John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 23: Naming Guardians for Minor Children
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 6 - Reshaping Your Legacy: Estate Planning After Your Divorce
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
Taking the Sting Out of Death Taxes with Dylan Metzner, Jones & Keller
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
With continuing uncertainty regarding the federal estate tax laws, the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) is a popular option that helps high net-worth individuals maintain flexibility while maximizing their financial...more
The retirement plan industry has been wrestling with the changes to required minimum distribution (RMD) provisions made by the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0. One issue in particular has caused considerable confusion....more
On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court held 9-to-0 in Connelly v. United States that company-owned life insurance increases the company’s fair market value for estate tax purposes, and the company’s obligation to redeem a...more
This is the second of a four-part series focusing on estate planning fundamentals for founders. This article will address an important topic for owners of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) as defined in Section 1202 of...more
Understanding the nuances of the Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) is crucial for effective estate planning and tax strategy. For example, estate planners must be familiar with the tax basis adjustment provisions in 26 U.S.C. §...more
It is a basic principle of the income tax that the gain or loss realized by a taxpayer from the conversion of property into cash, or from the exchange of property for other property that differs materially in kind from the...more
A trust structure, commonly used for estate planning, can be problematic in certain civil law jurisdictions, such as those in many European countries. Recent acts enacted in Wyoming and New Hampshire allow for the...more
Starting January 1, 2025, the individual who is the grantor of a trust that qualifies as a grantor trust under Sections 671 through 679 of the Internal Revenue Code will himself or herself be subject to Pennsylvania Personal...more
The Corporate Transparency Act (the "Act") is a significant piece of legislation enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The Act was designed to prevent the misuse of corporations and...more
On November 3, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a collection of regulatory changes in its ongoing quest to update the definition of a “fiduciary” under ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code (the...more
Despite ultimately finding in favor of a taxpayer surviving spouse, IRS Private Letter Ruling 2023-22-014 (the “PLR”) is chock-full of reasons to ensure proper planning is in place when it comes to IRAs....more
Despite the Rule Against Perpetuities (which basically says a trust can’t go on forever) being repealed in many states, most trusts, as a practical matter, don’t go on forever. In an ideal scenario, the terms of the trust...more
Recently, there seems to be some confusion regarding section 643(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and its application to trusts. Indeed, that provision—particularly to those not well-versed in...more
Americans hold a considerable percentage of their wealth in retirement accounts. Recent changes to the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), as well as proposed regulations, have introduced new rules altering the required...more
Most of you know by now that I grew up in the Panama Canal Zone which no longer exists as of 1999. In that respect, the transition left me as a man without a country. My father (of blessed memory) when referring to kids...more
Trusts - Trusts play an important role in estate and tax planning. A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a trustee to hold legal title to assets for the benefit of a beneficiary. The beneficiary is, in turn, said...more
DOL Issues Guidance on Continuing COVID-19 Relief for Employee Benefit Plans, Plan Participants, and Beneficiaries Recognizing that many employee benefit plan participants and beneficiaries continue to struggle with ongoing...more
In a previous post, we discussed the tax implications for U.S. beneficiaries who receive a distribution from a foreign trust. That discussion assumed that the trust in question was, in fact, a foreign trust for U.S. federal...more
The IRS’s reach in collecting unpaid and assessed taxes is broad, pervasive, and aimed “to reach every interest in property that a taxpayer may have” United States v. National Bank of Commerce, 472 U.S. 713, 719–720 (1985)...more
Hundreds of articles have been published over the last two weeks about the SECURE Act (“Act”), which was signed into law in late December as part of the most recent budget bill. As you are certainly aware by now, the Act...more
Supreme Court Ruling in North Carolina Department of Revenue v. Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust, 588 U.S. [TBD] and its Relevance to Income Taxation of Accumulated Income in California Trusts - The Supreme Court...more
This update covers the proposed Treasury regulations associated with the new IRS Code 199A as it relates to estates, trusts, and beneficiaries. An overview of Section 199A can be found here....more
The IRS has issued Proposed Regulations now under the new Section 199A 20% profit deduction for pass-through entities. The Proposed Regulations provide important guidance on the definition of “Qualified Business Income” –...more
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress is now offering a new 20% deduction for “pass-through” businesses – i.e. businesses that are not corporations. With the corporate tax rate being reduced under the new law to a flat...more
Aside from corporate tax reductions, one of the most important aspects of the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act beginning this year is the new 20% deduction for “pass-thru” businesses – i.e. businesses that are not corporations. With...more