Taking Advantage of Temporary Gift Tax Exclusion

There is an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal today on taking advantage of the temporary gift tax exclusion. The gist of the article is that affluent families are “holding off” from gifting in some circumstances out of either (a) desire to not undermine the work ethic of their children or (b) fears of . . . → Read More: Taking Advantage of Temporary Gift Tax Exclusion

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Death Tax Coming Back with a Vengeance in 2011!

It is now all but certain that we will have an estate tax in 2011, and it will be harsher than any other system we have had before in this regard since 2001 , with the estate tax lifetime exclusion reduced to $1 million and the top tax bracket at 55%!

Furthermore, as of this date there . . . → Read More: Death Tax Coming Back with a Vengeance in 2011!

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Ten Item Checklist for Probate or Trust Administration for BEFORE you see an Attorney

The loss of a loved one is a traumatic event, and if you have been designated in your recently deceased loved one’s will or trust as the executor of their estate or trustee of their trust it is three times as hard — you are not only grieving for your loss but have to begin navigating . . . → Read More: Ten Item Checklist for Probate or Trust Administration for BEFORE you see an Attorney

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Don’t waste money on your attorney!

There is nothing that your attorney cannot figure out given enough time.  But that’s expensive.  The client who appears for a meeting with a shoe box full of documents in disassociated condition will pay more in attorneys fees just to get organized or to have the attorney organize their files.

I just met with a client who . . . → Read More: Don’t waste money on your attorney!

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Taxes and Congress–Update

I recently listened in on a teleconference sponsored by UBS on the current tax situation and the speakers had some interesting observations about that dysfunctional group known as Congress.

It is very quiet in Washington DC after a busy summer since everyone is working on reelections for November 2nd.  Their viewpoint was that it looks like about . . . → Read More: Taxes and Congress–Update

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Ten Simple Things High Net Individuals should know when considering a Prenup

Marriage is of course both a spiritual and financial union.  Telling your significant other that you want a prenuptial agreement (“prenup”) can be awkward and getting it done potentially even more awkward.  Here are some tips to remember to make the path easier:

1. EVERYONE who gets married has a prenup.  The difference is that the State . . . → Read More: Ten Simple Things High Net Individuals should know when considering a Prenup

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Welcome!

Welcome to our new blog!   Various members of our firm intend to use this forum as a means to keep in touch with our clients and advisors and to discuss new and interesting developments in real estate, business, estate planning and asset protection law, as well as insights to be collected from our experiences “in the . . . → Read More: Welcome!

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