21

Apr

North Carolina’s No More: The Fall-out from The Kimberly Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust v. North Carolina Dep’t of Rev.

A recent decision by the North Carolina Business Court could have significant ramifications for North Carolina’s taxation of trusts. In Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust v. North Carolina Department of Revenue, the court struck down North Carolina’s statute that taxes tru...

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21

Apr

2023 in Review: Estate Planning Insights & Strategies for the New Year Ahead

For some, 2023 can be summed with two letters: AI. From the promises (“Now we are all ivy-league graduates! ”) to the doomsday predictions (“Terminator is no longer science-fiction! ”), 2023 has been the year of artificial intelligence. It was also the year that vinyl records exce...

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21

Apr

How the Corporate Transparency Act May Impact Your Estate Plan

Starting on January 1, 2024, under a new law called the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), owners of certain business entities must file a report with the federal government including details regarding the ownership of their entity. The CTA was enacted to help combat money launde...

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21

Apr

Estate Plan Lessons from DeMuth v. Commissioner

Lifetime gifts are a popular way to reduce estate and inheritance taxes. Currently, only estates worth $12. 92 million or more are subject to the federal estate tax. Twelve states and the District of Columbia levy an additional estate or inheritance tax. To lower their taxable e...

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21

Apr

Assembling Your Own (Estate Planning) Team

Some of us may enjoy games like fantasy football that allow us to assemble our own star team with the players we think will provide the most value. While fantasy football is fun to participate in, have you ever given thought to the importance of establishing your own dream team? ...

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21

Apr

Can Artificial Intelligence Programs Write Basic Estate Planning Documents?

With the increased coverage of artificial intelligence (AI) and all of the applications it can have in our everyday lives, some people may wonder whether an AI program can create an estate plan for them. While AI may be able to generate basic estate planning documents, including...

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21

Apr

The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett died on September 1, 2023, at age 76 after a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma (skin cancer) four years earlier. He was a renowned singer-songwriter, film producer, businessman, novelist, and philanthropist. Buffett released his first album, Down to Earth, in 1970...

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21

Apr

Blindsided: The Michael Oher Conservatorship Controversy Explained

Michael Oher has had a remarkable life so far. Born to a single mother struggling with addiction and growing up in and out of foster care, Oher went on to star as a University of Mississippi football player and was selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played eig...

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21

Apr

How Far in Advance Can I Begin My Estate Planning?

You can create your estate plan at any time. Most people put it off too long, but there are many who choose to begin the process sooner rather than later. Why? Because you never know when life-changing medical or financial emergencies can strike requiring someone else to manage...

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21

Apr

Do Not Become a Statistic

Estate planning is important for everyone. It is about protecting yourself, your loved ones, and your hard-earned money (even if you do not have a lot of it). However, the numbers do not lie: most people do not see the importance of estate planning. Whether you need to create an...

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