Obamacare, Business Planning, Business Management, Other,
By: Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel Are your small business clients ready for Employer Shared Responsibility? The Affordable Care Act introduced new responsibilities for small business owners...
Estate Planning, Digital Estate Planning, Other,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel Digital Asset Protection is a growing concern due to the prevalence of web-based account management, email, social media, and...
Estate Planning, Marketing Planning, Marketing 101, Best Practices, Success Strategies,
By: Scott R. Zucker, Esq. The majority of people now find information online. While younger adults utilize the internet more frequently, they also use it to help look out for...
Success Strategies, Business Management,
By: Christopher J. Berry, JD, VA Accredited, Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA)In the fall semester of 2013 I taught an elder law class at Thomas Cooley Law School. As part...
Starting a Practice, Elder Law, Attracting Clients, Client Maintenance,
In November 2007, WealthCounsel launched a groundbreaking initiative designed to gauge the pulse of estate planning activities throughout the country, to identify the challenges facing today's practitioners, and to obtain...
Elder Law, Attracting Clients, Success Strategies, Business Management,
In November 2008, WealthCounsel launched its second annual nationwide survey of estate planning attorneys. Developed in 2007 to monitor the challenges facing today’s practitioners and to maintain a pulse on...
Referrals, Wealth Docx, Time Management, Continuing Legal Education (CLE), Attracting Clients,
The 2009 Industry Trends Survey provided unique insight into the challenges facing today's estate planning attorneys – including the impact of the recent economic downturn on their practices. The report...
Time Management, Attracting Clients, Estate Tax, Referrals,
The nationwide survey's detailed findings include opinions on the estate tax, business growth in 2010, client motivation and generating new business, practice profiles, and key challenges facing attorneys. Learn more...
2010 Tax Act, Networking, Attracting Clients, Client Communications, Social Media,
This year’s survey had a broader focus, inviting participation from all professionals involved in estate planning and wealth management. More importantly, the survey probed into the mindset of clients as...
Gift tax, Referrals, Client Communications, Technology, Marketing Planning,
Results from the 6th Annual Industry Trends Survey drew nearly 1,500 respondents comprised primarily of practicing attorneys (61%) and financial planners (27%). Remaining respondents included bank trust officers, CPAs, and...
Wills, Wills and Trusts, Marketing Planning, Social Media, Marketing 101, Estate Planning and Probate,
This has been a dynamic year for estate planners, and the 7th Annual Industry Trends Survey illustrates the areas with challenges for this vital industry. The survey addresses changes from...
Series LLC, Series Limited Liability Companies, Uniform Protected Series Act,
By Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Product Manager, WealthCounsel Series limited liability companies (LLCs) have been called the next generation of pass-through entities, gaining in popularity and use as states...
Estate Planning, Business Planning,
Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 21-27, 2019, is just around the corner. With a reported 60% of all adults not having an estate plan, now is the perfect time to...
Estate Planning, Charitable Planning, Charitable giving,
To err may be human, but clients can be less than forgiving when it comes to costly errors with their money and unfulfilled charitable giving goals. Awareness is key—take every...
Client Relationships, Client Communications, Professional Development, Legal Marketing, Coaching programs, Attracting Clients,
Lawyers pride themselves on their ability to write and speak… and for good reason. To run a successful practice, you need to communicate sophisticated ideas clearly. Connecting with people is...
Estate Planning, New Estate Planning Practitioners, Transitioning into Estate Planning, Transitioning Attorney, Software,
Whether you are a fresh-faced law school graduate or a transitioning attorney, there are many challenges to grapple with as a newcomer to trusts and estates law. Building a successful...
Estate Planning,
This past tax year has been one for the books. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has brought about sweeping tax reform, the likes of which we’ve not seen...
Dealing with stressful clients and pulling overnighters to get work done are often part and parcel of an attorney’s job. However, navigating those heavy workloads and demanding schedules can take...
With its many variables, estate planning can be fraught with potential ethical pitfalls and malpractice issues.Read our Insight Brief, “5 Ways to Prevent Ethical Pitfalls in Your Estate Planning Practice”...
Charitable Planning, Estate Planning,
In this article, Ross shares his expertise in the use of the Charitable Bargain Sale as a means of helping donors accomplish their personal and philanthropic goals while benefitting land...
Estate Planning, Marriage,
This article provides valuable insight into the unique planning needs of women. Sander provides relevant strategies in addressing the needs of married, single, and previously married female clients. Sander notes...
Ethics, Best Practices,
By: Professor Denis Kleinfeld, Esq.A discussion, albeit in brief form, of a narrow issue on the application of the ethical rules on a lawyer providing services in circumstances where the...
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Estate Planning, Asset Protection,
Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Supplemental Needs Trust, Special Needs Planning, drafting,
Business planning and estate planning often go hand in hand. Businesses started by parents are frequently passed down to their children, and in the absence of adequate forethought, the new...
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM, and Jennifer L. Villier, JD WealthCounsel, Legal Education Faculty On April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump released a one-page memo that outlined his latest...
Tax Planning, LLC Operating Agreement, Partnership Formation,
by Steven R. Schneider and Brian J. O'Connor No tax advisor wants to have to tell his or her clients that they owe a tax without receiving a corresponding amount...
Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Asset Protection, Trusts,
By Jeffrey R. Matsen, Esq. & Jonathan A. Mintz, Esq.Asset protection planning has been practiced by attorneys, financial planners and accountants for several decades. Business persons have always had concerns...
Special Needs Trusts, Special Needs Planning, Wealth Docx,
by Jeremiah H. Barlow, JD | WealthCounselWhen working with clients who have special needs beneficiaries, it is important to understand how their financial and medical benefits work and how to...
Estate Tax, Trusts, Marketing Planning, Success Strategies,
Gear up your practice to take advantage of what increasingly appears to be a $1 million federal estate tax exemption in 2011. And with these tax exemptions comes many opportunities...
Estate Planning, Estate Tax,
The “sunset” of EGTRRA in 2011 presents many challenges as well as opportunities for the estate planning attorney. In 2010, the suspension of both the estate tax and the carry...
Trusts,
By: Charlie Douglas, JD, CFP®, AEPWith such limited visibility and more planning vehicles under attack, like the President’s newly proposed plan to apply a transfer tax to Grantor Trusts, prudent...
Estate Planning, Success Strategies, Client Communications,
Persuasion is a skill that can be learned and then must be honed. Researcher/author Kevin Dutton says that the key persuasive factors can be summarized by the acronym “SPICE.” To...
Ethical Will, Revocable Living Trust, RLT, Estate Planning,
by Eileen Kerlin Walsh, JD | Kerlin Walsh LawEstate planning is a deeply personal business. As attorneys, we often hear more than we might want to in terms of complex...
Estate Planning, Client Maintenance,
By: Ruth Ryan-Cruz, Esq.Take this opportunity to revamp your checklist and include the suggested points to provide your clients with estate plan tune-ups; keep yourself and your clients in control...
Asset Protection, Estate Tax, Business Planning, Success Strategies,
As the estate tax exemptions have increase, with the possibility of new legislation liberalizing Medicaid benefits, and the unprecedented number of bankruptcy filings, asset protection should take a new and...
Estate Planning, Probate,
Estate planners have a host of legal tools and planning strategies to choose from when it comes to helping clients avoid the pains of probate. However, there are pros and...
Revocable Living Trust, Community Property Trust, Tax Planning,
by Patrick H. Murphy, JD, LLM (Taxation) The current state of the law has made the capital gains tax the new “estate tax” that should be on everyone’s radar. It...
Best Practices, Communicating with Clients, Storytelling,
By: Mark Powers and Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.What can a mouse teach us about personal presentation? As it turns out, quite a lot. Visit any Disney property throughout the world...
Decanting Trusts, Trust Modification, Irrevocable Trust, IRT, Estate Planning, Tax Planning,
By Whitney L. Sorrell, JD, CPA, MBA | Contributing Guest Writer, Sorrell Law Firm, PLCDecanting is an increasingly popular way to add flexibility to irrevocable trusts (IRT). It's also a...
Gun Docx, Gun Trusts, NFA Trusts, NFA, Firearms Trusts, Estate Planning,
by C. Dennis Brislawn, Jr., JD While gun rights continues to be one of the more controversial - and emotional - topics in our society, it's a fact that millions...
Estate Planning, Family, Client Relationships, Wills and Trusts,
Providing solutions beyond what is legal or practical is another way that comprehensive attorneys can provide unmatched value, superior service, and true peace of mind to our clients.To learn one...
Estate Planning, Business Succession Planning,
By: George G. Cassiere, ASA, CFA and Brian A. Eagle, J.D.In the January 2011 WealthCounsel Quarterly, Volume 5, Number 1, we introduced the concept of using an Employee Stock Ownership...
Internal Revenue Code §2704, IRC §2704, Valuation Discounts,
by Jeramie Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor, WealthCounselOn August 4, 2016, the Treasury Department issued Proposed Regulations on valuation discounts for family-owned businesses under §2704 of the Internal...
North Dakota (ND),
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel“Big Ag” versus the Family FarmRecent legislative changes in North Dakota permitted corporate dairy and swine farms to operate there for the...
Family, Succession Planning For Farmers,
The French writer and poet, Antoine de Saint Exupéry stated, “You do not inherit the earth from your ancestors: you borrow it from your children.” We should consider that you...
Veterans Planning,
Peterson points out in her article that there are currently more than 9.2 million veterans aged 65 or older living in the United States. Many of these veterans lack the...
Success Strategies, Referrals, Client Maintenance, Client Communications, Client Development Tools,
Perhaps you’ve had a good year, but not a great year. You may have experienced one or more of the following: Gross revenue is up, but net profits are down...
