Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Once Removed Episode 18: The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine
Once Removed Episode 16: Gift and Estate Tax, Inflation Adjustments for 2024
Once Removed Episode 17: Annual Gifting to Individuals: Options, Opportunities and Pitfalls
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
In this second installment of our multi-part series on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “Act”), my colleague David Knutson and I discuss the changes made by the Act to the federal estate and gift tax regime....more
President Trump’s July 4th signing of the Opportunity, Balance, and Better Budget Act sets an increased $15 million federal estate and gift tax exclusion and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption per individual,...more
As lawmakers advance toward the critical 2025 tax cliff, a key—and increasingly contentious—policy question is coming into sharper focus: What should Congress assume about the future when it scores the cost of extending the...more
This year was busy for trusts and estates practitioners. With 2025 marking the final year of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), many of its implications for federal corporate and individual income tax, gift, estate and...more
During 2022, COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, global inflation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the uncertainty about the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), and the Inflation Reduction Act...more
Throughout 2021, Congress and the Executive Branch proposed tax code changes that – had they ultimately passed – would have significantly changed various estate planning techniques. Some proposals would have sidelined a...more
The House Ways and Means Committee recently proposed sweeping changes to the tax code that would significantly impair fundamental wealth transfer planning techniques. We recommend that you consider taking action now....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
The U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means’ tax proposals would significantly impact estate planning for high net worth individuals if enacted. Gift, estate and GST exemption amounts would be decreased; grantor trusts would...more
The House Ways and Means Committee recently proposed new draft federal tax legislation that would dramatically affect the Private Wealth area. Many of the changes are time sensitive. Thankfully, unlike previously publicized...more
As many people are aware, Congress is considering changes to the federal tax code to support President Biden’s Build Back Better spending plan. As of this writing, on September 22, 2021, no bill has been enacted....more
You have probably heard that the House Ways and Means Committee released proposals for increasing gift and estate taxes in order support legislation being advanced by the Democratic majority in Congress. ...more
With the introduction of the “For the 99.5% Act” proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, there is an increased likelihood for sweeping federal estate and gift tax reforms occurring during the latter part of 2021. The proposed...more
We recently wrote about a window of opportunity to take advantage of the rising estate and gift tax exemption before it sets. It is becoming clearer that the window may be shutting fast. The opportunity to take advantage...more
On March 25, 2021, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the For the 99.5 Percent Act (the “99.5 Percent Act”) which proposes to modify the estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax. Proposed Estate and Gift Tax Rates...more
On March 25, 2021, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation called “For the 99.5% Act.” This bill is aimed at the fortunes of the top 0.5% of wealthy Americans. ...more
In 2020, COVID-19, the US presidential election, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the TCJA), and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the CARES ACT) dominated the planning landscape....more
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has provided limited information about his plans to modify the tax treatment of decedents and their estates. However, he has signaled that he supports raising estate taxes and...more
When Congress enacted tax reform in December 2017, federal gift and estate tax “basic exclusion amount” (often referred to as the “gift and estate tax exemption”) increased to $10 million per person (from $5 million), indexed...more
Through no fault of the Connecticut General Assembly, in late 2017 our newly increased Connecticut estate and gift tax exemptions were partially affected by the 2017 Federal Tax Act, commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs...more
We now know that each individual has a $10 million estate tax exclusion (adjusted for inflation) under the new federal estate tax legislation (the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act). In 2018, the applicable exclusion amount will be...more
Estate and gift tax planning are among the many areas of tax law impacted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which takes effect on January 1, 2018. Federal Tax Law Changes- Through December 31, 2017, each person had an...more
Since July 2016, there have only been incremental changes to the federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes and related income tax rules, and to the Washington estate tax rules....more
In 2016, we continued to experience a period of relative stability in our federal transfer tax system and have been able to plan without expecting imminent significant changes to the system. Under the American Taxpayer Relief...more
I. INTRODUCTION - This outline is a selective and evolving review of the history of the modern federal estate tax. It originated during the attempts to repeal the estate tax in President Clinton’s second term and...more