Category: Estate Planning

Transfer tax planning focuses on gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) taxes, which are collectively referred to as “transfer taxes.”  The base transfer tax exemption amount is $10,000,000 ($12,920,000 million for 2023, as indexed for inflation).  Under current law, the base transfer tax exemption amount is set to reduce to…

  A common question that arises when preparing federal gift tax returns is whether a gift in trust qualifies not only for the gift tax annual exclusion but also for the lesser know (and lesser understood) generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) tax annual exclusion.  This article will clarify when gifts in trust…

Trusts are perhaps the most dynamic tool in the estate planner’s toolbox. Trusts have a variety of benefits that include establishing rules with respect to the management and disposition of your assets and the potential provision of significant tax savings.  There are many types of trusts, and this blog post…

It is snowbird season in Florida, the time of year when residents of northern states migrate to the Sunshine State to escape the harsh winters.  Florida has long been a popular destination for snowbirds wanting to spend the winters in a warmer climate, and eventually to relocate permanently.  Those who…

There are three separate aspects of homestead protections under Florida law. These include: asset protection, reduction(s) in property taxes, and safeguards for the surviving spouse and/or minor children of the deceased owner of a Florida homestead. Homestead: Asset Protection Homestead property—defined as one-half acre if located within a municipality, or…