Client Relationships, Client Maintenance, Marketing 101,
By: Mark Powers and Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.What makes marketing so unpredictable? Many variables come in to play: the level of relationship you have with the referral source, their access...
Estate Planning, Family, Trusts,
By: Brenda Geiger, J.D.When leaving property to a minor or adult child, clients can choose exactly how they want to leave it to them. The property can be left outright...
Trusts, Estate Planning, Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Asset Protection, Marriage, LLCs,
By Jeremiah Barlow, JDExpanding theories of liability and rising threats of litigation make asset protection more valuable and more demanded than ever. Today’s victim-oriented climate fuels plaintiff attorneys' hunger for...
Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Wealth Docx, Asset Protection,
By Thomas J. Ray, Jr., Esq, Wealth Docx Executive Editor In fall 2014, the Asset Protection Advisory Group— which includes Jeff Matsen, who is featured in this issue—met to review...
Asset Protection, Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Buy-Sell Agreements,
Mahathey and Milhauser note that many business owners devote much time and energy to “working in” their business to improve business operations and profitability; however they often neglect to “work...
Asset Protection, Success Strategies, Best Practices,
By: Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished)Asset protection has become a necessary part of every estate planner’s practice. As we see case law develop, it seems that every time a...
Asset Protection, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs),
The proliferation of plaintiff lawsuits and the expanding concept of liability that has become second nature in our court system have engendered much concern and anxiety about the preservation of...
Asset Protection, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Trusts,
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Estate Planning,
by Laura J. Koupal, JD | Koupal Law FirmIn addition to the complexity of divorce, remarriage, blended families and same-sex unions, estate planners have yet another “tricky issue” to address...
Business Management,
Bailey explains incentives that her firm uses to encourage associate attorneys to focus on production, marketing and sales in order to meet the firm’s business objectives. Bailey notes that the...
Estate Planning, Strict Privity, Ethics,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel The strict privity rule has long protected estate planning attorneys from lawsuits brought against them by disappointed beneficiaries. While some...
Estate Tax, Client Relationships,
By: Joseph J. Strazzeri, Esq. and Stephen J. Mancini, Esq.With attention to process, dedication to deeper counseling, consistency of approach, and reverence for partnering with clients and other advisors, we...
LLCs, Limited Liability Companies , Samaron Corp. v. United of Omaha Life Insurance Company, Business Docx,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselA recent case out of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—Samaron Corp. v. United of Omaha Life Insurance Company—once again illustrates the...
Operating Agreements, Business Entity Formation, Business Planning, Business Docx,
by John Cunningham, JDIRS filing statistics suggest that 25% of all LLCs are two-member LLCs. This combined with the fact that operating agreements for these LLCs typically provide equal voting...
Estate Planning, Estate Planning and Probate, Business Law, Choice of Entity,
C corporations are often an excellent but overlooked entity choice in estate planning. With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the new C corps tax rate is...
Taxation, Tax Planning, Success Strategies, Trusts, Client Communication ,
By: Randy Gardner, J.D., LL.M., CPA, CFP®, Matthew T. McClintock, J.D., Leslie Daff, J.D., MBA®, Julie Welch, MSA, CPA, CFP®Selecting the right trustee is essential for a successful plan. Our...
Trusts, Irrevocable Trust, Decanting Trusts,
By: Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished)While many estate planning practitioners have made use of these Dynasty Trust states, there are still many who have not yet expanded their practices...
Marketing 101, Client Development Tools, Success Strategies,
By: Brenda Geiger, Managing Attorney, Geiger Law Office, P.C.There are many ways that an estate planning professional can stand out in the crowd. However, there are few ways to better...
Trusts, Trust Modification, Irrevocable Trust, Decanting Trusts,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President - Education, WealthCounselAs we continue to dig deeper into trust decanting, there are some tax considerations that every estate planner be...
Estate Planning, Asset Protection,
One of the most important services a firm can provide in any updating program is to actually update or track the assets that will be passed on death. Most discussions...
Grantor Trust, Trusts, Non-Grantor Trust, Beneficiaries and Heirs,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research ReportsA significant new research project for international T&E practitioners, looking at US and Foreign trusts and their relative merits for global families with US beneficiaries...
Business Planning, Business Law, Legal Marketing, Practice Development,
by Thomas M. Fafinski, JD | Virtus Law, PLLC A client’s decision to retain you is often overwhelming. Are you the best person for the role as their business counselor...
Business Docx, Operating Agreements, Business Planning,
Business Docx, Asset Purchase Agreement, Non-Competition Agreme, Non-Solicitation Agreement, Confidentiality Agreement, Security Agreement,
LETTER OF INTENT (ASSET AND STOCK SALE)The documentation for a stock or asset purchase/sale transaction should begin with a letter of intent between the parties. The letter highlights big-picture items...
Business Docx, Bill of Sale, Bill of Assignment,
The bill of sale and assignment accompanies a sale/purchase transaction to demonstrate clear transfer of interests from the seller to the buyer. Like an ancillary document in entity formation, the...
Business Docx, Equipment Lease, Premises Lease,
EQUIPMENT LEASEAn equipment lease can allow your business clients to pay reasonable business expenses into another entity that owns equipment used in the ongoing operations of the business. This is...
Business Docx, Business Planning,
32 Questions To Ask If You Own A Family BusinessWhat is business succession planning? Business succession planning refers to the practice of using estate planning strategies to increase the chances...
Business Docx, Buy-Sell Agreements, Exit and Succession,
Business Docx, Buy-Sell Agreements,
For many, this assembly is the cornerstone of the exit and succession module within BusinessDocx. The buy-sell agreement interview and assembly contains the most sophisticated and comprehensive sets of options...
Business Docx, Client Intake Suite,
CHOICE OF ENTITY DECISION GUIDE (TAX CONSIDERATIONS)This guide helps you spot important tax-related issues and guide the client conversation to determine what type of tax treatment makes the most sense...
Business Docx, Client Communication ,
COVER LETTER TO CLIENT ENCLOSING FORMATION DOCUMENTSThis important letter informs your client of various documents you have prepared for the formation of their new business. It discusses next steps for...
Business Docx, Consulting Agreement,
In many business acquisitions it’s necessary for the acquiring business to engage one or more consultants beyond your law firm as they gather information to make informed decisions. This consulting...
Business Docx, Model Formation Document, Articles of Incorporation,
MODEL FORMATION DOCUMENT (ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION)More robust than statutory articles, the Model Articles of Incorporation include options for various capitalization approaches to provide for multiple classes of common or preferred...
Business Docx, Employee Agreement, Employment Agreement, Independent Contractor Agreement, Arbitration Agreement,
EMPLOYEES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORSINDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENTFew issues get companies in trouble faster with the IRS than improperly structuring relationships with independent contractors. We have provided a model independent contractor agreement...
Business Docx, Entity Conversion, Model Certificate of Conversion,
STATUTORY CONVERSION FORM LOCATOR MATRIXMost states have statutory form documents necessary to convert an existing company from one entity form to another (e.g., converting a statutory corporation to an LLC)...
Business Docx, Business Entity Formation,
BUSINESS ENTITY FORMATION FORM LOCATOR MATRIXA comprehensive list of links to all state agencies so that you can easily locate the forms you may need in creating a business for...
Business Docx, Transmutation Agreement,
TRANSMUTATION AGREEMENTFor clients in community property states (or who have property that was acquired in a community property state) this agreement converts (“transmutes”) property from community property to separate property...
Business Docx, IRS Publication 15A, Form SS-4, IRS Form 8832, IRS Form 2553, IRS Form 2848,
IRS PUBLICATION 15A – EMPLOYER’S SUPPLEMENTAL TAX GUIDEThis publication supplements IRS Publication 15 (Circular E) and contains detailed employment tax information. FORM SS-4 – APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBERThis form...
Business Docx, LLC Operating Agreement,
MODEL FORMATION DOCUMENT (ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION)This LLC formation document, which closely parallels articles of incorporation needed for legal formation and recognition of corporations, is required to be filed with an...
Business Docx, Membership/Partnership Interest Purchase Agreement,
Exit and SuccessionMEMBERSHIP/PARTNERSHIP INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENTThis Agreement helps you serve clients through the acquisition of a partnership or LLC membership interest.
Business Docx, Minutes/Statement of Actions, Consent/Acknowledgement of Actions,
MINUTES/STATEMENT OF ACTIONSThese documents memorialize major decisions made by corporate directors, LLC managers, or a general partner during the annual cycle of a business. CONSENT/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ACTIONSThese documents memorialize the...
Business Docx, NDA, Non-Disclosure Agreement,
A close cousin to the unilateral NDA, the bilateral NDA is simply a mutual promise not to disclose information. The bilateral NDA is commonly used during negotiations among businesses or...
A unilateral NDA is often appropriate when a business hires a consultant or another service provider and will have access to trade secrets or other confidential and essential business information...
Business Docx, Partnership Formation, Limited Partnership Agreement,
CERTIFICATE OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIPThis is considered the formation document for a partnership and is filed with the applicable state agency. LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTThis Agreement details the relationship between the business...
Operating Agreements, Business Planning,
Business Docx, Secured Promissory Note,
The secured promissory note is another essential piece of the documentation for a purchase when the buyer borrows money for the transaction. This may occur as a transaction between individuals...
Business Docx,
LETTER OF INTENT (ASSET AND STOCK SALE)The documentation for a stock or asset purchase/sale agreement should begin with a letter of intent between the parties. The letter highlights big-picture items...
