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Enhancing the impact that you and your family can have in supporting causes near to your hearts also requires more than just generosity and good intentions. It takes careful planning and an in-depth understanding of the various vehicles that can be used to facilitate your charitable gifts and the tax laws related to those gifts. Beginning with thre...

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the federal estate tax exemption was temporarily doubled through December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2026, the exemption limits are scheduled to be reduced by half, adjusted for inflation. Charting the change and inflation adjustment, the projected limits are provided for your tax and estate plannin...

To develop an effective succession plan for your personal collections and tangible assets—including art, fine jewelry, wine, and antiques—you must understand their monetary value. In this ten minute interview, Natalie Annis and Brian Lucareli discuss estate planning for personal collections and the additional tax con...

Many parents enjoy witnessing the positive effect a significant gift can have on their children's lives. For example, asset transfer can help children buy a home, raise a family, or start a business. With meaningful benefits to transferring assets during a lifetime from a gift and estate tax perspective, intergenerational planning can be a win-...

The New Inflation Reduction Act (the "IRA") was passed with a simple majority vote in the U.S. The IRA would raise approximately $450 billion to pay for deficit reduction, clean energy, and climate investments. Many of the original provisions that would have had significant impact for high net worth individuals have been stripped, includi...

Establishing residency in a state with lower tax rates can result in significant tax savings for some individuals and trusts. But changing residency is not as straightforward as it might seem. Additionally, states have become aggressive in challenging residency changes to avoid losing out on tax revenue. This paper reviews the residency rules ...

To effectively serve as a trustee, it's crucial to understand your fiduciary duties. Even trustees with the best of intentions can create liability for themselves by being unprepared for the job or by not fully understanding their obligations. Learn more about some of the common mistakes family trustees make that can lead to lawsuits and other...

When it comes to selecting trustees, families often choose family members to serve in this role. However, if you agree to serve as a trustee, you become a “fiduciary” who must understand all of your fiduciary duties and perform them all. This is vital because even if you do not understand your duties, you can still be held liable for violating...

Unlike trustees, who have very specific fiduciary duties spelled out for them in our trust laws, beneficiaries don’t have much guidance to help them in the role of beneficiary. Our answers to these frequently asked questions should help provide guidance on how to be a good beneficiary and your rights as a beneficiary under Michigan law.

With an array of charitable giving options, it's important to understand how each gift could affect your annual deductions. Here's a quick guide to tax deductions, out-of-pocket deductions, and required substantiation. For the individuals and families looking to go beyond the standard donation, there are a few alternate options wi...

In this ten minute interview, Brian Lucareli and Tim Voigtman of Foley & Lardner discuss developments regarding the entity-level taxation. Insights are provided on the impact of the SALT limitation, as a number of U.S. states have adopted legislation that allow flow-through entities to elect to pay state income taxes as an entity leve...

Serving as a trustee for your family can be a valuable experience for you, while also providing an important service to your family. But before you accept the position, make sure that you understand the role you will play for the family and are willing to accept the responsibilities and liability that come with it.

For families with significant wealth, a new IRS Revenue Procedure could result in millions of dollars in tax savings. The procedure makes the Deceased Spouse Unused Exclusion available up to five years after the death of the first spouse of a married couple.

Losing a loved one can be very difficult. Yet, as an executor, spouse, or family member, you need to take steps to ensure that your loved one's financial affairs are properly settled as part of the family’s end-of-life planning. To help with the process, this step-by-step guide outlines the key tasks, including selecting an executor, considering th...

Selecting the right trustee is one of the most important decisions a grantor will make. The role of trustee has evolved significantly over the 21st century, and today’s trustee needs to recognize that a trust is rooted in a human relationship, not just a legal one. When selecting your trustee, look for the 7 traits to help you select the righ...