This Educational Insights discusses the unique estate tax and insurance implications of owning real estate in multiple jurisdictions.
This Educational Insights defines the most common types of trusts used in asset management and estate planning, and highlights their key features.
Americans are likely to see tax simplification and a more efficient process in 2013. Under tax simplification, there will likely be fewer deductions, but tax rates will be lower. However, the actual outcome of various tax initiatives will be very unpredictable regardless of what the candidates say during the campaign.
This brief client alert highlights provisions of key 2012 estate, gift, and generation skipping transfer tax provisions and strategies for wealthy individuals to consider in their estate planning.
Investors are well advised to take into account the interest rate environment when considering wealth transfer options. Interest rates are important when establishing trusts, reviewing existing estate plans, and lending money to family members. The current rates used to value wealth transfers are near historic lows.
The opportunity for families to transfer a significant amount of wealth from now through the end of 2012 is unprecedented. Certainly there are many technical or quantitative issues to consider, but don’t forget to focus on the more qualitative issues, especially in preparing your family for the receipt of the assets.
For the couple planning marriage, the focus is often on the union itself and not the meshing of financial assets, rights, and obligations. In a time when many couples are marrying later in life, have children and other financial responsibilities from a previous marriage, or have considerable assets that they want to safeguard, a prenuptial agreemen...
A properly structured, funded, and invested dynasty trust can be a powerful tool in achieving significant tax savings on the transfer of wealth across generations. This paper discusses the tax benefits of dynasty trusts under Delaware law as well as funding and investment management strategies to consider.
The IRS has begun checking real estate transfer records in at least 15 states. So far, the new initiative has netted more than 500 cases for audit, and there will likely be many more depending on the results of the taxes collected from this initial effort. Similar initiatives are likely, as the IRS is budgeted to receive additional funds to seek ou...
New cost basis reporting rules for securities sales allow the IRS to better track an investor’s capital gains and, as a result, help the agency collect all the money it can. For investors, getting the correct cost basis recorded now is important because it will set the bar for how much they pay on future gains.
Reporting requirements for capital asset sales have changed, and the IRS is now in a better position to verify and track your activity. This article explains the IRS’ equation: verify + track + match data + audit = increased tax collection.
A solid governance structure is critical to any private trust company’s long-term success. Through a thoughtful review that includes useful diagrams and outlines, learn the common elements of the PTC structure; the Board role and responsibilities; the Board attributes, composition, selection process, and succession planning; and addi...
The creation of a charitable remainder trust can provide you with a lifetime income stream while helping fulfill legacy goals of supporting charitable organizations that are important to you. There are two kinds, which are minor variations of each other: the Charitable Remainder Annuity (CRAT) and the Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT).
Irrevocable trusts have been part of estate planning for years. They have been used for a variety of purposes, such as to remove assets from a person’s estate in order to reduce taxes, to protect assets from creditors, and to provide management of assets for beneficiaries. However, many do not like the idea that the trust is irrevo...
The U.S. Supreme Court will revisit state tax nexus for the second year in a row after granting North Carolina’s petition for certiorari in North Carolina Department of Revenue v. The Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust (Docket No. 18-457). Kaestner and Fielding could have significant implications on the state taxation of trusts. All multista...