Choosing a Trustee: Navigating the Complexities and Key Considerations
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
INTRODUCING MALTA SPLIT DOLLAR
What is an Irrevocable Trust?
In this episode of Legacy Lessons, Shawn R. McClelland, Partner in our Tax, Trusts, and Estates Practice Group, walks us through one of the most common estate planning questions families face: Should I create a will, or do I...more
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”) brought significant changes to the federal estate and gift tax laws, marking a pivotal shift in the landscape of estate planning and wealth transfer. Enacted on December 22, 2017,...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 Massey Family’s $10M Settlement: A Win, But What’s Next? Sonya Massey’s tragic death was yet another painful reminder of the deep racial injustices that persist in America. On July 6, 2024, Sonya, a 36-year-old Black...more
When minor children are addressed in an estate plan, special considerations are involved to ensure their well-being and financial security. Parents ought to make decisions about who they would prefer to serve as the guardian...more
You likely have created revocable or irrevocable trusts, or a few of both, in your estate plan. Ideally, these have been properly drafted with plenty of flexibility so that they can continue to meet your wealth planning goals...more
The current federal estate tax exemption levels, introduced by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2018, have provided historically high federal estate tax exemptions. But this period of increased exemption is expected to...more
As we enter 2025, it’s important to stay informed about the current federal estate and gift tax laws, including annual exclusion limits and significant changes anticipated by the end of this year. Annual Exclusion Amount- ...more
Many savvy estate plans include the use of an irrevocable trust that was established many years ago. However, the very nature of an irrevocable trust means that once the trust agreement is finalized, the terms of that trust...more
As it was famously sung about the Brady Bunch, you knew it was much more than a hunch and now your group must somehow form a family. Like the Brady Bunch, blended families consist of a couple and their children from previous...more
For many clients, the inclusion of revocable and/or irrevocable trusts as part of their overall estate plan is an important feature. Revocable trusts can allow for probate avoidance and estate tax planning, whereas...more
On this episode of “Splitting Heirs,” Warren K. Racusin welcomes back Sharon L. Klein, President of Family Wealth for the Eastern US Region of Wilmington Trust Company and member of the Estate Planning Hall of Fame, to...more
If you are in the process of long-term estate planning or updating an existing estate plan, the process for passing assets and accounts to your heirs is about to become much more difficult and expensive. Presently, each...more
This CLE/CPE webinar will provide estate planners insight on recently issued IRS guidance regarding basis adjustments for irrevocable grantor trusts. The panelist will discuss key items and challenges stemming from Revenue...more
There is a common misconception that life insurance benefits are not subject to estate tax. While the proceeds of a life insurance policy are not taxable income to the beneficiaries, they are part of a person’s taxable estate...more
A Beneficiary Intentionally Defective Irrevocable Trust (BIDIT) provides a unique planning opportunity because it allows a beneficiary to continue to benefit from his or her own assets while maintaining some level of control...more
For years, practitioners have freely used irrevocable trust decantings as a means to make various changes to irrevocable trusts without concern of giving rise to gift tax consequences. However, the Internal Revenue Service’s...more
When we think about making plans to secure our future, generally the discussions revolve around education, career, family, and finances. Creating a comprehensive estate plan, including effective advanced directives, can elude...more
It’s not enough for the founder of a closely held business to have successfully established the business. The business has to grow, not only to increase profits, but also to make it more competitive and to diversify its...more
If you own your principal residence, you may be able to benefit from its build-up in equity, realize current tax breaks and pocket a sizeable tax-exempt gain when you sell it. What’s more, from an estate planning perspective,...more
Under current law, assets acquired from a decedent receive an adjustment in cost basis to fair market value, thereby potentially eliminating significant unrealized gain. Although Congress has and likely will use this tax...more
In the last few decades, more and more U.S. families have been utilizing irrevocable trusts as part of their estate planning in order to protect their assets and manage their taxes in an efficient manner. Generally, assets...more
I received a call recently from a colleague looking to refer a client for a divorce. Our firm had done estate planning for the client and spouse, thus we were not eligible to represent either party in a marital break up as...more
A typical challenge encountered by estates of varying sizes and complexities is the lack of liquidity to cover the costs of estate administration. These expenses may satisfy just debts to creditors or estate tax payments. ...more
In establishing and funding an irrevocable trust, a common question is who is responsible for the income tax liabilities associated with the trust? Many individuals assume that the trust is a separate and independent...more