Top Gun: Maverick - Core Estate Plan and Gifting Basics
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
Gift Tax Basics
NGE On Demand: GRAT Trusts with Eric Mann
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
The 2010 Tax Relief Act and your estate plan
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
With the end of the year quickly approaching, now is good time to ensure you make your annual exclusion gifts for the year to reduce your taxable estate. For 2024, an individual can give $18,000 (and a married couple...more
The IRS recently issued the 2025 annual adjustments for numerous tax provisions, including changes to tax brackets and standard deductions. Popular adjustments include: - Estates of decedents who die during 2025 will have...more
Estate planning is a lot like putting together a puzzle. The client provides you with their box lid showing what they want the ultimate result of their plan to look like. Then, estate planners are tasked to identify and...more
The federal estate and gift tax exemption is the highest it has ever been. Under current law, you may transfer almost $14 million to anyone you wish without having to pay a dime of federal gift or estate tax. Absent any...more
As we will see shortly, it is often “better to give than to receive,” though this statement begs the obvious question of whether it is better to do so during one’s lifetime or upon one’s death. Many well-to-do individuals...more
In addition to the federal estate tax, which may be levied upon a decedent’s estate, New York imposes a separate state estate tax regime. Generally a decedent’s estate is subject to the New York State estate tax if such...more
In a significant legislative shift, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 doubled the exemption amounts for estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes (collectively known as “Death Taxes”). As of 2024, the federal...more
In 2024, the federal estate, gift, and Generation Skipping Transfer tax exemption amount increased from $12.92 million to $13.61 million per individual (a combined $27.22 million for a married couple), representing an...more
As young family members head off to school or leave home for a job, parents and other relatives may wonder how they can continue to support a child or assist with health care or other decisions. Many parents are surprised...more
From time to time, we provide updates in the estate planning area. While the November 2022 federal elections resulted in a divided Congress that dampens the likelihood of major federal tax legislation, we thought this would...more
The gift tax annual exclusion and the gift and estate tax exemption increased significantly for 2023. Effective January 1, 2023, the following amounts may be helpful in considering estate planning options for the new year: ...more
The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the annual gift tax exclusion is increasing next year due to inflation. After four years of being at $15,000, the exclusion will be $16,000 per recipient for 2022—the highest...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
In 2018 the gift and estate tax exemption was doubled from $5 million to $10 million (per person). The exemption is adjusted for inflation every year. In 2021 the exemption as adjusted for inflation is $11.7 million. The...more
Democrats recently unveiled the Build Back Better Act, which, if passed, would bring significant changes to the Tax Code and would have a drastic impact on common estate planning techniques, including gifts to trusts. The...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
Based on recent election results, attention has focused on what is in store for the federal transfer tax system. This article discusses the status of the current transfer tax laws and President Biden’s proposals for changes....more
The amount that you can give to your children during life or leave to them after death estate tax-free currently is at a historically high level. As of January 1, 2021, an individual can give or leave $11.7 million and a...more
The U.S. imposes an estate tax of approximately 40% on the net estate of U.S. tax residents. The current exemption from estate tax is $11,700,000 per person, leaving very few estates actually subject to the tax. Under current...more
As the 2020 United States election and the end of the year approach, you may wish to consider making changes to your estate plan and/or making gifts to transfer assets to younger generations now. ...more
The current tax laws, which took effect on January 1, 2018, temporarily double the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemptions from $5 million (adjusted annually for inflation) to $10 million (also...more
The federal government taxes the transfer of assets via three separate but interrelated taxes: the estate tax, which taxes the transfer of assets at death, the gift tax, which taxes gratuitous transfers during your lifetime,...more