Disclaimers as a fix for old trusts
The use of a disclaimer by a trust beneficiary may be helpful to adjust the results of a previously established irrevocable trust.
Trusts
Estate planning for blended families
This column discusses AB trusts and ABC trusts.
Sale of a residence in a QPRT
This item explores what happens if the residence is sold during the QPRT term.
Recent Developments in Estate Planning: Part 2
This is the second part of a two-part article examining developments in estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax, and trust income tax.
How the COD Rules Apply to Grantor Trusts and Disregarded Entities
New regulations provide rules for determining who is the “taxpayer” for purposes of applying the Sec. 108 discharge-of-indebtedness rules to a grantor trust or disregarded entity.
Post Initial Trust Term QPRT Considerations
The end of a QPRT’s initial trust term brings with it many potential issues.
Final Regulations Clarify COD Rules for Grantor Trusts and Disregarded Entities
The IRS finalized regulations that provide rules for determining who is the “taxpayer” for purposes of applying the Sec. 108 discharge-of-indebtedness rules to a grantor trust or disregarded entity.
Consider Combining the Tax Benefits of a Preferred Family Limited Partnership With a GRAT
Certain high-net-worth clients might achieve better results by using a preferred family limited partnership rather than an intentionally defective grantor trust or a grantor retained annuity trust.
Recent Developments in Estate Planning (Part 2)
This is the second of a two-part article examining developments in estate, gift, trust, and generation-skipping transfer taxes between June 2014 and May 2015.
Final Regulations Prevent Manipulation of Trust Uniform Basis Rules to Avoid Gain
The regulations are designed to prevent transactions in which trust grantors receive the value of their term interest without recognizing taxable gain.
Using a Crummey Trust to Preserve Gift Tax Exclusion
In the typical Crummey trust, a periodic contribution of assets to the trust is accompanied by an immediate withdrawal power that gives the beneficiary the right to withdraw the contribution for a limited time.
Recent Developments in Estate Planning: Part 2
This is the second in a two-part article examining developments in estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax and trust income tax between June 2013 and May 2014. This article covers trust developments, the taxation of trusts under the new 3.8% net investment income tax, President Barack Obama's estate and gift tax proposals, and inflation adjustments for 2014.
Keeping Up With Increasingly Mobile Clients: Navigating U.S. Tax Reporting for U.S. Persons With Ties to Foreign Trusts
Despite the significant efforts of tax advisers to ensure their U.S. clients understand and comply with required tax and information-reporting forms on U.S. trust relationships, all too often transactions go unreported, even though penalties in these cases can be quite severe.
Fiduciary Fee Unbundling Rules Delayed Until 2015
In response to a comment that the current effective date of the new rules on fiduciary fees does not give fiduciaries enough time to implement them, the IRS amended T.D. 9664 to delay the date.
Trust Material Participation and the Sec. 469(h) “Regular, Continuous, and Substantial” Standard
Earlier this year, the Tax Court held that a trust qualified for the Sec. 469(c)(7) real estate professional exception and materially participated in its rental real estate business under Sec. 469(h) through the activities of its trustees.This item focuses on the material participation portion of the decision.
Final Sec. 67(e) Regulations: The End of a Long Journey
Sec. 67(e) reached the end of a long and tortured journey recently, when the IRS issued final regulations defining, once and for all, which expenses of an estate or trust are classified as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% floor and the alternative minimum tax.
Removing Capital Gains From Trusts
The implementation of the Uniform Principal and Income Act of 1997 (UPAIA) and the 2004 revisions to the regulations under Sec. 643 have provided fiduciaries with some flexibility in making distributions of capital gains to beneficiaries.
Tax Planning Opportunities With BAPTs
A new tax planning idea that the authors of this item call a Business Asset Protection Trust (BAPT) creates a variety of income tax planning opportunities touching on international transfer pricing, S corporation trust eligibility rules, Sec. 355 split-offs, and captive insurance companies. It also creates user-friendly internal swaps that do not need to meet the draconian requirements of Sec. 1031.
DINGs, DAPTs, and Tax Planning With Self-Settled Trusts
This item looks at a trust-planning strategy that has received greater attention recently—an arrangement that can allow trust income to avoid state income taxes.
Effective Date of Fiduciary Fee Unbundling Rules Delayed Until 2015
The new rules governing which costs of trusts and estates are subject to the 2% floor on miscellaneous deductions now apply to tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2014, rather than to tax years beginning on or after May 9, 2014.
