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Given the relatively low current tax rates, changing executive and legislative control and the increasing need for government revenue, there is a distinct possibility of a capital gains tax rate increase. Knowing this, individuals may be wise to suspend the common practice always to defer taxation.

Evaluating and purchasing a capture device begins with a careful assessment of needs. This paper provides guidance not only in determining those needs but also in calculating the return on investment and total cost of ownership of converting paper documents to digital and incorporating them in an enterprise document management system.

Good e-mail management involves adequately capturing, categorizing, indexing, storing and protecting business information contained in e-mails, making it retrievable when needed and disposing of it according to company policies. Implementing an email management system for your company means doing some homework, but careful planning and preparation will lead to success.

The family office integrates many diverse components – taxes, philanthropic giving, trusts, personal services, property management and legal matters. A carefully chosen document management system can streamline these many pieces and reduce the overall cost of doing business.

Private investment firms that can differentiate themselves by demonstrating an infrastructure that includes complete partnership and portfolio accounting, system-enforced controls and full transparency while being able to manage complex portfolio strategies, ownership structures and allocations have a significant advantage in growing their businesses.

With short-term interest rates currently near zero, this may be a good time to consider using intra-family loans, grantor retained annuity trusts and sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts.

Competitive state premium taxes and modern domestic trust laws, as well as improved domestic regulatory costs and state consumer laws for insurance policies have resulted in much larger life insurance contracts being issued onshore versus the traditional route of offshore. Consequently, types of trusts, states, insurance companies and policies all are issues for estate planners to consider.

Low interest rates are certainly disheartening for investors looking for income, but they also drive down key rates used in estate planning – a great benefit to those looking for low or no tax techniques for transferring wealth to family members. It is unlikely, however, that these rates will remain as low as they currently are.

The charitable lead trust can be used effectively for the ultra-wealthy to pass property, at death or during life, to charity and family members. The trust is particularly effective for individuals who want to address their charitable interests and also set aside money for future generations' medical, educational or other needs.

An excellent trust beneficiary addresses the fact of his trust's existence and its implications for his life at increasing levels of understanding, moving from assimilating fundamental information to successfully managing relationships to seeking personal well-being and fulfillment. Instead of being the focal point of the beneficiary's life, the trust assumes a supporting role as financial capital in service of his journey toward excellence.