorney Rhonda A. Miller practices estate and tax law nationally. Clients across the United States seek out Rhonda for:

• Multistate estate planning
• Advanced trust and tax strategies
• Blended family planning
• Closely held business succession
• High-net-worth and taxable estate planning

Every plan is customized, carefully drafted, and explained in plain language so clients understand not only what the documents say, but how they work in practice.

Rhonda creates plans to anticipate relocation, address state property law differences, and ensure enforceability across locations. Clients with property in multiple states seek her to avoid fragmented planning and inconsistent documents, ensuring plans meet legal requirements like recordable powers of attorney or trust provisions for tax benefits across states.

Rhonda also has experience with clients in community property states like California, Texas, and Nevada, preparing trusts with provisions to preserve community property status and maximize tax benefits, including capital-gains adjustments.

A defining focus of Rhonda’s estate planning practice is ensuring that everyone involved truly understands the plan—especially in situations where one spouse defers to the other on financial or tax matters. Too often, that quieter spouse later becomes the surviving spouse. Rhonda makes certain both partners are informed, engaged, and comfortable with the decisions being made.

Clients also appreciate Rhonda’s direct and honest guidance. When a requested plan cannot be legally achieved—or may create unintended consequences—Rhonda explains why, and then offers alternative solutions that still honor the client’s intent. The goal is not to say no, but to design the best possible lawful strategy.

Rhonda’s professional path has also been shaped by military service and personal loss. While building and growing her own firm, she did so while her husband, Jeffrey P. Miller, USMC, was on active duty, supporting his commitment to serving the country. After his retirement, Rhonda returned to large law firm practice, further deepening her experience in advanced estate and tax planning. Jeff later died as a result of his military service and is proudly interred at Arlington National Cemetery. This experience, though profoundly difficult, gave Rhonda a perspective few estate planning attorneys have: she has not only drafted estate plans—she has lived through the administration of them. As a result, her practice is refined with particular attention to clarity, practicality, and the surviving spouse or family member who must carry out the plan.