Software, Document Drafting, Business Docx, Business Planning,
Business Succession Planning, Business Planning, Taxation, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs),
By: Brenda Geiger, J.D.There are a few key reasons for doing exit planning. The first of which is to provide liquidity for the owners of the business. Another important reason...
Business Law, Privacy and data security, Business Planning,
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Tax Reform, C Corporation, S Corporation, Pass-Through Entities, Business Planning, Tax Planning, Corporate Taxation, International Taxation,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM and Andreea Olteanu, JD On November 16, 2017, the House of Representatives passed their version of a tax reform bill: The Tax Cuts...
Business Docx, Wealth Docx, Asset Protection, Business Succession Planning,
We are excited about BusinessDocx because we think that business planning is closely linked to your existing estate planning practice and we are convinced that it can be a significant...
PATH Act of 2015, Business Planning, C Corporation, S Elections, The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015,
By Steven B. Gorin, JD | Thompson Coburn LLPThe Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (the “PATH Act”) was enacted on December 15, 2015. Extensive legislation, the...
Business Planning, Asset Protection, Estate Planning,
In the right situation, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) can be an effective business succession planning tool for helping owners of closely-held businesses successfully exit the business while preserving...
Buy-Sell Agreements, Business Law, Business Docx,
Bypass Trusts, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Death Tax, Estate Tax,
by WealthCounsel StaffLooking at the tax priorities of President-elect Donald Trump and Republican leadership in Congress, there’s a good chance the federal estate tax will be repealed soon. While that...
Bypass Trusts, Tax Planning, Capital Gains Tax, Basis, Tax Reform, President Donald Trump,
by WealthCounsel Education StaffMany scholars believe there’s a good chance the federal estate tax will be repealed soon based on the tax priorities of President-elect Donald Trump and Republican leadership...
President Donald Trump, Tax Reform, Trust Protector, Delaware Tax Trap, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Revocable Living Trust, RLT,
by WealthCounsel StaffAs mentioned in previous posts, there’s a good chance the federal estate tax will be repealed as part of a comprehensive tax overhaul based on the tax priorities...
Financial Planning, Capital Gains Tax,
by Greg Singer, Director of Research, Wealth Management Group and Vincent Childers, Research Analyst, Wealth Management Group Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Capital gains taxes are scheduled to rise from...
Business Planning, Business Entity Formation, Tax Planning, LLC Operating Agreement,
by Brian J. O'Conner, JD, LLM (Taxation) and Steven R. Schneider, JD, LLM (Taxation)Almost every tax practitioner who has prepared or explained an LLC agreement has at one time or...
Taxation, Estate Planning, Gift tax,
By: Kevin D. Quinn, J.D.The current environment has created a “perfect storm” of opportunity to preserve and protect family wealth: An unprecedented $5.25 million gift, estate and generation skipping exclusion...
IRC §2704, Tax Planning, Estate Tax, Estate Planning,
Asset Protection, Asset Protection Trust, APT, Symposium,
by WealthCounsel Legal Education StaffAsset protection planning is no longer just for the ultra-wealthy or "litigation prone" clients—we know that. But do your clients? "Routine" asset protection planning is critically...
Asset Protection, RLT, IRT, Bloodline Protection,
by WealthCounsel StaffAsset protection planning is a growing concern for many clients—and not just for the ultra-wealthy. Here's why:• Divorce rates in the U.S. over 50%;• Clients concerned about bloodline...
Asset Protection, LLC Operating Agreement, Business Planning, Business Docx, Business Entity Formation,
For numerous reasons, many of your clients can benefit from a conversation about asset protection. And now, it's time for Part 3 of our series, "Case Studies on Asset Protection."...
ILIT, SLAT, SAT, Asset Protection, Wealth Docx,
by WealthCounsel Staff Do you have clients with complicated, blended family situations like remarriages, shared children, step-children, and divorced children? What about those with high risk assets like rental properties...
Asset Protection, Asset Protection Trust, APT, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Foreign Asset Protection Trusts (FAPTs), Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT),
by WealthCounsel StaffWe’ve covered a lot of ground in our first four of six case studies on the importance of asset protection planning, including: Bloodline protection concerns Beneficiaries as trustees...
Standalone Retirement Trust, SRT, Asset Protection, Estate Planning,
by WealthCounsel StaffStandalone Retirement Trusts are separate trusts established for the primary benefit of being named as the beneficiary of a grantor’s retirement account when a client dies. With a...
Charitable Gifts, Tax Planning,
by Jeramie Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) Executive Editor, Business Docx , WealthCounselAs 2015 draws to a close, your clients might now be considering year-end charitable contributions. For various reasons, some...
Estate Planning, Charitable Planning, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Charitable Remainder Trust, Estate Tax,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel Charitable giving is, once again, on the rise. It dipped sharply during the recent recession; however, in the last...
Business Planning, Formation and Startup, Tax Planning, LLCs, LLC Operating Agreement,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselIt’s no surprise that LLCs remain an attractive option for business owners. In addition to providing them limited liability, they allow the...
Success Strategies, Time Management,
By: Julieanne E. Steinbacher, Esq. and Adrianne J. Stahl, Esq.Are you stressed and overwhelmed because you cannot get everything done? Are you neglecting yourself, your friends, and your family? Do...
Asset Protection,
By Jeremiah Barlow, JDIn 2014, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (UFTA) was renamed to the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act (UVTA).1 Why is this important in asset protection? In the realm...
Clark v Rameker, Standalone Retirement Trust, Wills, Revocable Living Trust, Individual Retirement Account (IRA),
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel I’ll admit to some real surprise when I learned how frequently our Supreme Court reached unanimous decisions in their...
Client Relationships, Success Strategies, Client Development Tools,
The interview in all its many forms is a very powerful strategic conversation. Adopt this tradition in your office and begin booking clients for interviews right away. You’ll be pleasantly...
Business Planning, Legal Marketing, Practice Development,
Email Marketing , Email, Client Communications, Client Development Tools,
The importance of maintaining an up-to-date database should not be underestimated. Most of your new business will be referrals from the people whose names are in this file. Treasure and...
Selling Your Practice, Success Strategies, Marketing 101,
By: Mark Powers & Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.If you’re not a natural marketer, are you doomed to always work for those who can make it rain? Or to join the...
Cybersecurity, The Panama Papers, Cyberethics,
by David Myers, JD | Cybersecurity & Technology LawyerLawyers should be on high alert regarding cybersecurity. Recent high-profile breaches have brought attention to law firms as valuable targets of cyber...
Utah (UT), Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Irrevocable Trust, Trust, IRT,
by Steven J. Oshins, JD, AEP (Distinguished) and Jeremy B. Spackman, JD, Reproduced with the permission of Leimberg Information Services, Inc Dahl v. Dahl received a lot of attention from...
Marital Planning, Joint Trust, Revocable Living Trust, Sweetheart Trust,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Legal Education FacultyMost estate planning attorneys represent married couples that do not have taxable estates. Many of these couples have a simple...
Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA), Operating Agreements, Buy-Sell Agreements, Independent Contractor Agreement, Employment Agreement, Business Docx, Wealth Docx,
by Jeramie Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor, WealthCounselAlthough aggrieved parties have long been able to sue in federal court for copyright, patent, and trademark violations, no corresponding private...
Business Management, Success Strategies,
Do not design your reports based on information you already track. You will stagnate by selecting objectives that accommodate what you already are doing. Start with your objective and work...
TEFRA Repeal, Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015, Operating Agreements, Electing Large Partnerships (ELPs),
by Lou Vlahos, JD | Contributing Guest Writer Partnerships are typically the most flexible form of business structure, and accordingly the number of them continues to rise in the U.S....
LLCs, Operating Agreements, Business Planning, Taxation,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel During a series of webinars on LLCs, quite a few participants submitted questions regarding whether an LLC that is owned solely...
Digital Asset Protection, Estate Planning,
Business Docx, Operating Agreements, LLC Operating Agreement,
Gun Docx, Estate Planning,
Wealth Docx, Revocable Living Trust, Irrevocable Trust, Pour-over Will, Asset Protection Trust,
Estate Tax Repeal, Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GST), President Donald Trump, Tax Reform, Estate Planning, Estate Tax,
On September 27, 2017, the Trump Administration, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Finance released a tax proposal, titled the Unified Framework for Fixing...
Operating Agreements, LLC Operating Agreement, Business Docx, Business Planning, Business Law,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel When you think of waterfalls, perhaps Niagara or Victoria Falls comes to mind. Waterfalls in the legal sense might not...
Client Communications, Trusts, Success Strategies,
By: Jeffrey Bedell, J.D.Initial interviews with prospective clients often consist of closed ended questions. “Do you own a home?” “Do you own a business?” “Are you married?” The fact gathering...
Estate Planning, Business Planning, DAPT, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Toni 1 Trust v. Wacker,
By Yvonne Olivere, JD | WealthCounsel Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPT) have been a useful estate planning tool to help clients protect their assets from creditors. However, since each state’s...
Estate Planning, Prenuptial Agreement, DAPT, Domestic Asset Protection Trust,
by Randall H. Borkus, JD, and James W. Collins, JD of Borkus Collins Law and Richard J. Shapiro, JD of Blustein, Shapiro, Rich & Barone, LLPDivorce is an unfortunate reality...
Charitable Planning, Estate Planning, Family,
By: Todd N. Hallock, J.D. America is a nation of givers. The 2012 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy prepared by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana...
