In This Issue:

- Tax deal reshapes estate planning landscape

- Are your children prepared to handle your wealth?

- Planning your digital legacy

- Estate Planning Red Flag: You’re married and relocating into or out of a community property state

- Excerpt from Tax deal reshapes estate planning landscape:

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) that averted the United States’ descent over the “fiscal cliff” includes some welcome relief from both the large estate tax increases that had been scheduled to go into effect in 2013 and the uncertainty that has plagued the federal estate tax regime in recent years. The act addresses gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax rates and exemptions, as well as various breaks that may affect your estate plan.

Estate, Gift and GST taxes -

Beginning in 2013, ATRA sets a maximum tax rate of 40% for estate, gift and GST taxes. It also retains a $5 million unified estate and gift tax exemption and a $5 million GST tax exemption. Both exemptions are adjusted annually for inflation, so the 2013 exemptions will be a little more than the 2012 exemptions of $5.12 million.