Category Archives: Tax Planning
QPRTs Offer A Chance to Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Since the burst of the housing bubble a few years ago and the subsequent crash of real property value, many of the clients who have come into our office have bemoaned the lowered value of their homes, but we have good news for these clients: You do have options. One of those options is… Read More »
New Tax Breaks Could Have Huge Benefits for Grandchildren
Last year was a fairly big year for tax news; with the repeal of the estate tax, the increase in the GST tax exemption, changes to 401(k) and IRA rules, and eventually the agreement on the new estate tax laws, we never wanted for something to write about. But one of the biggest stories… Read More »
Estate Tax Calculator May Provide a Peek into the Future
Everyone who kept up with the recent changes in the estate tax laws—and the flurry of speculation, news stories and blog posts that came with it—knows just how important estate taxes are to estate planning. Although we make it clear on our blog that estate planning should be at least as much about family… Read More »
Tough Decisions Await Executors of 2010 Estates
If you are the executor of the estate of a decedent who died in 2010 you may think you’re in the clear. After all, there was no estate tax in 2010 right? Making distributions should be a piece of cake. Wrong. Because of the estate tax election available on the estates of 2010 decedents,… Read More »
Where Should You Live to Escape the Estate Tax?
Do you live in a state that has a friendly attitude toward the estate tax or inheritance tax? You may think you do, but according to this article in Forbes some states made changes to their estate or inheritance tax policies in 2010 as a response to the lengthy uncertainty over the federal estate… Read More »
The Tax-Man Cometh
It’s that time of year again; the time of year when everyone starts gathering receipts, assessing income and expenses, and making appointments with tax advisors. Tax time can be a very stressful time for many families, but—with the help of this article from MSN Money—perhaps tax season can be made a little bit easier…. Read More »
No More Excuses, It’s Time To Plan Your Estate
The dust surrounding all the estate tax law “remodeling” is finally settling, and it’s time now for families to give their old (or future) estate plans some serious scrutiny. For all of you who were waiting until Congress made some firm decisions on the estate tax laws—there are no more excuses. Forbes writers Janet… Read More »
At Long Last: What to Expect from Estate Taxes in 2011
It has been a long and uncertain year for anybody interested in the future of the estate tax, filled with a few ups, a few downs, and a lot of speculation. But after the recent passage of the new bipartisan tax bill all of the confusion and speculation is finally at an end, and… Read More »
A Good Year for Giving
The season of giving is upon us… and thanks to 2010’s unusual tax laws we may see some very large gifts before the year is out! If you are considering being particularly generous this year, this article from Reuters explains why the federal government is making 2010 an exceptionally good year for giving. Most… Read More »