Standalone Retirement Trust, SRT, Wealth Docx,
Wealth Docx, Charitable Planning, Charitable Remainder Trust, Estate Planning,
Business Docx, Buy-Sell Agreements, Operating Agreements, LLCs,
Wealth Docx, RLT, Revocable Living Trust, IRT, Irrevocable Trust,
U.S. v Harris, Spendthrift Trusts, Asset Protection, Estate Planning,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, J.D., LL.M., and Joseph Percopo, J.D., LL.M. Although no asset protection technique is bulletproof, third-party spendthrift trusts have long been considered to be one of the...
Codification of the ESD will have a significant chilling effect upon those who seek to engage in aggressive planning. However, less aggressive practitioners are not out of the danger due...
Transitioning into Estate Planning, Transitioning Attorney, CLE, Document Drafting,
Transitioning Attorney, Litigation, Transitioning into Estate Planning, Wealth Docx,
Disclaimers, Disclaimer Planning, Disclaimer Funding Method, Estate Planning,
by Mark Bregman, JD | Contributing Guest Writer, Dyer Bregman & Ferris, PLLCA disclaimer is an irrevocable and unqualified refusal to accept an interest in property. Disclaimers can be a...
Industry Trends Survey, Estate Planning, Practice Development,
It has been a big year for trusts and estates attorneys and the 8th Annual Industry Trends Survey illustrates areas of growth and challenges the industry faces. The survey addresses...
Independent Contractor Agreement, Employee Agreement, Misclassification Initiative, Uber,
by Jennifer L. Villier | Legal Education Faculty, WeathCounselIn recent years, the U.S. Department of Labor has intensified its focus on the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. In its...
Uber, Employment Agreement, Employment Classification, Independent Contractor Agreement, Business Law,
by Jennifer L. Villier | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselUber—a popular on-demand ride-hailing service— has been riddled with litigation over whether its drivers are employees or independent contractors. Uber claims its...
Financial Planning, Retirement Planning,
by Gregory D. Singer, Vice President, Director of Research, Wealth Management Group Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports The cost and benefit of "dollar cost averaging" What happens when you extend...
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Domestic Asset Protection Trust, Estate Planning, Trusts,
By: AJ Fudge, Esq.If you have clients who are horse owners, you are well-advised to find out if they have a plan in place to protect their horse in the...
Taxation, Business Succession Planning,
By: Daniel M. Zugell, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF and Samuel A. Landman J.D., LL.M.With 10,000 baby boomers (those born between 1946-1964) turning 65 each day for the next two decades, it...
Estate of Powell, Valuation Discounts, Deathbed Tax Planning, Tax Planning, Best, Estate Tax Repeal, Family Limited Partnership (FLP),
by Joseph Percopo, JD, LLM | Mateer & Harbert The recent Tax Court decision of Estate of Powell represents the latest successful attack on valuation discount planning. By extending application...
Whether you are new to estate planning or an industry veteran, refreshing your memory on the basics of estate planning is crucial.Read our Insight Brief, “Estate Planning 101: Back to...
Trusts, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Charitable Remainder Trust, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Individual Retirement Account (IRA),
Although recent discussions have focused on the eligibility of taxpayers to convert to a Roth IRA and the fundamental question of whether a Roth IRA conversion would be beneficial, a...
Family, Wills and Trusts, Revocable Living Trust, Irrevocable Trust, Estate Planning,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel Estate planning for blended families is complex and it requires a watchful eye and a delicate touch. Clients in...
By: Alison Arden Besunder, Esq.A client’s estate may contain many intangible intellectual property rights, such as trademarks, copyrights, and patents. This is more common when planning for the “creative” client...
Estate Planning, LGBT, Wills and Trusts, Asset Protection, Revocable Living Trust, RLT,
Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounsel On June 26, 2015 the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, the name assigned to...
Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Tax Planning, Retirement Planning,
While doctors, dentists, and other healthcare professionals share many of the same estate planning needs as any of your other clients, they also face some very unique issues. For example...
Estate Planning, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Asset Protection,
What happens to your online legacy when you die? This includes your websites, email, usernames, passwords, banking information, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook accounts, and even blogs. It is a question most...
Success Strategies, Estate Planning, Wealth Docx,
By: Jonathan A. Mintz, Partner, Matsen Voorhees Mintz LLPTimes have changed. In fact, passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, signed into law January 2, 2013 (the 201...
Estate Planning and Probate, Tax Planning, Donald Trump, President Donald Trump, IRC §2704,
Living Trust (Inter Vivos), Wills, Wills and Trusts, Asset Protection,
Whitney Houston left her entire estate to her 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. Various news reports state Bobbi Kristina turned to drugs to cope with her 48-year-old mother’s premature death...
Estate Planning, Legal Malpractice, Wealth Docx,
by Kristin Yokomoto, JD | Attorney & Counselor at Law - Balanced Legal Planning, A Professional Law CorporationThe threat of an estate planning legal malpractice claim is daunting and real...
Estate plans are only effective when they accurately reflect your clients’ circumstances, as well as current state and federal tax law. Neglected estate plans not only jeopardize your clients’ estate...
Estate Tax, Gift tax, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts (CLATs),
While there may not be an estate tax in 2010, there is no question that some form of the estate tax will return. Rather than wait to see where the...
Marital Deduction Planning, 2010 Tax Act, Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (TRUIRJCA), Bypass Trusts, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Exemption Portability,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel Portability has been heralded as a way to simplify estate planning, but a closer look reveals this is not...
Client Relationships, Client Communications,
Brown points out that most clients appreciate attorneys who care enough about them to give valuable advice and recommendations about philanthropic opportunities. He explains the importance of asking clients the...
Federal Estate Tax Exemption Portability, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Estate Tax, Exemption Portability,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel If the death tax is dead, what’s the point of estate planning? Beyond the $5,000,000 inflation-adjusting estate tax exemption...
Thought Leader Series, Estate Planning and Probate, Fiduciary Compliance, Trustee, Trust Administration,
LLCs, Limited Liability Companies , Virginia (VA),
At common law, an individual shareholder of a corporation did not have a private cause of action against the corporation or its directors/officers. The theory was that the duty of...
Special Needs Trusts, Estate Planning, Tax Planning,
by Gregory Herman-Giddens, J.D., LL.M., TEP, CFP®Learn about important income tax issues you should take into account when drafting trusts. With trust income taxed at rates as high as 43.4%...
Estate Planning, Tax Planning,
by Gregory Herman-Giddens, JD, LLM, CFP®Learn more about of the considerations that an Executor/Trustee faces in preparing fiduciary income tax returns by downloading the following document, "Fiduciary Income Taxation." Then...
Family Limited Partnership (FLP), Family Limited Liability Company (FLLC), Tax Planning,
One of the most effective wealth transfer strategies of the past few decades may be going away this September. For many years, wealthy families have money into Family Limited Partnerships...
Exemption Portability, Deceased Spouse's Unused Election (DSUE), Estate Planning and Probate, Tax Planning, ATRA,
by Jeremiah H. Barlow, JD | Trusts and Estates Law Faculty, WealthCounselAs estate planners, we are all very familiar with the concept of portability. However, since 2010 when it was...
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM | Director of Education, WealthCounsel On September 27, 2017, the Trump Administration, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on...
Charitable Planning, Grantor Trust, Client Maintenance,
What, if anything, can a donor do to change or revoke this irrevocable trust when his or her financial situation has changed? Even if a CRT does not qualify for...
Tax Planning, Succession Planning, Small Business,
By James G. Blase, CPA, JD, LLM | Blase & Associates LLCHistorically minority interest discounts were the most popular tax strategy in succession planning. In a climate of high federal...
Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs),
Everyone needs to think about Asset Protection Planning. The facts are, that most people who have assets at a value approaching one million dollars or more need to carefully consider...
Communicating with Clients, Branding, Marketing 101, Success Strategies, Client Relationships,
By: Mark Powers & Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.Given the delicate balance of power that exists in the attorney client relationship, the responsibility is yours: you must invest time in them...
Trusts, Wills, Asset Protection,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel A coherent strategy for the transfer of assets is, of course, crucial to the success of any estate plan...
An estate plan does not properly work for the client until the client’s assets are re-titled (“funded”) so that they are aligned with the estate plan. Even beyond this stage...
This article is a continuation of a series of “how tos” for funding various types of assets. The scope of this article will review how to fund publicly traded stocks...
Trusts, Business Management, Client Communications,
Good estate planners recognize the need for properly funded trusts. I often tell clients; a lot of estate planning is “title and beneficiary designations”. However, allowing clients to fund their...
Small Business, Business Planning, Business Entity Formation, Business Law, Business Docx,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounsel Choice of entity is fundamental to business planning. The best form of entity for a client’s business depends on several...
By: Jeramie Fortenberry, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation) When it comes to getting appreciated real estate out of a C corporation, there are no quick and easy solutions. But the tax problem...
Asset Protection, Limited Liability Companies , Trusts,
By: Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM, WealthCounsel Executive EditorPart I of this series discussed two strategies to get real estate out of a C corporation: (1) distributions to shareholders and...
Gifting Trust, Estate Planning, Wealth Docx,
Success Strategies, Storytelling,
Significant life changes are unsettling. We may have to move, meet new people and learn new things. While family support and financial security are critical, other factors are also quite...
Asset Protection, Wyoming (WY), LLCs,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel Is the veil of limited liability at risk? A recent Wyoming legal decision raised questions about the use of Wyoming single-member...
LLCs, Asset Protection, Wyoming (WY),
By: Marty L. Oblasser, Partner, Corthell and King, PCIn 2009, GreenHunter Wind Energy, LLC (“GreenHunter LLC”) entered into a contract with Western Ecosystems Technology (“Western”) for consulting services concerning the...
