Strategy Considerations for Global Litigation
As we will see shortly, it is often “better to give than to receive,” though this statement begs the obvious question of whether it is better to do so during one’s lifetime or upon one’s death. Many well-to-do individuals...more
As we’ve previously discussed, portability is an important feature of an estate plan. Portability allows the surviving spouse to die to “save” any of their predeceased spouse’s unused federal estate and gift exemption amount....more
As we start the new year, this Federal Tax Update highlights estate planning-related federal tax information that may be helpful as you consider planning options for 2024. ...more
The IRS has announced the official estate and gift exclusion amounts for 2023. For an estate of any decedent dying during calendar year 2023, the applicable exclusion is increased from $12.06 million to $12.92...more
The Internal Revenue Service recently issued Rev. Proc. 2022-32 which provides that estates may elect “portability” of a deceased spouse’s unused exclusion (DSUE) up to five years after the decedent’s date of death. ...more
Every U.S. citizen may gift, during life or at death, assets to his or her children free of federal estate or gift tax up to an aggregate amount – frequently called the “exemption amount.” The exemption amount in 2021 is...more
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provides greater flexibility in estate planning for many taxpayers. So, no more estate tax worries for most people, right? Not so fast. For residents of some states, state estate or inheritance taxes...more
Somewhat lost in the clamor of the tax changes enacted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the fact that the new law preserves the “portability” provision for married couples. Portability allows an estate to elect to permit the...more
In This Issue: - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act supercharges exemption portability - Buy-sell agreements: When a smart business decision also makes estate planning sense - Picking up stakes: Understand the tax and estate...more
On December 22, 2017, President Trump enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (“TCJA”) ushering in significant changes to the federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax laws. Through December 31, 2017, the federal...more
2017 Estate, Gift and GST Tax Update: What This Means for Your Current Will, Revocable Trust and Estate Plan - As we previously reported, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act") made the following permanent:...more
In 2016, we continued to experience a period of relative stability in our federal transfer tax system and have been able to plan without expecting imminent significant changes to the system. Under the American Taxpayer Relief...more
Computers and phones aren’t the only things that are portable today. The gift and estate tax exemption is also “portable” for married couples. Portability simplifies estate planning by allowing a surviving spouse to use the...more
2016 Estate, Gift and GST Tax Update - What This Means for Your Current Will, Revocable Trust and Estate Plan - As we previously reported, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act") made the following...more
The IRS released new final estate and gift tax regulations that include guidance on taxpayers seeking so-called “portability” elections to carry over the lifetime exclusion from the first spouse to die to the second spouse. ...more
The revenue portion of the recently passed Executive Budget for 2014–2015 significantly changes New York’s estate tax and the way in which New York taxes the income of certain trusts. ...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
Two significant events in 2013 underscored the nexus of marriage and taxes that make it possible for many couples to radically simplify their estate planning. ...more
In This Issue: - State death taxes can be hazardous to your estate - Can portability help preserve retirement benefits? - Provide for family members with special needs using an SNT - Estate...more
When Congress early this year enacted the new estate tax provisions making the $5 million inflation adjusted federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemptions "permanent," it also made the concept of...more
On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court issued its decisions in Windsor v. United States and Hollingsworth, et. al. v. Perry et. al., thus ending a four year "fast-track" judicial expedition of the validity of the...more
On June 26, 2013, the US Supreme Court (the “Supreme Court”) struck down Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional in the case of United States v. Windsor (“Windsor”). In a related case, the...more
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Windsor will forever change many facets of the lives of same-sex couples....more
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “2012 Act”) had a profound impact on the transfer tax system. I will briefly describe that system and then, by way of background, set the stage for these changes by summarizing...more