The Impact of One Big Beautiful Bill on Estate Planning
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Once Removed Episode 18: The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
Once Removed Episode 16: Gift and Estate Tax, Inflation Adjustments for 2024
Once Removed Episode 17: Annual Gifting to Individuals: Options, Opportunities and Pitfalls
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Once Removed Episode 10: Trustee Removal and Case Update on Leo Kahn Revocable Trust
(A)ESOP's Fables - The Income and Estate Tax-Free ESOP
The Renoir Spelling Bee
Taking the Sting Out of Death Taxes with Dylan Metzner, Jones & Keller
RETURN TO FOREVER - What Game Shall We Play Today?
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
INTRODUCING MALTA SPLIT DOLLAR
THE PAPER CHASE
With a Little Help from My Friends
The Greatest Gift: Your Individual + Family Estate Plan
In this episode of Trust Us, Danielle Friedman, Max McCauley, and Herb Fineburg discuss the recent changes brought by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which raised the estate tax exemption level starting January 1, 2026....more
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, is a sweeping piece of legislation spanning nearly 1,000 pages. It includes significant changes to federal estate and income tax laws that will affect...more
After months of intense negotiations, on July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) was signed into law making various changes to the tax code that impacts estate, gift and income tax planning. Increased Estate, Gift...more
On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Tax-related proposals contained in the OBBBA would extend or make permanent select corporate, international and individual tax...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
President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” recently passed the House. Below are some, but not all, of the tax-related provisions included in the bill. It is worth noting that many of the items below are temporary...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
At $13.99 million for 2025, the federal estate tax exclusion is the largest it has ever been, but it will be reduced by half in 2026, which you can read more about in this advisory....more
Recent Maryland proposed budget cause for close estate planning review before the sunset of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This week, Maryland Governor Wes Moore released his proposed 2025 budget to the public and...more
It has been back to business as usual for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of the Treasury in 2024. US tax authorities are not shaking up the international private client landscape, but instead are providing...more
Uniform Directed Trust Act and Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act Become Effective - As reported in Katten's 2023 Year-End Advisory, the California Uniform Directed Trust Act (UDTA) and the Uniform Fiduciary...more
In 2024, there was much legislative activity in New York that affected the Private Wealth realm. A brief summary of the 2024 changes follows....more
On October 4, 2023, the Massachusetts estate tax was updated for the first time in seventeen years (the “2023 Act”). Primarily, the 2023 Act created a $2,000,000 exemption from the estate tax for all decedents who died on or...more
Each year, certain estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) tax figures are subject to inflation adjustments that go in effect on January 1. Below are the current adjustments for 2024....more
Governor Maura Healey signed a tax relief package into law on October 4, 2023, making changes to how the Massachusetts estate tax is calculated. The new law doubles the Massachusetts estate tax exemption from $1 million to...more
Oh, the things you hear at cocktail parties: “Everyone should have a revocable trust,” “It’s easy to change your residence to Florida for tax purposes – just count days and get a Florida license,” “Make all your trusts...more
Our annual estate and tax planning newsletter discusses certain concepts and techniques that should be considered in 2022 by our clients and friends in California. Perhaps the most important recent development was the failure...more
Estate taxes are generally thought of as a tax on the wealthy, but wealthy is a relative term. The Massachusetts Estate Tax applies to a surprisingly large portion of the middle class, not just the top 1%. The estate tax is...more
The Estate Planning Team at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP issues advisories regularly to communicate important law changes and other matters of interest to our clients, their advisors, and our friends. The 2020 presidential...more
Washington state grants estate tax relief if a decedent owns a qualified family-owned business interest (QFOBI) at the time of death and such property passes to a "qualified heir." ...more
SECURE ACT - What you need to know: The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act went into effect on January 1, 2020. The most significant provisions of the SECURE Act involve changes to the...more
In 2019, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) and its resulting tax reform continued to dominate the planning landscape. As outlined in our 2018 Year-End Estate Planning Advisory, the Act made significant changes to individual...more
As a general rule, it is advisable to revisit your estate plan every few years, or if some major change occurs in your personal circumstances or in applicable law. Recent historic changes to the tax law warrant revisiting...more
Federal Transfer Taxes - The Internal Revenue Service has announced the annual inflation adjustments for the 2019 tax year... Federal unified gift and estate tax exclusion increasing to $11,400,000: As of January 1,...more