Recently, much has been written about Rupert Murdoch’s petition to amend his Nevada irrevocable trust to grant his eldest son, Lachlan, voting control over News Corp and Fox Corporation. While the battle between family...more
August is “National Make-a-Will” Month, the perfect opportunity to seriously consider your estate plan. Many delay this crucial task due to common misconceptions about what an estate involves. Here, we delve deeper into what...more
On March 25, 2024, the IRS issued proposed regulations (REG-108761-22) which, if finalized, would identify certain CRATs as listed transactions. For those unaware of the listed transaction rules, such a designation would...more
Most US homeowners and business owners understand the importance of an estate plan; they just never seem to get around to completing the task. What do you need to know about a trust? Why are trusts a central component of any...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
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is effective on January 1 and requires "Reporting Companies" to disclose specific information to the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Below is a...more
Reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) will go into effect beginning January 1, 2024. Under the CTA, many business entities formed or registered in the US will be required to provide the personal...more
What are the most important elements of estate and tax planning for US expatriates? Are you planning to move out of the United States? Are you a US taxpayer who lives and works outside of the country? What are some of the...more
Los Fideicomisos (“Trusts”) son vehículos que pueden ayudar en la preservación de la riqueza y la propiedad para las generaciones futuras, proteger activos o llevar a cabo un propósito caritativo. Un Fideicomiso es una...more
Trusts are vehicles that can assist in the preservation of wealth and property for future generations, protect assets, or carry out a charitable purpose. A trust is an entity created and governed under the state law in which...more
What is a Trust? A Trust is a legal entity involving three roles: The Grantor or “Trustor”, the Trustee, and the Beneficiary. The Grantor (the creator of the trust) will give the Trustee the right to hold and manage property...more
The Tennessee legislature continues to take action to maintain Tennessee's status as one of the foremost states in which to situs trusts. The legislature's most recent enhancements to Tennessee's Uniform Trust Code (TN UTC)...more
According to the 2023 Wills and Estate Planning Survey by Caring.com, only 34 percent of Americans have an estate plan. The primary reasons respondents gave for not participating in estate planning are:.....more
It is not uncommon for a husband and wife in a second marriage situation to create a joint trust, naming all their respective children from their prior marriages as the equal remainder beneficiaries. If the surviving spouse,...more
Family Offices that serve high-net-worth individuals have been in recent global headlines as governments target them in an effort to tax corporate and individual gains....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
The House Ways and Means Committee recently released its plan to pay for President Biden's proposed Build Back Better Act. Many of the changes to the Internal Revenue Code proposed by that plan would directly impact gift and...more
As we prepare for the Halloween season, there are many reasons to be on edge. These fears may involve ghosts and goblins for some, while others may view estate planning as frightening. Although I have yet to find an effective...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
Being asked to serve as the trustee of the trust of a family member is a great honor. It means that the family member trusts your judgment and is willing to put the welfare of the beneficiary or beneficiaries in your hands. ...more
On 4 May 2021, Governor Inslee signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5096 (the Act), establishing a state-level tax on long-term capital gains for Washingtonians, beginning 1 January 2022....more
As a result of Governor Jay Inslee signing S.B. 5096 on May 4, 2021, Washington state will begin imposing a 7 percent tax on certain long-term capital gains beginning January 1, 2022. For a detailed overview of the new law,...more
Bad Times- Of course, you’ve noticed that we’re in the midst of an economic mess. The nearly complete shutdown of large segments of the U.S. economy beginning in March, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, both accelerated...more
Many clients create an estate plan, then put the documents safely away, until they are needed. However, they have forgotten to complete one final important step. Trust funding is the most overlooked estate planning tool....more
On July 18, 2018, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued its decision in Fielding v. Commissioner, declaring that it was unconstitutional for the state to consider four trusts to be Minnesota “resident trusts” — and tax them...more