Business Docx, Business Planning, Transitioning Attorney,
Business Docx, Business Planning, Business Entity Formation, LLC Operating Agreement,
Gun Docx, NFA Trusts, Firearms Trusts, Gun Trusts,
2704, IRC §2704, Tax Planning, Small Business, Valuation Discounts, Internal Revenue Code §2704,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor and Legal Education FacultyOn December 1, 2016, representatives of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) held a hearing...
Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Business Succession Planning,
Not all families have the same concerns and objectives, and FLPs vary in their design and asset mix; as a result, no one solution will fit all families. Because of...
What thoughts, emotions, visions, and ideas does the term legacy planning conjure? We know what estate planning is, and we’ve all become more familiar with asset protection planning, retirement distribution...
Wealth Docx, Estate Planning, Document Drafting,
LLC Operating Agreement, LLCs, Heaps v. Nuriche, LLC, Davis v. VCP South, LLC, Meyer Natural Foods LLC v. Duff, A.G. Cullen Constr., Inc. v. Burnham Partners, LLC,
by Marty Oblasser, JD | WealthCounsel Member since 20112015 saw 200+ published decisions involving LLCs and raised many important issues for practitioners, including piercing the LLC veil; conflicts-of-law; operating agreements...
RLT, Revocable Living Trust, Pour-over Will, Planning for Blended Families, Wealth Docx,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD, TEP | Vice President, Education @WealthCounselEstate planning for families these days is more reminiscent of "The Brady Bunch" than "Leave It To Beaver." Complex issues...
While tv-inspiring, the traditional law office is not as iconic as it once was. Instead, the traditional law office is in danger of becoming increasingly uncompetitive, inefficient, and less productive...
Business Docx, Practice Developent, LLCs, LLC Operating Agreement,
Business Docx, Practice Developent, LLCs, LLC Operating Agreement, Business Planning,
Estate Tax, Trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Client Communications,
By: Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Tax and Probate Law and Steven J. Oshins, Esq.You would think these urgencies...
Special Needs Trusts, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning,
by Steven Dale, JD | The Dale Law FirmDid you know?~1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder. (CDC)3.4% of American adults have serious psychological distress causing...
Family, Financial Planning, Estate Planning,
By: Timothy B. Borchers, Esq.Timothy B. Borchers reccomends that clients in the 65 to 70 and older age range select a member of the family who would be their go-to...
Financial Planning, Asset Allocation,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Reports about the poor financial condition of state and local governments make the headlines every day, but municipalities continue to take prudent action, including...
Physician Planning, Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Client Development Tools,
Many professionals target doctors as the ideal client because of their high incomes, which they maintain even during tough economic times. Doctors pay their bills. Doctors are subject to liability...
Success Strategies, Client Communications, Client Communication , Client Relationships,
By: Jeffrey R. Matsen, Esq.Jeffrey R. Matsen presents a practice anecdote, offering his techniques that close the deal around a particularly difficult client. Through his technique, he gains confidence and...
Within the next ten years, the estate planning maintenance program model will become the industry standard. With the economic, cultural and estate tax law changes occurring at an alarming pace...
Irrevocable Trusts, Decanting Trusts, Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Client Communications,
Branding, Client Communications, Client Relationships, Attracting Clients, Success Strategies,
Now that you have your website up and running, you may realize that just having a website doesn’t necessarily bring clients to you. Here are some things you can easily...
Business Law, Business Planning, Legal Marketing, Practice Development,
Practice Marketing, Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Business Planning,
Estate Planning, Practice Development, Practice Marketing, Social Media for Attorneys, Social Media,
Fill out the form below to view the transcript of their discussion.
Client Relationships, Client Maintenance, Estate Planning,
By: Jeffrey R. Matsen, Esq.All estate planning attorneys strongly desire and hope to obtain a high net worth client. But, once you do find that client, what is the specific...
Minors, whether they are a client’s children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or other intended beneficiaries, require special planning considerations. Read our Thought Paper, “How to Plan for Minor Beneficiaries” to...
Client Relationships, Client Maintenance, Client Development Tools, Success Strategies, Branding, Marketing 101,
One of the most powerful ways to position yourself as an expert, and increase the number of clients interested in your services, is to conduct seminars, lead workshops and speak...
Buy-Sell Agreements, Deadlock Provisions, 50/50 Partnerships, Small Business, Business Law, Business Planning,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounsel Any 50/50 business relationship can be tricky. The possibility of deadlock is real, and often a primary reason for avoiding...
Clark v Rameker, Standalone Retirement Trust, Individual Retirement Account (IRA),
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down its opinion in Clark v. Rameker, a groundbreaking decision that could affect...
Incapacity Planning, Revocable Living Trust, Estate Planning,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel A client who experiences a critically disabling event has to navigate and manage many obstacles, both physical and emotional...
Tax Planning, Estate Planning,
by Gregory Herman-Giddens, JD, LLM, TEP, CFP®, Samantha Reichle, JD and Katie H. Muhlenkamp, JDEstate planning practitioners will find that a good working knowledge of fiduciary income taxation is vital...
NING Trust, DING Trust, Incomplete Gift, Non-Grantor Trusts, Estate Planning,
by Ed Morrow, JD, LLM, CFP®What are NINGs and DINGs, and how can they be used? Download this article to learn more about an important weapon in the trust planning...
by Jon Ruff, Director, Dynamic Beta StrategiesBernstein Wealth Management Research ReportsEconomists’ views on the likelihood and severity of inflation have rarely diverged as widely as today. In this paper, we...
Non-Disclosure Agreement, Non-Competi, Non-Solicitation Agreement,
Business Docx, Document Drafting, Business Planning,
Business Docx, Technology,
Mergers and Acquisitions, Buyouts, Formation and Startup, General Operations, IRS Forms, Business Docx,
Tax Planning, International Tax Planning, CLE, Heckerling,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP, Education - WealthCounselOne of the most thought-provoking topics that I heard about at Heckerling 2016 was the emergence of international taxation as a...
Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Ethics, Family,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounselAs estate planning professionals, our first questions are often, quite understandably focused on more practical, immediate considerations. (Is the plan...
Ethics, Success Strategies, Client Communications,
WealthCounsel attorneys distinguish themselves in a number of ways but most significantly by being trusted advisors who care more about relationships than transactions. I often hear the question, “How do...
Family, Estate Tax,
Various planning techniques are more in favor during periods of low interest rates such as we are experiencing in the US today. One of these strategies involves the use of...
Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Grantor Trust, Gift tax, Financial Planning, Capital Gains Tax,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Considerations for individuals looking to manage the increase in tax rates coming in 2011. One rule of thumb in investing says that you should...
Gift tax, Estate Tax,
One rule of thumb in investing says that you should pay no tax before it is due. But because of the current transfer tax landscape, prepaying taxes—by making taxable gifts...
Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate, CLE,
Estate Planning, Gifting Trust, Gift,
Download our sample gift trust and see how Wealth Docx® makes drafting gift trusts simple. Discover how a gift trust can help your clients transfer family wealth by holding and...
International Tax Planning, Tax Planning, Estate Planning and Probate,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP, Education - WealthCounselOne of the most thought-provoking topics of 2016 is the emergence of international taxation as a practice area for trusts and...
Death Tax, Fiduciary Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Estate Tax,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD, TEP | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselNobody pays estate tax anymore, but almost everyone still has a "death tax" problem. The American Taxpayer Relief Act...
Swart Enterprises v Franchise Tax Board, Business Planning, Tax Planning,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselAccording to Kenny Rogers, “you can’t outrun the long arm of the law. No, you can’t outrun the long arm of...
Trusts, Estate Planning, Taxation,
By: Teresa Nuccio, Esq. and Robert P. Wolfson, Esq., CPAThe use of joint revocable trusts in a separate property state has been a controversial subject for over two decades. What...
TCJA, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Tax Reform, Tax Planning,
by Andreea Olteanu, JDWith 2017 coming to an end and sweeping tax reform legislation, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (Act) having been signed into law, some last minute...
Estate Planning, Wealth Docx,
No one likes to think about it, but the reality is that "gray divorces" are occuring more than ever. In fact, the rate of divorce for adults ages 50 and...
Disability Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning, 401(k),
By: Julia Nickerson, Esq.Representing families who have a child with disabilities is a substantial part of our firm’s law practice. Many of these families have worked hard to build up...
Mentoring programs, Coaching programs, Marketing 101, Networking Network Building, Generating Referrals,
Grantor Trust, Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Trusts, Financial Planning, Asset Allocation,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports The market turbulence of recent years has been hard on investors emotionally as well as financially. Many are “shell-shocked” and scared to make any...
Financial Planning, Estate Planning,
Recognizing that estate planning attorneys receive a large portion of their clients via referrals from financial planners, it is important for attorneys to have an inside look at the “roller...
Buy-Sell Agreements, Limited Liability Companies , LLCs,
Business owners like things straightforward. And, as their advisors, we need to keep it that way for them. Transitioning ownership of a business to the next generation can be pretty...
Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Marriage,
By: Joseph D. Welch, J.D.A common trap in designing LLCs owned by husband and wife (when corporate taxation is not otherwise advantageous) is failure to enable filing as a disregarded...
Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Client Relationships, Client Development Tools, Digital Marketing,
Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Referrals, Networking Network Building,
Legal Marketing, Practice Development,
Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Media and Publicity,
Farm Planning, Estate Planning, Family Limited Partnership (FLP), Family Limited Liability Company (FLLC),
Farmers and ranchers have long been a critical component of the U.S. economy and of course, our food supply. But with rising corporate and international competition, farmers and ranchers are...
Charitable Planning, Trusts, Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts (CLATs), Estate Planning and Probate,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports A foundation represents a powerful commitment to do charitable good. Our research provides guidance -For potential donors on: Comparing the benefits of a foundation...
