Once Removed Episode 18: The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine
Financial markets, political moods, and the world-at-large can take us on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. But savvy investors (and their estate planning counsel) know that – in the end – neither the bears nor bulls...more
Earlier this week the White House released its Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. Of course, the federal government has not yet adopted a budget for the Fiscal Year 2024 even as we approach that year’s halfway mark. But I digress. The...more
Although the IRS is now on high alert for wealthy individuals, new and existing planning opportunities are available, such as tax-free gifts and other advantageous planning. Wealthy individuals and families should take...more
May 2023 Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split-Interest Charitable Trusts - The May Section 7520 rate for use in estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs and...more
The April Section 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs and GRATs is 5.0%. The April applicable federal rate (“AFR”) for use with a sale to a defective grantor trust or intra-family loan...more
The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 established the requirement that the President submit a budget to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year. Among other things, the proposed federal budget affords the President an...more
October 2022 Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts - The October applicable federal rate ("AFR") for use with a sale to a defective grantor...more
The June Section 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs and GRATs is 3.6%, an increase from the May rate of 3.0%. The June applicable federal rate (“AFR”) for use with a sale to a...more
“Déjà vu All Over Again”- The White House last week released the President’s Budget for the Fiscal Year 2023. The Budget is ambitious, but its “investments,” we are told, “are more than paid for with tax reforms focused on...more
You likely are aware, from the news and our prior communications, that Congress currently is considering proposals that may have a significant impact on many estate plans. Although we still cannot be certain which, if any, of...more
Counting the Days?- We are 302 days away from the national mid-term elections, to be held November 8, 2022, yet the first full week of the new year has already highlighted some of the economic issues with which the...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
The U.S. House of Representatives bill released last month proposes several changes to the current rules governing trusts where the grantor pays the income tax, but the value of which is not included in the grantor’s estate...more
Plan focuses on eliminating certain available estate planning opportunities and increasing rates for corporations and high net worth individuals. The proposed tax plan from House Ways and Means Committee seeks to eliminate...more
The House Committee on Ways and Means has proposed a tax plan intended to fund President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" $3.5 trillion infrastructure program. Among the many changes in this proposed tax plan are three that...more
What you need to know: On September 13, 2021, the House Ways and Means Committee released its proposed tax plan to fund President Biden’s $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” social and economic spending package. If enacted as...more
Where Are We? Have you seen the Triumvirate of late? No, not Julius, Pompey, and Crassus. I’m referring to more contemporary political figures, whose names and exploits are not likely to appear in volumes that will be...more
As many people are aware, Congress is considering changes to the federal tax code to support President Biden’s Build Back Better spending plan. As of this writing, on September 22, 2021, no bill has been enacted....more
Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee released proposed legislation affecting numerous transfer and income tax provisions of the Code. These changes, if enacted, will have a significant impact on estate planning and...more
You have probably heard that the House Ways and Means Committee released proposals for increasing gift and estate taxes in order support legislation being advanced by the Democratic majority in Congress. ...more
“President Biden and Democrats in the Congress have been working on a $3.5 trillion spending and tax package, and the details are starting to be revealed. Indeed, on Sunday, September 12th, the House Ways and Means Committee...more
House Democrats recently released additional legislative proposals that, if passed, would affect several commonly used estate planning techniques. Among those proposals are three that would significantly impact some of the...more
Recent news stories have been published about two bills introduced in the Senate that, if enacted, could have a significant impact on many estate plans. These bills include proposed changes that many estate planning...more
July 2021 Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts AFRs - The July applicable federal rate ("AFR") for use with a sale to a defective grantor...more
On March 25, 2021, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation called “For the 99.5% Act.” This bill is aimed at the fortunes of the top 0.5% of wealthy Americans. ...more