Seth L. Starr

As a founding partner of FLSV, Seth Starr leads the firm’s Private Client Services Group. With over four decades of experience in personal tax, estate, and wealth planning, he is a trusted advisor to high-net-worth individuals and families, including investment banking professionals, hedge fund and private equity fund managers, entrepreneurs, and multi-generational family groups.

Seth’s expertise spans complex tax planning, generational estate strategies, philanthropic and retirement planning, and representation before federal and state tax authorities. Known for his personal, proactive approach, he serves as the point of contact for many longstanding clients, guiding them year-round and coordinating with their broader advisory teams, including attorneys, investment professionals, and insurance consultants.

Seth’s leadership is deeply rooted in relationships—he’s known as more than just an advisor, but as a friend. He invests time in understanding what matters most to his clients. Seth strives to be a caring mentor, helping junior staff prioritize workloads and navigate challenges with the same care and dedication he provides tohis clients. His collaborative, team-first leadership style has helped shape FLSV’s strong culture.

Outside the office, Seth is an enthusiastic cyclist who enjoys international bike trips with his wife Laurie through Backroads Active Travel. He remains active in a local softball league and regularly plays tennis. Seth’s early lessons in connection and communication came from his family’s toy business, where he worked weekends at flea markets and watched his parents and grandparents—his greatest mentors—interact with their customers.

Prior to co-founding the Firm, Seth honed his personal tax expertise through his senior positions as Vice President and Tax Director of the Individual Tax Group at Morgan Stanley, a position he held for six years, and as a Senior Tax Manager for eight years at E&Y (Ernst and Young) LLP.

Seth received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Accounting from SUNY Albany and a Master of Science degree in Taxation from Pace University. He is a Certified Financial Planner and holds both the Series 7 and Series 63 Security Licenses. He is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He has been a guest on National Public Radio, a lecturer at professional tax and financial planning conferences and an Adjunct Professor at a financial planning institution.