Although this article specifically addresses the Madoff fraud, some of the general principles discussed below will apply to other frauds, your clients, and perhaps some of the issues your referral...
Taxation, Trusts, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA),
By: Joshua Caswell, Esq. In the not so distant past, when the estate tax exemption was significantly lower than it is today, one of the main focuses of the estate...
Success Strategies, Client Development Tools, Client Relationships,
All of this is to say: manage the perceptions of your clients. They are drinking in the look, the feel and the sound of your firm at all times. Your...
Revocable Living Trust, Joint Trust, Clayton Election, Survivor's Trust, Wealth Docx,
by Brenda Geiger, JDMarital planning in the joint trust context can be complex. As counselors, we are often asked which plan a client should choose, and sometimes the answer isn't...
Marketing 101, Success Strategies, Client Communications, Storytelling,
By: Mark Powers & Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.Harness the power of storytelling in your word-of-mouth marketing program and capitalize on the receptivity built into those you want to educate about...
Marketing 101, Networking Network Building,
By: Mark Powers and Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.In 2001, a family law attorney in Dallas, Texas assembled a group of interested attorneys to discuss practice management issues. The plan was...
Client Maintenance, Client Relationships, Client Communications, Long Term Care,
By: Brent Kellenberger, Esq.This concept of thinking inside the right box, as applied to Medicaid planning, refers to the attorney getting out of her proverbial “box” to spot and reveal...
Special Needs Planning, Client Communications,
MSAs always need to be looked at when a client asks you to establish a special needs trust that is to hold the proceeds of a lawsuit. This article provides...
Business Law, LLC Operating Agreement, Business Entity Formation, Business Planning,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselAs flexible business entities, LLCs can generally be formed for “any lawful purpose.” A recent case out of the Delaware Court of...
By Kristin YokomotoThe demand for asset protection by persons seeking to protect their wealth from creditors and third parties is justifiably on the rise. Similarly, the number of attorneys becoming...
Client Communications, Client Relationships,
Many clients are paralyzed by the current financial crisis. They desire to protect what they currently have while simultaneously taking advantage of opportunities presented by this unique financial crisis.To learn...
Grantor Trust, Estate Tax, Gift tax, Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GST), Charitable Planning,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Time and taxes will erode even the greatest fortunes without the right investment and inheritance plans in place. But the planning required can be...
PATH Act of 2015, Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes Act of 2015, Tax Planning, Charitable Gifts, Charitable Planning,
by Jeramie Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor, WealthCounselThe Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH) provides long-awaited certainty for taxpayers that make charitable contributions from IRAs...
Along with the birth of a child and the death of a spouse, marriages are perhaps one of the most important life events that should trigger a reappraisal (or the...
Ohio (OH), Asset Protection Trust, Trusts, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs),
By: Brian C. Layman, JD, CPA, M.Tax and Charles H. McClenaghan, Esq. In the last edition of the WealthCounsel Quarterly, Steve Oshins provided an overview of Domestic Asset Protection Trusts...
Estate planning attorneys need to extend their planning to serve their aging clients’ immediate needs. By increasing your value, you can gain lasting relationships and meet your revenue goals. Learn...
Estate Planning, Social Media, Referrals, Client Relationships, Success Strategies,
By: Shara Kamal, Esq.While no transition is easy, it is necessary with appropriate timing and guidance and it can be the best business decision that you make. Here are several...
Business Docx, Business Law, Business Entity Formation, LLC Operating Agreement,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel2015 can be considered the year of lessons learned for small or closely-held business owners as demonstrated by two compelling cases...
American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Estate Tax, Fiduciary Income Tax,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselMark Twain once quipped, “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” The same might also be said of...
ATRA, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Estate Planning and Probate, Tax Planning, Capital Gains Tax,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselIn Part I of this series, we looked at fiduciary income tax. The other “new death tax” we must consider...
Estate Planning and Probate, Tax Planning, Wealth Docx, Capital Gains Tax, Fiduciary Income Tax,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselParts 1 and 2 of this series examined two new death taxes—fiduciary income and capital gains. Now in the final...
Operating Agreements, Kilpatrick v. White Hall on MS River, LLC,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselLegal engagements involving fee sensitive clients present certain challenges that attorneys should be prepared to navigate. While many potential clients understand...
Veterans Planning, Estate Planning, Elder Law,
Helping clients obtain benefits through the Veterans Administration (“VA”) is a rapidly growing area. Estate planning and elder law attorneys alike are adding this to their repertoire of services to...
Charitable Planning,
As an estate planning attorney, you can be of great service to the cause of your choice. Your involvement can start with forming a planned giving committee for a charity...
Family, Elder Law, Other, Revocable Living Trust,
Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel “Old age is no place for sissies,” Bette Davis famously remarked. For those who reach that “place,” living those golden...
Planning for Animals, Estate Planning, Practice Development,
by A.J. Fudge, JD | Contributing Guest Writer, Law Offices of AJ FudgeIt’s gratifying to uncover an issue or identify a solution that our client hasn’t thought of yet, and...
Planning for Same-Sex Couples, Obergefell v. Hodges, United States v. Windsor, Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Estate Planning,
By Scott Squillace, JD | Squillace & Associates, P.C. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court handed down a historic decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S.Ct. 2584 (2015), ruling that...
Operating Agreements, Family, Limited Liability Companies ,
The family vacation home or cottage is an integral part of those wonderful summer days, a much treasured family asset and yet an often under-planned one. The founding generation has...
Trusts, Client Relationships, Client Development Tools,
A pet trust instrument may not be of common knowledge to the average pet owner. You may help educate your client about this available option now permitted in California. Your...
Tax Reform, Tax Planning, Business Planning, Choice of Entity,
Practice Development, Legal Marketing, Networking Network Building, Client Relationships, Marketing Kits,
by Patrick Carlson, JD, LLM | Practice Development Mentor, WealthCounselBeing a great attorney doesn't guarantee a successful practice. What they don't teach in law school is how to market yourself...
Marriage, Taxation,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, J.D.The Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Windsor signaled what may become a new era of federal recognition of same-sex marriages legally performed under state law...
Donald J. Trump, POTUS 45, Estate Planning, Tax Planning, Estate Tax Repeal, Business Planning, Healthcare, Affordable Care Act (ACA),
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD, TEP | Contributing Guest WriterIt seems that the only certainty in 2017 is uncertainty. Legal and financial planners alike are faced with clients who are...
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Trusts,
Our approach to asset protection planning is simple: we strive to position our clients so that they are unattractive targets for lawsuits and thereby force favorable settlements. It is just...
Wyoming (WY), Limited Liability Companies , Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Asset Protection,
The state of Wyoming has done it again! In 1977, Wyoming was the first state to enact an LLC statute. Now all states have them. Effective July 1, 2010, Wyoming...
Practice Development, Technology, Legal Marketing, Estate Planning, Practice Marketing,
by Craig R. Hersch, JD, CPA | Partner, Sheppard, Brett, Stewart, Hersch, Kinsey and Hill, PA"May you live in interesting times" is thought to be an ancient Chinese curse. Whatever...
Tax Reform, Tax Planning, Practice Development, Estate Planning, Legal Marketing, Client Maintenance,
by Patrick Carlson, JD, LLMWhy do so many of us seem worried by the political and legal uncertainty surrounding taxation, healthcare, and other issues affecting our clients and our practices...
Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Client Relationships, Digital Marketing,
Practice Development, Legal Marketing, Referrals, Networking Network Building,
Irrevocable Trusts, Decanting Trusts, Legal Marketing, Practice Development,
IRC §2704, Internal Revenue Code §2704, 2704, Valuation Discounts, Small Business,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Director of Education, WealthCounselSince their publication on August 4, 2016, the proposed regulations on valuation discounts for family-owned businesses under Internal Revenue...
Undue influence has always been a cause for concern among estate planning professionals. Read our Insight Brief, “Preventing Undue Influence in Your Clients’ Estate Plans” to learn the warning signs...
Asset Protection, Estate Planning,
PPLI is most often used as a simple, tax-efficient investment vehicle. However, by adding varying layers of complexity and employing competent counsel and advisers, PPLI should be a part of...
IRC §2704, Legal Marketing, Tax Planning, Estate Planning,
IRC §2704, Tax Planning, Estate Planning,
Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obamacare, Donald Trump, Small Business, Business Planning, Healthcare,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselPresident-elect Trump promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act ("ACA") a.k.a. "Obamacare," in part because of the impact that...
Trusts, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Family Trust (Revocable Living Trust), Family, Taxation,
By: Jeffrey R. Matsen, Esq. The question of whether or not a personal family residence should be placed into a Family Limited Partnership (“FLP”) or Family Limited Liability Company (“FLLC”)...
Success Strategies, Client Communication , Marketing 101,
In cross-selling you educate your present and past clientele about your range of services, with the hope that they will want to use more of what you have to offer...
Referrals, Client Relationships, Success Strategies, Business Management,
A great many attorneys make this same mistake: they ignore the substantial revenue that their referral sources provide and are caught off guard when one defects. Have you ever had...
Referrals, Success Strategies,
In this article, Mark Powers (President of Atticus) and Shawn McNalis (Atticus senior practice advisor) discuss the importance of an attorney’s referral sources and provide important tips on what you...
Digital Asset Protection, Digital Asset Planning, Estate Planning,
by George C. Constant | Contributing Guest Writer, Constant Law GroupEvery minute, some 168 million emails, 695,000 Facebook updates, 300 Twitter accounts, 600 YouTube uploads, and 100 new LinkedIn members...
