by Christine | May 29, 2012 | C Corporation, Entity Structure, Estate Planning, Inheritance, S Corporation, Small Business |
But if you have a corporation—one you formed or inherited—should it be S or C? What does this alphabet soup even mean? A business is what you make of it, and that’s not just a marketing tactic or a business school platitude. When it comes to structuring your business,...
by Christine | May 29, 2012 | Divorce, Estate Planning, Family Law, Prenuptial Agreement |
More people are getting married later in life, or for a second or third time. As a result, they have more income, assets, and obligations when they arrive at the altar. So it is no surprise that prenuptial or premarital agreements are becoming a more frequent topic of...
by Christine | May 25, 2012 | Charitable Giving, Easement, Estate Planning, Real Estate |
If you have property that you would like preserve in its present form, there is nothing so close to a free lunch as the donation of an easement. Out in the country, you will call it a conservation easement. In the big city it is a facade easement. In either case, the...
by Christine | May 24, 2012 | Charitable Giving, Charitable Organization |
These times are not only good for starting “for-profit” enterprises, but they’re also good for starting non-profits. Here are some easy steps to start a charity. Giving to charity can be a particularly taxing activity even when you’re doing it for all the right...
by Christine | May 24, 2012 | Death Put, Estate Planning, Inheritors |
A little-known strategy called a 'death put' can help you lock in higher returns — without stiffing your heirs. Are you concerned about the return on your investments or the return of those investments en route to your heirs? If yes, then you might...
by Christine | May 22, 2012 | Estate Planning, Inheritance |
Younger members of ultra-wealthy households are grappling with their forebears for a say in wealth planning, and women are concerned about how money affects their relationships, the study found, after surveying 53 families with a net worth of $100 million or more...
by Christine | May 21, 2012 | Alzheimer's, Dementia, Elder Law, Estate Planning |
In a clinical trial that could lead to treatments that prevent Alzheimer’s, people who are genetically guaranteed to develop the disease — but who do not yet have any symptoms — will, for the first time, be given a drug intended to stop it, federal officials announced...
by Christine | May 18, 2012 | Estate Planning, Gift, Small Business |
The Tax Court has just passed a new technique that closely-held business owners —and wealthy families — can use to pass assets to heirs with a minimal amount of taxes and complications. The ruling in the case, Wandry v. Commissioner, is stirring up excitement among...
by Christine | May 17, 2012 | Capital Gains |
The cost of being lazy about cost-basis elections seems particularly high right now, given that the markets have generally been trending upward as the new regulations have gone into effect. Investing and taxation can be tricky things, especially if you have been...
by Christine | May 16, 2012 | Estate Planning, Trusts |
Traditional estate planning can be problematic when dealing with firearms. The documents used to manage your bank accounts often instruct people to violate laws that pertain to the transfer, possession, and use of firearms. A Gun Trust is an estate planning document...
