The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 maintained the gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes that were scheduled to sunset prior to 2013 and increased the exemptions for all three taxes to $5.25 million, making new or additional gifts to trusts a more attractive option in estate planning.
The allocation of receipts and disbursements between principal and interest are critical to the proper design and administration of trusts. Individuals creating trusts should have an appreciation and basic understanding of these concepts so the trusts will operate consistent with the settlors’ intentions and provide the intended benefits.
Selecting one’s home state as the situs may be a convenient or easy answer. However, the ability to implement a trust that may last forever, eliminate additional transfer taxes after funding and avoid state income taxes may provide the financial incentive to stray from home, or at least to consider it.
In 2012, total charitable giving rose to $316 billion in the United States, driven by an $8 billion increase in gifts by individuals. This year, individual donations are likely to continue growing, spurred by tax changes, the improving economy and donor-friendly IRA rules. Here are five reasons why 2013 is a great year to give.
Whether a grantor is struggling with ensuring that a trust fulfills the intentions for which it was established or simply wants to sleep better at night knowing the trust assets will be managed and monitored effectively, the directed trust statute provides the flexibility and incentives needed to improve the long-term outcome.
Wealth management and tax planning, done right, require care and a thoughtful approach. Helping you be vigilant in these and all other aspects is the purpose of this guide, which walks you through the key concepts and approaches pertaining to tax planning, investing, charitable giving, estate and gift planning, business succession, family meetings,...
Every day we use smartphones, tablets, computers and other digital devices to access, transfer and store information, conduct financial transactions and operate many other aspects of our lives. Your digital assets include all of the digital devices you own, all data stored in them and on external servers, and all of your online user accounts. ...
As tax rates on the wealthy have begun to go up again, taxpayers have begun to take a second look at the few legitimate tax shelters still available, and this has renewed interest in investing through insurance dedicated funds (IDFs).This paper discusses two types of IDFs, Private Placement Variable Annuities (PPVA) and Private Placement Life Insur...
Wealthy individuals need to play an active role in their wealth management, asking advisors the right questions and reviewing their answers regularly. This requires a solid understanding of wealth management principles and how to apply them in a variety of areas, ranging from personal tax planning to the transfer of a business.
Many wealthy families envision keeping a shared property in the family as a means of building family unity, harmony and legacy. A number of notable families have been successful at this, but many others find the reality creates the opposite of their intention.
The decision to immigrate to the United States for a wealthy individual or family has serious income and wealth transfer tax considerations. Arranging one’s personal, financial and business affairs prior to moving to the United States through proper pre-residency tax and estate planning is essential in order to avoid a myriad of unwelcomed is...
This article addresses some of the most important legal and tax issues the real property professional needs to know when representing foreign investors in the United States, as every aspect of involvement is different from those of a domestic purchaser.
This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of four compliance options available to U.S. taxpayers who have not reported all of their non-U.S. income or who have not complied with all of the various reporting requirements applicable to non-U.S. income and assets.
Wealth planning for same-sex married couples presents a host of challenges, and the landscape is fluid. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996, and President Bill Clinton signed the act into law the same year. The bill had two main functions. First, DOMA prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages for th...
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States issued two groundbreaking opinions regarding same-sex marriage. The rulings will substantially impact financial and estate planning for same-sex couples living in jurisdictions that recognize same-sex marriage. Now is a critical time for same-sex couples, regardless of their legal status, to ...