Category Archives: Estate Tax

Why You Need an Executor: Ensuring Your Estate is Managed Even Without Next of Kin

Imagine a scenario where a person passes away suddenly, leaving behind a complex web of...

Estate Tax Law Sunsets December 2025: Build the Right Estate Planning Team Now to Protect Your Wealth

As we approach the end of 2025 (which will be here before we know it!),...

Estate Tax Law Changes in 2026 May Impact Your Taxes A LOT—Gift Now!

The Lifetime Gift Tax Exemption is scheduled to be cut in half in 2026. It...

Portability – Should you file an estate tax return even if you aren’t required to file?

Most people know that a married couple has a lifetime exclusion amount that they can...

Real Estate Tax and Estate Planning

Many clients who own real estate do not just own one piece of property, they...

No more inconsistencies in estate tax and income tax basis

Effective for any assets that were reported on an estate tax, Form 706, after July...

Family Owned Businesses – Transitioning to the Next Generation

An often overlooked aspect of family businesses is planning for transition to the next generation....

Inherited IRAs – The Choice May Be Yours But You Must Follow IRS Requirements

When your spouse dies there are so many things to deal with that an inherited...

Tax Compliance Provisions Included in The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015

The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 became effective on...

Property Tax Exemption for Children

Gifting to your children is a wonderful way to get property out of your estate...

Tax Increases on the Horizon?

President Obama has proposed a couple of tax changes that will hurt upper income taxpayers...

Case Study: How the Best Estate Planning can Still Result in Issues, Part 2. Using Grantor Trusts

In February I introduced you to Bob, a successful businessman with a typical estate plan and...

The Importance of Estate Planning

I recently attended a California Society of Certified Public Accountants (Cal CPA) Estate Planning Interest Group...

Do I need a will, living trust and/or advance health care directive and how do I execute these documents?

More and more accountants and financial advisors are recommending that we have a will, living...

How the new 3.8% Medicare Tax is affecting Trust and Estate Tax Planning

Were you one of the millions of Americans who paid the new 3.8% Medicare Tax...