From phishing emails and identity theft to fraudulent money transfer requests, cybercriminals continue to find new ways to target individuals and their assets. This fundamentals checklist and recommendations can help protect you, your family, and your assets.
A solid governance structure is critical to any private trust company’s long-term success. Through a thoughtful review that includes useful diagrams and outlines, learn the common elements of the PTC structure; the Board role and responsibilities; the Board attributes, composition, selection process, and succession planning; and addi...
Once the private trust company’s (PTC) governance structure is designed, the foundational operations and administration elements will be central to bringing the PTC to life. Three key elements toward that end include reducing PTC complexity through documentation and recordkeeping; maintaining the PTC through communications and compliance;...
Lawmakers have passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) to help in the ongoing fight against fraud, corruption, terrorism financing, and money laundering. The CTA contains significant new federal reporting obligations, and it may have an especially onerous impact on estate planning for those who accomplish their planning goals through the u...
Designed to help your board take practical steps toward strengthening your organization's cyber risk, this data privacy and governance checklist outlines the basics for understanding your current data protection posture regarding the handling of personal and sensitive data. With the questions and responsibilities from the checklist, you c...
There are various laws and issues to take into account when considering a state in which to form a Private Trust Company, including requirements around annual reporting, residency of personnel, and capital requirements. This report provides a side-by-side comparison of state PTC laws across key states: Ohio, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
By implementing proactive controls, organizations can minimize the chance of falling victim to a ransomware attack. This guide explores these eight leading cybersecurity practices, with critical steps to take and tips to incorporate into your approach: Know your environment Keep your data backups safe Implement a patch management program Bu...
Cyberattacks are impossible to completely prevent and the consequences of a data breach can be devastating. In addition to information and finances lost, breaches can result in downtime and reputational damage that can set your company far behind competitors. If your organization has experienced a cyberattack, there are three things that can b...
When it comes to effectively transferring assets, the Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRAT) is a popular estate planning strategy that can reduce the tax liability. In this interview, three attorneys discuss the benefits of GRAT and the securities law case, Donoghue v. Smith, involving that strategy.
Trusts are valuable tools frequently used to transfer wealth within families, preserve and protect wealth, and reduce taxes. Understanding trusts and the role of the trustee is important for the people establishing trusts and the beneficiaries of those trusts. Building on this foundation, answers are provided to some questions about trusts and trus...
Generally, parents lose access to their child’s health and financial information once the child becomes a legal adult at the age of 18 unless certain steps are taken. To this end, here is a list of seven essential legal documents for parents to complete when their children turn 18 and before they go to college or leave home for ...
Being asked to oversee a family trust is a big deal. It’s a huge responsibility, and one you may not feel prepared to accept. Even if you’ve participated in or been exposed to the world of trusts, you may not have the knowledge or skills to be an effective trustee right now. The first step in deciding whether to accept this role is to learn more ab...
The growth of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools is not slowing down. From small startups to multinational corporations, employees across the spectrum are leveraging ChatGPT to enhance their productivity and streamline their workflows. Given the potential risks—including confidentiality and personal data and privacy violations—ass...
In collaboration with a consortium of interested parties, including Holland & Knight attorneys, the Tennessee legislature has made significant strides toward securing and maintaining the state’s status as one of the leading jurisdictions for trust administration. These efforts have resulted in more consequential improvements to the Tennessee’s ...
With the increasingly complex patchwork of state privacy laws and regulatory compliance requirements, businesses operating in regulated industries, particularly in the financial services and healthcare sectors, need to ensure they are paying close attention to the details of the exemptions. Key differences in the exemptions built into these new sta...