Dynasty Trusts, Estate Planning,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Legal Education Staff, WealthCounselUtah Jazz Owner Gail Miller recently made basketball news by announcing that she and her family had transferred the...
Estate Planning, Marketing 101, Client Communications,
By: Dagmar M. Pollex, J.D.The boomers are coming! That’s the gist of the many reports and news stories that have been published in the last few years. It seems that...
Client Relationships, Client Communications, Estate Planning,
By: Candice A. Garcia-Rodrigo, Esq.With the prevalence of Internet marketing, direct mailers, and mass media advertisements, an estate planning attorney has heavy competition in reaching her target market. The delicate...
Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Standalone Retirement Trust,
A majority of Americans' wealth is comprised of retirement account assets. A simple "fill-in-the-blank" beneficiary designation form will likely not meet your client's goals or their beneficiaries' needs. Review some...
Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Estate Tax, Grantor Trust, Financial Planning, Retirement Planning,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research ReportsWith longevity increasing, many investors can look forward to decades of retirement—a double-edged sword, given the unpredictability of the markets, inflation, taxes, traditional mainstays (like...
Rev. Proc. 2016-49, QTIP, Portability, Qualified Terminable Interest Property, QTIP Election, Estate Planning,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselRev. Proc. 2016-491 was issued on September 27, 2016, bringing long-awaited clarity to the relationship between portability and the...
Digital Asset Protection, Wealth Docx, Estate Planning and Probate,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselThe Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) has been enacted in 15 states so far and is headed...
In re Cameron Construction & Roofing Co., Inc, Substantive Consolidation, Asset Protection, Operating Agreements,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselBusiness planning attorneys routinely counsel clients on the risks of veil piercing. Failing to operate a business as a separate entity...
Digital assets present new complexities that attorneys must address if they are to create comprehensive estate plans. No longer can language in estate planning documents, alone, serve as a means...
LLCs, Operating Agreements, Buy-Sell Agreements,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselLLCs are indeed flexible business structures, but LLC members and managers must be careful not to confuse “flexibility” with “informality.” A recent...
Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Estate Tax, Charitable Planning, Financial Planning, Retirement Planning,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research ReportsThe Roth IRA is arguably the most powerful retirement and estate planning tool not available to wealthier investors—until now. Those who have enough wealth in...
Gun Docx, Gun Trusts, Firearms Trusts,
There’s a widespread misconception that the only gun owners in need of special consideration for firearms in their estate planning are those individuals who own a very valuable collection (i.e....
Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Elder Law,
Fales details his experiences as a WealthCounsel member, and explains that as times are getting more turbulent, the collaboration with fellow members is more important to him than ever. He...
Family, LGBT,
Gun Trusts, NFA Trusts, Firearms Trusts, Estate Planning,
Download a sample gun trust to see how Gun Docx guides you through the drafting process and provides the options that your clients need.
Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Series Limited Liability Companies, Asset Protection,
By: Jennifer Villier, JDWe have all heard the common expression: “you get what you pay for.” Touted by some as a low cost asset protection strategy, series LLCs have gained...
Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Beneficiaries and Heirs,
The difference between effective planning and getting it wrong can cost your family millions of dollars. Done correctly your retirement plan can preserve some significant funds for future generations to...
Social Media, Twitter, Social Media for Attorneys, Digital Marketing,
With 236 million active users, Twitter is becoming a crowded place. Even if you’re receiving a small fraction of the 500 million tweets that occur every day, it’s easy to...
Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Practice Marketing, Social Media for Attorneys,
In this digital age, there are many more media to reach prospective clients and referral source than ever before, and it can be hard to choose the most effective one...
Social Media for Attorneys, Social Media, Legal Marketing, Practice Development, Practice Marketing,
Chances are, you're already on LinkedIn. But is that enough? While many of its core features are free, upgrading to a paid, premium account gives you access to new or...
Social Media, Twitter, Practice Developent, Practice Marketing, Digital Marketing,
The word “hashtag” was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2010, but many people are still confused about how, where and when to use them. Figuring it out is more...
Marketing 101, Social Media, Networking Network Building, Digital Marketing, Communicating with Clients,
Balancing social media marketing and your law practiceOur series on Social Media for Attorneys focuses on using social media to build your practice. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs are all...
Social Media, Networking Network Building, Digital Marketing, Communicating with Clients, LinkedIn,
3 STEPS TO CONSIDER TAKING TO MAKE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE WORK FOR YOU. Since the world’s first attorney hung out a shingle, the practice of law has always been a...
Marketing 101, Social Media, Blogging, Digital Marketing, Communicating with Clients, Networking Network Building,
Blogging for Business 101If you haven't considered starting a blog for your law business, you should. Here are a few reasons why:It drives search traffic to your website — Hubspot...
Communicating with Clients, Marketing 101, Social Media, Digital Marketing, Networking Network Building, LinkedIn,
Build Your Network With LinkedIn GroupsIn parts one and two of our series on LinkedIn for Attorneys, we shared how to optimize your LinkedIn profile and build your brand with...
Social Media, Digital Marketing, Twitter, Social Media for Attorneys, Networking Network Building, Networking, Communicating with Clients, Marketing 101,
Are you on Twitter yet? To date, 284 million active users are. Millions of conversations and connections are happening on Twitter every day, and not all of it is celebrity...
Marketing 101, Social Media, Digital Marketing, Communicating with Clients, Networking Network Building, LinkedIn,
When it comes to online networking, there’s one premier social media platform for professionals—LinkedIn, now more than 313 million members strong. This installment of our continuing series on "Social Media...
Practice Development, Legal Marketing, Social Media for Attorneys, Digital Marketing,
Like many successful attorneys, you're probably using multiple social networks —blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others — to reach out to clients, prospective clients, and referral sources. But as your practice...
Domestic Asset Protection Trust, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), South Dakota,
By: Heath Oberloh, Esq.South Dakota recently enacted changes to its Domestic Asset Protection Trust (DAPT) statutes which will further strengthen South Dakota’s status as one of the premier trust jurisdictions...
21st Century Cures Act, Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, Special Needs Planning, Special Needs Trusts, First-Party Special Needs Trusts,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor and Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselOn December 7, 2016, the U.S. Senate approved the 21st Century Cures Act (H.B. 34) that...
Download our sample special needs trust and see how Wealth Docx® makes drafting these types of trusts simple. Discover how a carefully crafted special needs trust can help your clients...
Standalone Retirement Trust, Revocable Living Trust, Irrevocable Trust, Estate Planning,
For most Americans, the majority of one’s wealth is now held in retirement accounts. When it comes to inheritance and estate planning, special considerations are necessary to ensure that these...
Wills and Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounselTrust fund loopholes: How to prepare your clients for potential tax changesIn his 2015 State of the Union address, President...
Business Succession Planning, Client Communications, Buy-Sell Agreements,
By: Eric A. Manterfield, Esq.The advisor cannot plan around the entrepreneur’s refusal to face his or her own mortality and to make difficult (and emotional) decisions. Family business owners typically...
Business Planning, Business Docx,
By: Howard Lang, Esq. and Rob Lang, Esq.Litigation between business partners, sometimes termed “business divorces,” can be as ugly, contested, high-stake, costly, and emotionally taxing as family law divorces. These...
Financial Planning, 401(k), Retirement Planning,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports This study examines: How cash balance plans can secure better retirement outcomes for professionals Why a plan’s asset allocation, crediting rate, and shortfall terms...
Business Planning, Business Management, 401(k),
By: Frank Selden, Esq.This article is directed to entrepreneurs financing new or existing businesses using their own retirement funds, a funding mechanism called a Roll-Over Business Start-up (ROBS). Opinions about...
Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Revocable Living Trust, Irrevocable Trust, Family,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel Call it, if you will, a first principle of estate planning: What fits you now won’t fit you forever...
O’Neill explains that clients often want to know what happens to their estate plan if the attorney is no longer around. He offers succession planning solutions for other attorneys and...
Estate Tax Repeal, President Donald Trump, Tax Reform, Estate Tax, Basis, Incomplete Gift, Non-Grantor Trusts, NING Trust, DING Trust,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Legal Education Faculty (Trusts and Estates)With a Republican President and a Republican majority in the House and the Senate, many speculate that...
Standalone Retirement Trust, SRT, Bankruptcy Law, Creditor/Debtor Law, Clark v Rameker,
By: Jeremiah Barlow, JDIn its unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Clark v. Rameker, 573 U.S. (2014), that funds in an inherited IRA are not considered “retirement...
Asset Protection, Trusts, Client Maintenance, Success Strategies,
By: Craig Redler, Attorney at Law, Manager - Client Services, Southpac Trust This is just a small sample of the dozens of jurisdictions that have asset protection legislation. The lesson...
Decanting Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, IRT, Estate Planning,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselIn Part I of this series on Trust Modification, I addressed the first three — the simplest— modification options: Reformation...
IRT, Irrevocable Trust, Trust Modification,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President of Education, WealthCounselCircumstances change. That's life. Whether it's tax implications brought on by ATRA or a client's needs change, there are options...
Trust Modification, Irrevocable Trust, Trust, IRT, Trust Protector, Estate Planning,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Vice President, Education - WealthCounselIn my previous article, Part II – Decanting, I addressed the option where a trustee exercises his or her discretion...
Financial Planning, Grantor Trust, Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GST), Estate Tax, Gift tax,
by Francis W. Dubreuil, National Managing Director, Wealth Management Group and Jon Ruff, Director, Wealth Management GroupBernstein Wealth Management Research Reports This report discusses: The planning required to transfer a...
Client Maintenance,
The authors explain that as clients advance in age, their need for life insurance also changes. Clients with life insurance policies that no longer serve a purpose have many choices...
