Top Gun: Maverick - Core Estate Plan and Gifting Basics
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Once Removed Episode 18: The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine
Once Removed Episode 16: Gift and Estate Tax, Inflation Adjustments for 2024
Once Removed Episode 17: Annual Gifting to Individuals: Options, Opportunities and Pitfalls
Gift Tax Basics
NGE On Demand: GRAT Trusts with Eric Mann
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
The 2010 Tax Relief Act and your estate plan
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) took effect on Jan. 1, 2018, and impacted personal income taxes, small businesses, estate tax rules, capital gains rules, special needs accounts, and much more. The TCJA is scheduled to sunset...more
From time to time, we provide updates in the estate planning area. While the November 2022 federal elections resulted in a divided Congress that dampens the likelihood of major federal tax legislation, we thought this would...more
I have yet to meet a client who wants to pay estate taxes. Tax avoidance is among the primary reasons people meet with estate planning attorneys and develop estate plans. In 2022, the federal gift, estate, and generation...more
It was quite a week, wasn’t it?- Manchin- Senator Manchin continued to attract a lot of attention. To the dismay of his fellow Democrats, the West Virginian – who also chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources...more
This past November, we outlined selected tax law changes that President-elect Joe Biden has proposed, both in speaking engagements and on his campaign website, some or all of which could be enacted in 2021 or future years. ...more
On Tuesday, November 3rd, Americans went to the polls and cast votes for President, Senators, and House members. In some cases, the results are still being tabulated (or subject to challenge). However, the picture becomes a...more
With Biden as the projected President-Elect (subject to pending federal litigation and the Electoral College vote), tax planning for late 2020, 2021, and beyond is top of mind for many businesses and individuals....more
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has provided limited information about his plans to modify the tax treatment of decedents and their estates. However, he has signaled that he supports raising estate taxes and...more
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) recently released a report on simplifying the design of UK inheritance tax (IHT). This article highlights areas where taxpayers might take advantage of existing opportunities to make...more
On December 15th, the congressional conference committee charged with reaching a consensus on the competing versions of the Senate and House tax reform bills released its conference report containing the language of the final...more
A key goal for those of us who practice with Ward and Smith is to inform our clients and future clients of potential developments that may impact them. With respect to Trust and Estate Law, the potential for repeal of the...more
This article is Part II in a series of tax planning strategies for year-end tax planning for the 2015 tax series. The article addresses the Pooled Income Fund (PIF) which as this article demonstrates, has surprising planning...more
As 2015 comes to a close, we remind you to consider making gifts to minimize your potential tax liability and to maximize your use of available exemptions in order to reduce your ultimate estate tax liability. As you may...more
On March 21, Minnesota made multiple gift tax and estate tax revisions. Those include: - Retroactively repealing the Minnesota gift tax that had been imposed since July 1, 2013...more
When private equity or venture capital fund principals and managing partners look to roll out a new fund, in addition to reconciling general fund formation issues, they should consider the personal-planning opportunities...more
With the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “ATRA ”) passed and the fiscal cliff safely averted, the time has come to turn your attention to your estate plan. What Did the ATRA Accomplish? The fiscal cliff...more
In the early morning hours of January 1, 2013, the Senate approved the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “Act”) by a vote of 89-8. Less than 24 hours later, the House of Representatives also approved the Act by a vote...more
Now that a deal averting the fiscal cliff has finally been reached, many of the tax and planning issues that have been mired in uncertainty for the past two years (and even longer in some cases) may be resolved. Numerous tax...more
On January 2, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, H.R. 8 (ATRA), preserving many of the key tax provisions passed during the George W. Bush presidency, which were scheduled to...more
2012 Tax Act - The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “Act”) was signed into law on January 1, 2013 to avert the tax law changes that were one part of the “fiscal cliff” facing our country’s economy (the other...more
Summary - President Obama on January 2, 2013 signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “Act”). The Act extends certain tax rates, tax credits, and other provisions previously enacted by other tax...more
The new federal tax bill establishes permanent income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax provisions that present additional planning opportunities for 2013 and beyond. ...more
On January 2, 2013, President Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the Act), effective as of January 1, 2013. In general, the Act made permanent for most taxpayers the tax rate cuts first enacted...more
In the final hour of January 1, 2013, Congress passed The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act"), which in part addressed the dramatic sunset of favorable federal estate, gift and generation-skipping tax exemption...more
While most of us were celebrating the new year, members of the U.S. House and Senate were trying to prevent a fall over the dreaded "fiscal cliff," the combination of automatic tax increases and automatic reductions in...more