The best Estate Planners stay current on the latest trends. The American Academy of Estate Planning held its semi-annual conference providing education and learning for and inspiring excellence in its Members.
The pandemic has had a long-lasting influence on our culture, including encouraging relocation at previously unheard-of levels. Imagine the surprise of a recently relocated retiree who discovers that their previously untaxed Social Security benefits are now included in their taxable income at the state level. Taxation of these benefits could have a serious impact on their lifestyle and may provide a less beneficial financial picture than was first thought. Want to know whether your state taxes Social Security benefits?
Attorneys have long advised entire families with respect to their estate planning. Ethics require attorneys to maintain a duty of loyalty to each client they represent and fully advise their clients regarding the structures they are recommending. Sometimes even when the transaction works exactly as intended, lawyers get sued.
Most taxpayers understand that to receive the benefit of charitable deductions, they need to itemize their income tax deductions. However, in the wake of the pandemic, Congress passed legislation allowing even those who take the standard income tax deduction to benefit from a charitable income tax deduction. Read on to learn more.
Most people associate Estate Planning with the elderly or very wealthy. This article explores situations in which Estate Planning for the young and healthy is advisable. Read on to learn more.
The Kiddie Tax can apply to the unearned income of children. Read on to learn if this tax applies to you or your children. Also, learn ways to avoid the Kiddie Tax.
The recent tax law temporarily doubled the estate tax exemption. That doesn’t mean there’s no need for estate planning. Estate plans consider many important aspects, not just estate taxes. This article examines some of the many considerations besides estate taxes.
When choosing the direction to take in estate planning, it’s important to consider the impact of the proposed estate plan on income tax basis. Basis is often overlooked when estate planning strategies are considered. This article examines how common estate planning strategies impact income tax basis.
The new tax law doubled the estate tax exclusion through 2025. This article looks at the exact amount of the new exclusion (it’s not what you thought) and how it might be useful. The article also examines why there’s no reason not to take advantage of the newly-doubled exclusion.
When choosing the direction to take in estate planning, it’s important to consider the impact on income tax basis. This article examines the nature of basis and follows an example from acquisition of property to death and looks how basis is adjusted along the way. Since the property is included at death, the basis receives a step-up to the value of the property at death. Upcoming articles will examine how common estate planning strategies impact income tax basis.