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One of the most significant hurdles in structuring a suitable debt workout or restructuring arrangement between a lender and a borrower involves the negative impact of U.S. income taxes on the borrower, particularly if the partners have conflicting objectives in terms of their tax position. Various options are available to partners when making elec...

Despite the easing of estate taxes on many taxpayers, many family-held businesses continue to be burdened with large potential transfer taxes. Using a real-life story of one family business, we show how the family successfully addressed this problem. While the names have been changed, and the figures and structure have been simplified, the example ...

Reviewing the changes to the Tax Reform law from the lens of tax-efficient giving, it's clear it created some philanthropic winners and losers for the next few years. With the elimination of the phase-out of itemized deductions, donors who itemize can take advantage of the full amount of their charitable gifts, subject to Adjusted Gross Income ...

International travelers are vulnerable to a wide range of risks, including political unrest, natural disasters, and medical emergencies. The financial impact of these events on travelers can differ considerably—especially those who are not adequately prepared. Following a checklist of basic practical steps will help you and your families prep...

By temporarily increasing the federal exemption from $5.5 million to $11.18 million for the gift, estate and generation-skipping taxes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Act”) has created estate tax and income tax planning opportunities as well as traps for the unwary. In this multipart series, we explore all of these in depth. Fi...

Every year, thousands of property owners and their families are affected by natural disasters such as flood, fire, earthquake, tornado, wildfires and windstorms. In 2015 alone, there were 10 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States. These events included a drought, flooding, severe storms, w...

A host can be held liable for injuries caused to a third party if an intoxicated guest causes a car accident. If guests are injured on the premises due to hazardous conditions, the homeowner can be held liable. Such incidents may include slipping and falling on icy walkways, uneven floors, or broken staircases. When hosting a social event, followin...

Each year thousands of property owners and their families are affected by natural disasters and the financial damages can be devastating. Although it may seem there is very little that can be done to prepare against a hurricane, there are practical steps before, during, and after the storm that you can do (or not do) to protect yourself, family, an...

Knowing what to do and what not to do before, during, and after a wildfire can go a long way in protecting you, your family, and personal property from harm. To help prepare and protect yourself against a wildfire, a checklist of practical steps is provided.

Individuals and families today are at a higher risk of being the target of identity theft given their tendency to rely on various third parties to manage their active and complex lifestyles. Protect yourself against identity theft by adhering to a checklist of practical steps to safeguard your personal information.

Many estate plans can be too boilerplate and do little more than establish what happens with physical assets upon death. They overlook personal sentiments and expressions that could prove to be a source of comfort to a family in moments of grief. When addressing the elephant in the room—the scope of care and ceremony desired to commemorate a ...

Hiring domestic staff such as nannies, personal assistants, and housekeepers can expose you to liability issues and danger from unscrupulous employees. It is important to understand your areas of vulnerability and take steps to protect your family and your finances. Whether you hire your own employees or the family office hires them, three often ov...

This is a field guide for avoiding the pitfalls that cause families to overpay, waste time, or lose money due to estate transitions. If you are dealing with a family member’s house full of possessions when age, personal or medical reasons dictate that it is time to sell a primary or vacation home, then these tips will help you simplify the pr...

From the intense wildfire activity in 2017, lessons were learned on the value of smart landscaping. Applying those lessons and other tips, you can enhance your home's resiliency and keep your family safe.

You have too much at stake to be caught unprepared, and your family is too important to be left in the lurch by an estate plan you didn’t realize that you had outgrown. If it has been a while since you have looked at your estate planning and settlement documents, it is time to perform a stress-test on your plan to ensure that none of the key ...