top of page

ARTICLES 

Generation Skipping Tax

Knowing the basic rules of the Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) tax will help reduce or even eliminate the impact of this tax. The...

Gifting Prior to 2013

By now you are aware that come 2013 we may see an entirely new estate and gift tax landscape. If Congress fails to make changes to the ...

History of Estate and Gift Tax

“No taxation without representation” was often heard during the Revolutionary times. We, as Americans, have had a long history of ...

How to Plan for your Digital Assets

In the past digital assets have not been considered in the estate planning process. However, with technological advances occurring ...

Joint Tenancy

A recent decision of the tax court has held that the use of joint tenancy among married couples holding their community property in ...

Keeping Down the Tax Hit

Protecting the assets of an estate from high taxes is just one aspect of a well designed financial plan, but it may be the most...

Minors Named as Beneficiaries

Oftentimes it is desirable to name the child as a direct beneficiary of the life insurance policy on the life of the parent. This may be...

New Law for Capital Gains

Thanks to a 1997 law that finally goes into effect January 1, 2001, taxpayers will see a reduction in the capital gains rate for...

New Privacy Regulations

Over the last year or so, you have probably encountered numerous versions of “waivers” or “disclosures”, not only in your doctors’ or ...

Non-Tax Estate Planning Considerations

One of the most important aspects to consider when designing one’s trust is the role of a trustee and successor trustee. This often ...

Planning Errors to Avoid

We cannot avoid getting older, but we can avoid making mistakes with regards to our retirement planning. For many of us, our retirement...

Planning for Blended Families

Today there are over 20,000,000 blended families in the United States. It is not uncommon to bring together not only children of a ...

Qualified Personal Residence Trusts

The use of a “Qualified Personal Residence Trust” (QPRT) can provide a strong form of asset protection against creditors. This plan is...

Reciprocal Trust Tax Trap

A popular strategy allowing for family members, i.e., parents, siblings, or spouses, to create a trust for the benefit of each other in ...

Selecting a Successor Trustee

When it comes time to select a trustee for your living trust, which generally is established for family members, most of the time ...

Self-Cancelling Installment Note

The use of a Self-Cancelling Installment Note (SCIN) can be a very tax efficient method for transferring business interests to ...

Special Needs Trusts

Since many individuals with special needs are unable to obtain needed health coverage other than through Medical Assistance, it has...

To Sell or Not Prior to 2013

With the new tax laws potentially changing in 2013, the question is whether you should sell appreciated capital assets in 2012 to take ...

Trust Protector

The use of an irrevocable trust is probably one of the most effective estate planning strategies. A primary advantage is they allow ...

bottom of page