Browse Articles:   By Category   /   By Author
HIDE

Other Publications

Insights

Publications

Blunders in International Estate Planning

/
Blunders in International Estate Planning

Trust & estate lawyers who dabble infrequently in cross border matters, take notice! It is relatively easy to lose your way when advising a non-U.S. person with assets in the U.S. Shortcuts that work when clients and properties are located in the same jurisdiction may lead to horrific problems when clients are domiciled in one jurisdiction and property is located in another. Examples are (A) drafting two wills where each revokes the other, (B) allowing an individual having a foreign domicile to directly own financial assets in the U.S., such as shares of publicly traded stock or mutual funds, can result in unanticipated estate tax and long delays before heirs have access to the assets, (C) not knowing which I.R.S. information reporting forms must be filed when a new client is a recent arrival from abroad can yield significant penalties for the client, (D) allowing a resident, non-citizen individual to return to the home country is an invitation to unnecessary U.S. estate tax if the client retains investment assets and real property in the U.S., and (E) not noticing inconsistencies in residuary clauses in a principal will drafted in the home country and a U.S. property only will drafted in the U.S. begs for a will fight. Diane K. Roskies, a principal in the New York office of the Offit Kurman law firm, and Zachary Weitz, an attorney in the Los Angeles office of the same firm, explain the severe problems that may be encountered, but do so in a light hearted manner.

Read More

The Sun is Setting on the T.C.J.A.: Time to Set Gaze on Pre-T.C.J.A. Tax Law

/
The Sun is Setting on the T.C.J.A.: Time to Set Gaze on Pre-T.C.J.A. Tax Law

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“T.C.J.A.”) was enacted in 2017, bringing substantial alterations to the tax landscape for individuals and corporations. Many of these alterations are set to expire at the end of 2025. Understanding these changes, including their implications and timelines, is crucial for individuals and corporations. Michael Bennett addresses some of the more problematic provisions that are scheduled to reappear in the tax law. Among other things, individual tax rates will increase, the standard deduction will decrease, S.A.L.T. deductions will be allowed, corporate tax rates will increase, the Q.B.I. deduction will expire, the corporate tax on G.I.L.T.I. will increase, and the tax benefit for F.D.I.I. will decrease.

Read More

The 15 Most Important Questions That Should Be Asked When Estate Planning for a Foreign Parent with U.S. Children

/
The 15 Most Important Questions That Should Be Asked When Estate Planning for a Foreign Parent with U.S. Children

· U.S. estate tax planning is said to be among the most complicated aspect of tax planning because of the numerous moving parts and the changing needs and objectives of the family. The exercise becomes complicated when the client is not a U.S. person, but the heirs live in the U.S. and have started families in the U.S. For an estate planner with a focus on domestic clients, the customary tools may not work. It is easy to know what you know, but not always easy to know what you don’t know. Neha Rastogi and Stanley C. Ruchelman ask and answer 15 questions that highlight the favorable and unfavorable provisions of U.S. tax law affecting nonresident, non-citizen individuals having U.S. persons as heirs.

Read More

Democrats Turn to Tax Reform to Reduce Wealth Disparity

/
Democrats Turn to Tax Reform to Reduce Wealth Disparity

The U.S. Federal deficit is expected to reach $1 trillion in 2019.  Meanwhile, a hedge fund billionaire recently purchased a New York City condominium for $238 million, and it is estimated that the top 0.1% possess almost the same amount of wealth as the bottom 90% of all households.  Clearly there are wealth disparities and funding needs in U.S.  When it comes to tax policy, Democrats have traditionally focused on tax relief, including a negative income tax, for poor and working-class families.  Several recent pronouncements and extensive press coverage indicate a new approach, designed to tax the wealthiest individuals at significant rates of tax. Nina Krauthamer explains how current Democratic Party policy makers are planning to even out the distribution of wealth. 

Read More

Usufruct, Bare Ownership, and U.S. Estate Tax: An Unlucky Trio

/

Splitting ownership into usufruct and bare ownership is a common estate planning technique in several civil law countries.  However, this planning technique may have adverse tax consequences when the holder of the bare legal title resides in the U.S.  Fanny Karaman and Stanley C. Ruchelman explain the civil law inheritance tax benefits and the pitfalls that are encountered in the U.S.

Read More