It’s rare that a movie centers on an archaic estate planning issue, but that’s exactly what Martin Scorsese’s latest film does. Recently Killers of the Flower Moon was released in theaters to critical acclaim. That’s no surprise. The surprise is that the central conflict of the movie focuses on several Estate Planning issues and provides real-life lessons for all of us.
Legal Education
The Seedier Side of the Holiday Season
Scammers will use any leverage possible to separate you from your money. This includes preying upon a grandparent’s love and concern for their grandchildren. The so-called grandparent scams are among the most popular scams targeting the elderly and rely upon details gleaned from social media sites to make the call seem realistic. It’s important to recognize the signs of potential scams and understand how to guard against them.
It’s a Great Time to Consider a Donor Advised Fund
As year-end approaches, many individuals look for ways to lower their income tax burden. Charitable contributions allow individuals to offset a portion of their income, but not all charitable contributions are created equally, and each has certain requirements to obtain the charitable deduction. Certain charitable-giving vehicles allow a donor to get more bang for their buck.
Don’t Be a Turkey – Take Advantage of Your Annual Per Donee Exclusion Amount
The holidays are a great time to review the past year and make plans for the upcoming one. Part of those plans should be reviewing your Estate Plan and considering what if any, steps you should take to help you achieve your goals. One of the easiest, but most overlooked, ways to do some quick planning is to take advantage of the annual per donee exclusion amount which can have a tremendous impact on reducing the estate without use of the applicable exclusion amount.
Understanding the Interplay of State Estate and Inheritance Taxes with Federal Estate Tax
When individuals consider estate planning, they often look to federal law to determine the potential tax ramifications for their estate and beneficiaries. Some may neglect to consider the impact of state estate taxes which vary widely from state to state.
