In an increasingly globalized society, many people choose to open offshore accounts to deposit a portion of their wealth. When doing so, it’s important to follow the IRS’s strict foreign accounts reporting requirements. In a nutshell, if you have a financial interest in or signature authority over any foreign accounts, including bank accounts, brokerage accounts, [...]
Fingerprints: There are no two alike. So it should be with your wealth management plan. Taking a boilerplate approach could prevent you from achieving your specific goals. Here are some key points to consider when devising a plan that’s all your own. Many Variables For your plan to be as unique as you, it should [...]
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law this past December, affects more than just income taxes. It’s brought great changes to estate planning and, in doing so, bolstered the potential value of dynasty trusts. Exemption Changes Let’s start with the TCJA. It doesn’t repeal the estate tax, as had been discussed before [...]
Once a relatively obscure concept, income in respect of a decedent (IRD) can create a surprisingly high tax bill for those who inherit certain types of property, such as IRAs or other retirement plans. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize or even eliminate the IRD tax bite. How It Works Most inherited property is [...]
As a business owner, you’ve probably heard plenty about depreciation-related tax breaks. But, often, such discussions focus only on the tax benefits of buying assets such as heavy equipment, office furniture and computers. Don’t forget that the Internal Revenue Code also allows depreciation breaks for a company’s real property. SECTION 179 Section 179, for example, [...]
Preserving and managing family wealth requires addressing a number of major issues. These include saving for your children’s education and funding your own retirement. Juggling these competing demands is no trick. Rather, it requires a carefully devised and maintained family wealth management plan. START WITH THE BASICS First, a good estate plan can help ensure [...]