Taking the Sting Out of Death Taxes with Dylan Metzner, Jones & Keller
2021 House Ways And Means Tax Proposals
NOWOTNY KNOWS SQUAT! Helping Financial Advisors Build a Clientele and Assets Under Management (AUM)!
NOWOTNY KNOWS SQUAT! Helping Financial Advisors Build a Clientele and Asset Under Management (AUM)!
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On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the most significant US tax overhaul since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The OBBBA includes critical changes impacting family offices,...more
Since 2018, estate planning legislation in Washington has remained stagnant. Increases in our legislated estate tax exemption rate had been tied to a Consumer Price Index that no longer existed, and the legislature largely...more
Washington concluded an eventful legislative session with the largest set of tax increases in the state's history. This Update focuses on two significant changes that affect Washington residents and a senate bill proposal...more
Facing a projected budget deficit of $12 to $16 billion, Governor Bob Ferguson signed several bills into law this week which will significantly increase taxes in Washington State. An overview of the increases to Business and...more
A 1031 UPREIT (Umbrella Partnership Real Estate Investment Trust) transaction allows real estate investors to exchange property on a tax-deferred basis under IRS Section 1031 while gaining diversification and liquidity by...more
The lifetime estate tax exemption amount is as high as ever. The estate tax exemption amount rose from $1,000,000 in 2002 to $5,000,000 in 2011. Then, Congress doubled the amount of the estate tax exemption in 2018. As of...more
The "big ticket" item of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is the significant increase to the lifetime gift, estate and generation-skipping tax (GST) tax exemptions. Under the TCJA, the exemptions were increased from $5...more
President-Elect Donald Trump has not published a comprehensive tax plan as of the time of this writing, but he and Vice President-Elect J.D. Vance have made several proposals in campaign speeches, interviews and online....more
When creating trusts for estate-reduction purposes, nothing compares to the Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust. This type of trust is referred to by the acronym “IDGT.” Called by some as an I-D-G-T and others a word that...more
Your family’s vacation home is more than just a property. It is where your family has created memories to cherish for generations. Deciding how to pass down such a meaningful asset can be an emotional decision, but it...more
This is the second of a four-part series focusing on estate planning fundamentals for founders. This article will address an important topic for owners of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) as defined in Section 1202 of...more
Understanding the nuances of the Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) is crucial for effective estate planning and tax strategy. For example, estate planners must be familiar with the tax basis adjustment provisions in 26 U.S.C. §...more
Do you employ an irrevocable trust or trusts as part of your estate plan? You need to review your irrevocable trust to ensure it still delivers the benefits intended. It is generally possible to modify an irrevocable trust,...more
There are a lot of very smart tax attorneys out there who are trying to figure out something new, and yet there’s very little innovation. Almost all techniques that we use are incremental variations of an older technique...more
What are the most important elements of estate and tax planning for US expatriates? Are you planning to move out of the United States? Are you a US taxpayer who lives and works outside of the country? What are some of the...more
Today is the anniversary of the largest Powerball lottery victory in the United States of $2.04 billion. Just over the $1.765 billion jackpot claimed last month (Oct 2023). What are some tax tips for lottery winners and...more
Stepped-up basis is a tax law that applies to estate transfers when a person receives an asset from a giver after a benefactor passes away. In those circumstances, the asset receives a “stepped-up” basis – which is the market...more
When incorporating a business, you may form a C corporation or S corporation. If you choose a C corporation, consideration should be given to qualifying the stock as “qualified small business stock” (“QSBS”)....more
The current estate planning landscape is drastically different than it was at the beginning of this year. After an extended period of historically low rates of interest and inflation, this year the Federal Reserve began...more
Is the grass always greener on the other side? Like any major life decision, deciding to uproot yourself (and potentially your family) and move from one state to another is not an easy decision. Although laws, taxes and...more
It happens all too often. Fearing the alleged difficulties of probate, families add adult children as joint owners to a real estate deed or onto a bank or brokerage account, hoping to avoid the Surrogate’s court process...more
...The federal tax laws are certainly about to change. With the need to raise revenue as a top priority for the Biden Administration, everyone is expecting dramatic changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Tax legislation is...more
In this second blog post on the House Ways and Means Tax proposals, we address the proposed changes that will affect the taxation of trusts, estates, and retirement plans. As we discussed, on September 13, 2021, the...more
The federal estate tax is often a topic of conversation especially in regards to the tax rate and the applicable credit or exemption amount; however, currently another aspect of the estate tax is getting attention – Basis. In...more
President Biden’s proposed changes to the Internal Revenue Code, known as the American Families Plan, was unveiled at the end of April 2021. These changes are intended to accomplish three goals: (1) fund the government’s...more