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On June 21, 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a unanimous opinion finding that North Carolina’s imposition of an income tax on trusts based solely on the residence of a trust’s beneficiaries is unconstitutional. While Kaestner 1992 Family Trust presents an obvious win for taxpayers, its application beyond the state of North Carolina could be limited.

Holistic financial planning is critical to family wealth management, and balancing financial and family issues is at the center of the process. Today’s Family Office requires highly skilled professionals to address changing tax policies, longer lifespans, and increasingly complex ownership structures and financial instruments.

2018 brought radical transformation in the federal tax landscape. The effects continue to cascade through the economy, and individuals, families and businesses are striving to find equilibrium amid the change. Of course, radical transformations can occur at the individual level as well. A good wealth plan anticipates personal disruptions, transitions and surprises. From this context, this annual outlook highlights six salient themes.

Most companies begin life small and take on private investors as a means of enhancing growth through capital buildout or expanding marketing efforts. If successful, founders of the company or newer investors may decide to monetize the value they have created, or realize that access to more diversified funding is required.

Art collections are unique and very personal assets. Planning to build and maintain a collection, and ensuring its future, requires balancing special rules applied to collectibles and the personal and financial realities of individuals or families. When collectors, their families, and their trusted advisors engage in purposeful planning for art collections, they will be in the best position to preserve their collections and provide for a seamless, workable ownership succession.

Families who successfully navigate the complexity of wealth through multiple generations tend to do things differently. They recognize the need to establish a framework for decision-making that includes creating foundational documents—also viewed as the “Cornerstone Statement”—that feature their values, vision, and mission for the wealth over many generations. With focused planning and respectful collaboration, you can learn how to create these foundational documents to help your family and future generations achieve a long-lasting and thriving legacy.

For most goals driven wealth management clients, meeting annual lifestyle needs is the top priority. This core lifestyle goal is funded by a dynamic asset allocation of risk-control assets within the Portfolio Reserve and risk assets, designed to protect annual lifestyle spending during times of market distress. This paper discusses its design, benefits, and the decision on when to activate it.

The latest escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran, caused by an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the volatile Strait of Hormuz, adds to a growing list of geopolitical hotspots around the world. With an unpredictable U.S. president that hasn’t confronted a direct military threat and one might conclude it has the makings of a risky period ahead for financial markets. What does history reveal about the impact of geopolitical stress on economic growth and financial market performance?

In order to simplify the wealth structure and investment vehicle, many high-net-worth families collectively pool the assets of individual family members to form a legal partnership entity. The resulting economies of scale can lead to significant fee savings, as well as open the door to a larger universe of investment choices for smaller accounts. When deciding the type of partnership structure to form—a limited partnership or a limited liability corporation—there are some best practices and investment options to consider in the process.

In Part 1, we explored the potential tax pitfalls of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In Part 2, we looked at new income tax planning opportunities.