Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Once Removed Episode 18: The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
Once Removed Episode 16: Gift and Estate Tax, Inflation Adjustments for 2024
Once Removed Episode 17: Annual Gifting to Individuals: Options, Opportunities and Pitfalls
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Once Removed Episode 10: Trustee Removal and Case Update on Leo Kahn Revocable Trust
(A)ESOP's Fables - The Income and Estate Tax-Free ESOP
The Renoir Spelling Bee
Taking the Sting Out of Death Taxes with Dylan Metzner, Jones & Keller
RETURN TO FOREVER - What Game Shall We Play Today?
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
INTRODUCING MALTA SPLIT DOLLAR
THE PAPER CHASE
With a Little Help from My Friends
The Greatest Gift: Your Individual + Family Estate Plan
When purchasing an expensive engagement ring, one would not seek the expertise of a real estate agent. Similarly, when an estate requires an appraisal, it is crucial to engage the appropriate expert for high value personal...more
A recent Tax Court order highlights the gift and estate planning opportunities afforded when a senior family member makes loans to other family members. In Galli v. Commissioner, Docket Nos. 7003-20 and 7005-20, the Court had...more
On April 10, 2025, the House of Representatives narrowly approved the Senate’s version of the FY 2025 budget resolution, which it passed on April 5, formally aligning both chambers on President Trump’s legislative tax agenda....more
The Administration’s tariff policies have contributed to significant volatility in the stock market. Even brief announcements regarding new tariffs often trigger immediate declines in stock prices. This volatility is largely...more
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”) brought significant changes to the federal estate and gift tax laws, marking a pivotal shift in the landscape of estate planning and wealth transfer. Enacted on December 22, 2017,...more
As lawmakers advance toward the critical 2025 tax cliff, a key—and increasingly contentious—policy question is coming into sharper focus: What should Congress assume about the future when it scores the cost of extending the...more
A parent will sometimes transfer money to a child to enable the child to make an investment that the child could not otherwise make on their own. For example, the child may have identified an attractive business opportunity...more
Springtime is a great time to review your current estate plan or consider creating one. This year brings a number of opportunities for creating an estate plan, pursuing gifting strategies, and considering philanthropic...more
As the clock ticks down to the end of 2025, the impending sunset of key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) looms large, threatening tax hikes for millions of Americans. With Congress at a crossroads, the...more
Starting January 1, 2026, many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) are set to expire. Among the most significant provisions set to sunset is the increased estate and gift tax exemption, which currently...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Private Letter Ruling (PLR) 202504006, addressing several important estate and gift tax questions related to the division of a marital trust and the subsequent disclaimer of...more
Now’s the time to review your GST tax exposure Absent congressional action this year, the federal gift and estate exemption and the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemption (currently $13.99 million) are scheduled...more
As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2025, estate planners and their clients are closely monitoring developments in Washington, D.C. The scheduled sunset of the increased estate and gift tax exemption is now less...more
On February 13, 2025, Republican lawmakers in Congress introduced the Death Tax Repeal Act, which aims to permanently eliminate the federal estate tax. Since 2015, various legislative efforts to repeal the estate, gift, and...more
The Massey Family’s $10M Settlement: A Win, But What’s Next? Sonya Massey’s tragic death was yet another painful reminder of the deep racial injustices that persist in America. On July 6, 2024, Sonya, a 36-year-old Black...more
New legislation to repeal the federal estate tax, often referred to as the “death tax,” has been introduced in Congress. Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Representative Randy Feenstra (R-IA) have introduced companion bills in...more
When minor children are addressed in an estate plan, special considerations are involved to ensure their well-being and financial security. Parents ought to make decisions about who they would prefer to serve as the guardian...more
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is set to end at the close of this year, resulting in a federal estate exclusion that is less than half of the current $13.99 million exclusion. Other changes to the tax structure are...more
Let’s work off of this premise: an estate planner’s job is to help a client pass their value and values to the following generations to the fullest extent possible, addressing as many of the obstacles in doing so as...more
For federal estate and gift tax purposes, transfers are valued at the “fair market value” of the asset on the date of transfer. One of the more common estate tax audit issues is the failure to properly report the value of...more
The IRS has released new inflation-adjusted figures that can impact your estate and gift planning. These numbers seem like a lot to sift through, but understanding them could make a big difference in your financial future....more
Art and collectibles, while beautiful and culturally significant, can pose significant estate planning challenges. At the time of death, these assets are subject to estate taxes based on their fair market value. Without...more
The current federal estate tax exemption levels, introduced by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2018, have provided historically high federal estate tax exemptions. But this period of increased exemption is expected to...more
The federal estate and gift tax exemption changes from year to year. The current combined federal estate and gift tax exemption amount of $13.99 million per person ($27.98 million per married couple) is scheduled to “sunset”...more