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Switch Dollar and the Power of Deferral
An efficient method for funding a trust.It’s no secret that deferral is the strategy underlying many a tax plan. And, for good reason. Most understand, at least on a general level, that the longer one...
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Tax Reform Drives New Discussions About Life Settlements
Implications for estate-planning professionals.Within hours of the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act), the blogosphere lit up with articles about how provisions in the Act would...
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Planning With Life Insurance in Uncertain Times
A holistic approach can help clients move forward.With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Act) and the doubling of the gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax...
View ArticleTrusts & Estates Magazine April 2018 Issue
Program Trusts & Estates Primary category Trusts & Estates Published DateTime Mar 26, 2018The WealthManagement.com journal for estate-planning professionals Privacy Settings anonymous user...
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Collaborative Representation by Counsel in Probate Litigation
Opportunities and considerations for parties who wear multiple hats.Estate litigation appears to be on the rise. With more than $12 trillion in assets in the process of being transferred from the...
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Alaska Supreme Court Invalidates Exclusive Jurisdiction Provision
A recent decision allows Montana fraudulent transfer finding to affect protections of a self-settled trust.Section 34.40.110(k) of the Alaska Trust Act purports to grant Alaska courts exclusive...
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The Rise of Women as Philanthropic Family Leaders
New opportunity to align charitable planning with estate planning.Simply put when money flows into the hands of women who have the authority to use it, everything changes. —Melinda GatesIn the coming...
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Protecting the Trustee’s Nest Egg
How fiduciaries can avoid liability risks.Knowledgeable trustees understand their roles, responsibilities and potential for personal liability and realize it can be a thankless job. The trustee who...
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French Tax Laws Affecting U.S. Citizens And Trusts
Recent amendments provide some clarification.France doesn’t have trust laws; a trust can’t be created under French law. However, French residents, including U.S. citizens residing in France, may create...
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Deductibility of Trust Expenses Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Changes may tip the scale in favor of distributing property.The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Act), was signed into law on Dec. 22, 2017, bringing a myriad of changes to the Internal Revenue Code...
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Fiduciary Law Trends
A roundup of significant court cases.Another year has come and gone with no shortage of interesting cases containing, among some of the more interesting topics, fiduciary mistakes and tax issues. The...
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Generative Trusts and Trustees
A new paradigm for design and administration.I’ve been concerned about the emotional and relational impact of trusts since I had a professionally jarring encounter in 2001 with a beneficiary of an...
View ArticleTrusts & Estates Magazine May 2018 Issue
Program Trusts & Estates Primary category Trusts & Estates Published DateTime Apr 26, 2018The WealthManagement.com journal for estate-planning professionals Privacy Settings anonymous user...
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Proposals by States to Recast SALT Payments as Charitable Contributions
Are these a valid end-run around the new $10,000 limitation?The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act)1 is the most far-reaching change to the Internal Revenue Code in over 30 years. Among other significant...
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Estate Planning in a Rising Interest Rate Environment: Part I
Strategies to consider now.Interest rates are rising, and the trend is expected to continue. Advisors must understand how interest rates impact estate planning and which techniques work best in...
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Giving in a Post-Tax Reform World
Strategies to maximize the value of charitable gifts.Following Congress’ recent enactment of the most comprehensive federal tax reform in several decades, the topic of charitable giving has received...
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How to Navigate the Choppy Seas for Foreigners With U.S.-Based Heirs: Part I
Life insurance to the rescue?Recent changes in the foreign tax provisions of the U.S. Tax Code provide a new opportunity to revisit the possible incorporation of traditional life insurance or foreign...
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The Hidden Half of Client Portfolios
Preserve the value of your clients’ illiquid assets.Consider this proposition: Your wealthy clients own twice as much as you think. Three recent studies discussed below validate this assertion. Their...
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A Wake-Up Call to Senior Clients
Start making all your charitable gifts from your IRAs.The number of income tax returns that will report income tax savings from charitable donations is projected to plummet from 37 million in 2017 to...
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Tax Reform Opens a Window for Roth Conversions
Middle and upper income IRA owners should consider this opportunity.Clients often consider whether it’s wise to convert their individual retirement accounts to Roth IRAs. There are pros and cons to...
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