In 2015, the U.S. Congress passed S.349 – Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, allowing disabled persons to plan their own estates without the assistance of a family member or other guardian. The Act has resolved some of the complex issues associated with trust formation, and now informs the estate planning…
Legacy ownership of a business interest can continue to have control over an enterprise if that entity becomes part of a probate estate. Stock transfer to a single, or to multiple trusts, in the interest of continued business operations, is not only a plausible, but legitimate estate planning strategy that…
High income retirees could see some of their Medicare premiums skyrocket up to 203 percent in 2018 due to shifts in the income brackets that are used to determine how much older Americans will pay for their Medicare Part B and Part D coverage. Those predictions come from an analysis…
Since federal income tax rule changes in 2017, estate planners will find disclaimers to be a better exemption tool than before. A disclaimer allows for adjustment to an estate or trust for purposes of shifting tax liability from high-wealth beneficiaries. U.S. Internal Revenue Service ({“IRS”) guidelines allow for disclaimer by…
Since congressional ratification of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” of 2017 (“TCJA”), federal Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) guidelines effective tax year 2017 have proven to be a challenge for estate planners. Reform introduced to “simplify” the tax reporting process for entities, the Act modifies estate income tax guidelines; imposing…
If the interest of a family-owned corporation part of an estate or trust has been violated, a derivative action lawsuit can be filed on behalf of those shareholders alleged to be harmed by improper fiduciary conduct. In probate litigation matters, family-owned corporation interests can complicate execution of an estate or…
A will that establishes an estate or trust based on outdated federal or state income tax exemption guidelines can be tied up in probate for an extended period and divest heirs of millions of dollars. With President Trump’s 2017 tax reforms increased exemptions for the ultra-rich have estate and trust…
In 2017, reportedly 80 percent of all fine art collectors interviewed by the accounting consulting firm Deloitte thought art collections to be a valuable category of investment. A serious consideration for any investor interested in retaining and distributing the value of those tangible assets according to plan, a will, estate,…
A recent analysis of generic drug prices paid by Medicare Part D enrollees by healthcare consulting firm Avalere Health determined that despite the relatively stable prices of these medications, some seniors find themselves paying more and more each year. The reasons, according to the report, have to do with the…
Since introduction of Bitcoin as a valuable retirement fund asset, the significance of blockchain technology has come to influence the estate planning process as well. Estate planning investors with cryptocurrency assets acknowledge blockchain technologies are vital instruments for ensuring a will or estate does not extend into a lengthy probate…