Recent developments in estate planning: Part 2
This second part of a two-part article covers court cases, proposed regulations, and other IRS guidance issued over the last year on gifts and estates.
Taxation of Estates and Trusts
A shakeup in trust taxation: Kaestner and Paula Trust
This item discusses the implications of the Court’s ruling in Kaestner and compares the issues at hand in Paula Trust.
Recent developments in estate planning: Part 1
This article is the first of two parts of an annual update on developments in trust, estate, and gift taxation. Part 1 discusses developments affecting trusts and the generation-skipping transfer tax, as well as inflation adjustments.
Trust income: The Supreme Court’s narrow opinion on state nexus
The U.S. Supreme Court recently addressed the circumstances in which a state may levy income tax on a trust that has only minimal connection to the state.
Unexpected tax bills for simple trusts after tax reform
Post-TCJA, expenses that are miscellaneous itemized deductions are taken into account in computing trust accounting income but are now nondeductible in computing taxable income and distributable net income for the trust.
Trust planning opportunities available with swap powers
The inclusion of swap powers is a common method of qualifying a trust as a grantor trust for income tax purposes while still removing assets from the grantor’s taxable estate.
Estate planning for digital assets
A well-drafted estate plan should address the management and distribution of digital assets to mitigate additional administrative burdens on fiduciaries.
Estate planning for the other 99%
The implications of the TJCA's large increase in the estate and gift tax exemption are complex and affect estate planning for everyone, not just the small percentage of the population who will still file estate tax returns.
Using trusts to shift income to children
Use of a Sec. 2503(c) or minor’s trust allows for transfers of property (and income shifting) to children, while parents maintain control of the property at least until the child reaches age 21.
Supreme Court holds North Carolina cannot tax trust
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision holding that North Carolina’s attempt to tax a trust based solely on the residence of a beneficiary violates the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.
New limitation on excess business losses
The TCJA amended Sec. 461 to include a subsection (l), which disallows excess business losses of noncorporate taxpayers if the amount of the loss is in excess of $250,000 ($500,000 in the case of a joint return).
The impact of tax reform on DNI, and a reason to revisit trust accounting income
It is important to note the role trust accounting income plays when preparing the annual income tax return for the trust, a role that has become more prominent since the enactment of the TCJA.
Minimizing federal income tax on trusts under the TCJA
The disparate tax treatment between trusts and individuals has grown even more pronounced than it was before the TCJA was enacted.
Can a state tax a trust based on the beneficiary’s residency?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that will decide whether states can tax trusts based solely on the fact that a trust beneficiary lives in the state.
Traps for the unwary: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes
This article lists the changes together, along with some unexpected nuances.
Charitable gift arrangements that provide alternatives to a private foundation
Allowable charitable contribution deductions and control over donated funds are key factors for taxpayers to weigh when considering alternatives to private foundations.
Missed opportunities in estate planning: Beyond wills and trusts
An estate plan is incomplete without a detailed list of instructions that explains how to carry it out.
IRS proposes rules on estate and gift tax clawback
The IRS addressed issues and made conforming revisions arising from the temporary increase in basic exclusion amount for estate and gift tax enacted by legislation known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Qualified opportunity zones provide estate planning options
Investors with significant capital gains should investigate opportunities to reinvest their cash within designated QOZs to take full advantage of this tax boon.
Clarification of itemized deductions for trusts and estates
Regulations are anticipated to clarify that the costs of trust or estate administration that are deductible under Sec. 67(e)(1) are not miscellaneous itemized deductions and, therefore, their deductibility has not been suspended by Sec. 67(g).
