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 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Next Generation Legacy Management - The Essence of Developing, Managing and Implementing a Plan for Future Generations
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
Charitable Bequests With Guest Stephanie Hood
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
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee approved Public Chapter No. 695 on April 11, 2024, as passed by the Tennessee General Assembly (Trust Bill). The new law became effective on July 1, 2024, and it made several important changes to...more
The Spotlight had the pleasure of sitting down with Anne Paape, managing director and senior fiduciary counsel at Cresset and Cresset Trust Company, to talk about the historic transfer of wealth many countries are undergoing,...more
In the heart of every family-owned enterprise lies a story of hard work, dedication, and a vision for the future. These businesses not only represent a significant portion of the economy but also embody the legacy of...more
It is not uncommon, in the context of a business entity in which a family owns a controlling or substantial interest, for an adviser to encounter intersecting gift and income tax issues. This week’s post will consider one...more
In the recent case In Laureen Gordon Revocable Trust, the Michigan Court of Appeals digs into these questions. Gordon Trust involved a fight between an uncle and his niece and nephew primarily over the distribution of family...more
It’s not enough for the founder of a closely held business to have successfully established the business. The business has to grow, not only to increase profits, but also to make it more competitive and to diversify its...more
Families fight. That is inevitable. Naturally, when a family-owned business or a family trust is at issue, some level of conflict is to be expected. When these conflict-prone structures combine, the conflicts have the...more
The Department of Finance (Finance) released draft tax legislation for public consultation on August 4, 2023, with a stated focus on promoting tax fairness and a clean economy. The most significant item released is the...more
Death of a Parent- In the context of a family-owned business, it is often the case that the matriarch or patriarch of the family is also the chief executive of the business. They may have founded the business, or they may...more
People often assume that if their estate isn’t taxable, they don’t need to have an estate plan. In 2023, a Massachusetts estate tax return must be filed if the value of the deceased person’s gross estate exceeds $1 million. A...more
On March 28, 2023 (Budget Day), the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Minister of Finance, delivered the Liberal Party’s federal budget (Budget 2023). Budget 2023 does not change the...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
In Clark v. Clark, two brothers sued a third brother regarding the third brother’s ability to be trustee of a trust due to a traumatic brain injury. No. 14-19-00604-CV, 2021 Tex. App. LEXIS 9866 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th...more
Business owners: Now’s the time to revisit buy-sell agreements - If you own an interest in a closely held business, a buy-sell agreement should be a critical component of your estate and succession plans. These...more
STAR Trusts are a form of trust that is exclusive to the Cayman Islands (Cayman), and which have a wide variety of practical applications. The unique features of a STAR Trust provide clients with structuring options that are...more
Extra, Extra!- Last Friday afternoon, as millions of unsuspecting Americans prepared for the long Memorial Day weekend – for many, perhaps, their first mask-less holiday celebration in almost 15 months – the Biden...more
Closely-held businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Some owners own 100% of their businesses. Some have partners. Some have children in the business. Some do not. A common question that a client asks the business and...more
Producers, writers, and reporters have long been fascinated with high-stakes wealth, estate and trusts, and shareholder disputes. Whether tragic or comic, the drama between clients, families, business partners, as well as the...more
Family-owned business owners in Washington State should be aware that leaving family-owned business interests outright to a surviving non-U.S.-citizen spouse can result in Washington estate taxes due at the first spouse's...more
Family-owned businesses are often owned and controlled by family trusts. Trusts are used by families for estate planning, tax planning and asset protection. Family-owned government contractors with trust ownership structures...more
The Digital Planning Podcast is designed to educate individuals about all things digital in connection with estate planning, business planning and estate administration. Your hosts, Jennifer Zegel, Ross Bruch and Justin...more
In recent years it has become more common to grant multiple parties various powers over trust property within a trust. Of course there is still a trustee, owing the classic fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries, but now trusts...more
In In re Topletz, the trial court ordered a party jailed for civil contempt for failing to comply with an order to produce documents from a family-run trust during post-judgment discovery in a suit against him individually...more
Please join us this November for McDermott Will & Emery’s Private Client West Coast Forum. At this complimentary program, experienced McDermott partners will lead discussions on a broad range of topics pertinent to ultra-high...more