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The White House released a retooled framework for the Build Back Better Act on October 28, 2021. Notable aspects of the Biden framework that will affect estate planning include estate and gift tax exemptions, grantor trusts, valuation rules, and the new surtax on high earners and non-grantor trusts—which could bring the total surtax to 8%). I...

Currently, family offices are typically exempted from the requirement to register with the SEC as investment advisers. But this may change after the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services gave support to the HR 4620 bill that may be a harbinger of efforts to impose additional oversight of family offices in the f...

Once you have decided to pass the family vacation property to the next generation, and you have chosen the ownership form you want to use, the last step in preparing for the transfer is to create an agreement that spells out the use and maintenance of the property and governs a family member’s exit from ownership (if that becomes necessary). Learn ...

Once a family has made a decision to pass the ownership of family cottage or vacation property to the next generation, you will need to give thought to how that ownership will be held. There are basically three options for the form of ownership and use of a cottage by multiple households of a family: co-tenancy, a trust, or a limited liability comp...

When families gather at their cottages or vacation properties, the senior generation might think how nice it would be for these multi-generational gatherings to continue after they pass. But before designing an estate plan to address the future generations’ continued use and enjoyment of this property, there are two important questio...

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...

Succession planning for a family business inevitably requires planning for the transition of the management team. This transition presents several challenges, including dealing with non-family managers and with a family member who is not suited for a leadership role in the business. These difficulties are not insurmountable, and, with clear communi...