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, TCJA, President Donald Trump, Tax Reform, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Business Planning,
By Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM | Director of Education, WealthCounselAlert: Congress Passes Sweeping Tax Reform BillThe most significant tax reform package of this generation is now awaiting the President’s...
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Marriage, Estate Planning and Probate,
By: Scott E. Squillace, Esq.Although gay marriage has existed now for over 10 years in some states and is increasingly accepted, only 17 states plus the District of Columbia currently...
Ethics, Technology, Techo-Ethics,
by John H. Burman | Contributing Guest Writer, Corthell and King, P.C.Think about how you ran your legal practice, communicated, and managed your personal and/or professional accounts 10 years ago...
TEFRA Repeal, TEFRA, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Business Docx, Wealth Docx, Operating Agreements, Buy-Sell Agreements, Family Limited Partnership (FLP), Partnership Agreements,
TEFRA, TEFRA Repeal, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Operating Agreements, Partnership Agreements, LLC Operating Agreement, Family Limited Partnership (FLP), Business Docx, Wealth Docx,
Business Docx, Business Entity Formation, LLC Operating Agreement, Tax Planning, Partnership Formation,
by Jeramie Fortenberry, JD, LL.M. (Taxation) | Executive Editor, WealthCounselThe Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74), signed into law on November 2, 2015, effectively repealed the Tax Equity and...
Estate Planning, Success Strategies,
As estate planning attorneys, we always plan for the worst, even if we’re pretty sure it will never happen. No matter where you are in your life — even if...
Estate Planning, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Family,
How bad is it out there? Perhaps you’ve been reading news of high profile estate disputes with tens of millions of dollars at stake. Or perhaps you personally know of...
Success Strategies, Business Management, Marketing 101, Client Maintenance,
By: Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Tax and Probate LawPhilip J. Kavesh presents the top 10 most common mistakes...
Special Needs Trusts, Incapacity Planning, Disability Planning, ABLE Act,
On December 19, 2014, the U.S. Congress signed the Achieve A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act into law. This enables people with disabilities to set up tax-free savings accounts to...
Financial Planning, Grantor Trust, Charitable Planning, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Selling Your Practice,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Selling a privately held business may be the most important financial event in an owner’s life. Identifying personal goals in advance can help maximize...
Basis, Tax Planning, ATRA, American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Clayton Election, NING Trust, DING Trust,
by Jeremiah H. Barlow, JD | Trusts & Estates Law Faculty, WealthCounselBefore the American Taxpayer Relief Act’s (ATRA) enactment in 2013, estate planning attorneys focused primarily on how to avoid...
Estate Planning, Financial Planning,
By: Julie K. Kelly, J.D. On March 25, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service issued a notice classifying Bitcoin as property for U.S. tax purposes. Thus, individuals who invest in Bitcoin...
Trusts, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Bankruptcy Law, Creditor/Debtor Law, Estate Planning,
By: Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished)The Beneficiary Controlled Trust concept is fairly simple. It is a trust in which the primary beneficiary is either the sole trustee or co-trustee...
Beneficiaries and Heirs, Trusts, Estate Planning,
Both estate planners and their clients benefit from estate planning family mediation. Prepared heirs are less likely to create or sustain conflict within a family or against the estate planning...
American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Estate Tax, Estate Planning, Taxation,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | VP of Legal Education, WealthCounsel The truth is effective, strategic estate planning solutions are the result of a very personal process. And in today’s...
Trusts, Bypass Trusts, Asset Protection,
Estate planning attorneys can no longer afford to ignore the non-tax benefits of creating a bypass trust upon the death of the first spouse. Properly drafted, a bypass trust can...
Trusts, Family,
By: James Kalicki, J.D.I find that once clients see the big picture, they are relieved and even excited to nominate an independent trustee to serve after the second death. The...
Special Needs Trusts, Special Needs Planning, ABLE Act, Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, Supplemental Needs Trust,
by Elliot P. Smith, JD, M.ACC., MS, CPA | Pearson, Butler & Carson, PLLCFor attorneys serving clients with special needs beneficiaries, it’s essential to understand the Achieving a Better...
DAPT, Irrevocable Trust, Trust, IRT,
By: Steven J. Oshins, Esq.A Domestic Asset Protection Trust (“DAPT”) is an irrevocable trust established under the special laws of one of the jurisdictions that allow the settlor of the...
Webinars, Continuing Legal Education (CLE),
By: Matthew T. McClintock, J.D.Virtual learning is becoming everpopular and results from our social need for educational change. Accessing quality education and training from the convenience of the home or...
Financial Planning, Charitable Planning, Asset Allocation, Capital Gains Tax,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research Reports Investors holding concentrated stock positions must grapple with a number of complex questions. A comprehensive analysis of the key issues: The tax cost of...
Physician Planning, Estate Planning, Client Relationships, Success Strategies,
An attorney armed with an in-depth knowledge of the physician culture, and who understands the obstacles physicians face and their underlying feelings towards attorneys, will position themselves favorably to penetrate...
Ethics, Estate Planning,
by Kristin Yokomoto, JD - WealthCounsel Member Since 2014Due to the unique nature of estate planning which may involve, among other types of planning: (a) planning for joint clients; (b)...
Family, Estate Planning, Client Communications, Success Strategies,
By conducting a family meeting, the potential for misunderstanding, family objections, confusion, delay and loss of control is reduced. There has already been a “dress rehearsal” of roles and responsibilities...
Client Relationships, Client Maintenance, Trusts,
By carefully drafting the trust, we can give our clients the results they actually expect. They want a tool that gives them control over future events. It is the client’s...
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Trusts,
Holmes explains that New Hampshire, with the adoption of the Qualified Disposition in Trust Act in 2008, has created an attractive alternative for the creation of Domestic Self Settled Asset...
Gun Trusts, NFA Trusts, Firearms Trusts, ATF Rule 41F, BATF 41F, Firearms Planning,
by C. Dennis Brislawn, JD and Matthew T. McClintock, JDYou've mostly likely already heard about new federal regulations regarding firearms regulated by Title II of the Gun Control Act —...
Estate Planning, NING Trust, DING Trust, Bypass Trusts,
by Jeremiah Barlow, JD | WealthCounsel Trusts & Estates FacultyUnderstanding basis and how it applies in estate planning is one of the foundational concepts of the post-ATRA era. Download this...
Irrevocable Trusts, Trusts, Grantor Trust,
In this article, Mahoney discusses the use of the Irrevocable Income Only Trust as a mechanism in Medicaid/nursing home planning. He probes issues such as whether the deeding of realty...
Employee Agreement, Marijuana, Business Law, LLC Operating Agreement,
By Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel This article highlights some of the most significant issues attorneys and their clients face as a result of the emergence of...
Beneficiaries and Heirs, Trusts,
If you are currently serving as a trustee, the settlor may have asked you to withhold certain trust information from the beneficiaries, especially if the beneficiaries are their children. Such...
By: Sarah Maria Driesbach, JD Successful estate planning attorneys create plans that effectively assist their clients in passing down their wealth. However, does your counseling include educating families regarding how...
Estate Planning, Client Relationships, Family,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, JDMost often, articles about the estate plans of dead celebrities focus on the legal challenges they raise or the amount of estate tax that could have...
Wills, Wills and Trusts, Revocable Living Trust,
Kaufmann’s clients often wonder why they need a Pour Over Will if they have a Revocable Living Trust. He points out that if the Trust is properly funded and if...
Wealth Docx, Business Docx, State Forums, CLE,
Estate Planning, Transitioning Attorney, Business Planning, Practice Developent, Business Docx,
There are many reasons an estate planning attorney should consider expanding their legal practice to include business planning. One of them being the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which...
Series LLC, Series Limited Liability Companies, Uniform Protected Series Act, Uniform Series LLC Act, Business Entity Formation, Business Planning,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselSeries LLCs have been called the next generation of pass-through entities, gaining in popularity and use as states continue to authorize...
Marketing 101, Marketing Planning, Success Strategies, Client Communications,
By: Patrick Carlson, J.D., LL.M.Are you approaching marketing your law business from a dieting perspective? When business is slowing down or you’re looking to grow, do you try “quick fixes”...
President Donald Trump, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, GOP Act, Tax Reform, Estate Tax, Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GST),
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM and Andreea Olteanu, JD As expected, the GOP Act is extensive, but WealthCounsel's Education team has broken it down to focus on elements most...
Marketing 101, Success Strategies, Best Practices,
By: Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Tax and Probate LawSeminar marketing wasn’t something that you were ever taught in...
Continuing Legal Education (CLE), Legal Marketing, Document Drafting, Wealth Docx, Business Docx, Gun Docx,
Estate Planning, Client Relationships, Family, Success Strategies,
By: Stephanie N. Prestridge, J.D.Stephanie N. Prestridge explains that because of personal hardship she watched her grandparents face, she made a commitment to change the estate planning process for her...
Marketing 101, Marketing Planning, Client Development Tools,
By: Mark Powers and Shawn McNalis, Atticus, Inc.Years ago, while having lunch with a friend, I spotted a potential referral source I wanted to meet, dining at another table. He’d...
Trust Protector, Trust Advisor, Estate Planning,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD VP, Education | WealthCounselOnce found only in offshore asset protection trusts, the use of trust advisors and protectors in the domestic trusts and estates context...
Thorsen v Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Thorsen v Richmond SPCA, Strict Privity, Third-Party Liability,
by Jennifer Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselThe strict privity rule has long protected estate planning attorneys from lawsuits brought against them by disappointed beneficiaries. While some states have...
Thought-Leader Series, Webinars, Family, Business Management, Business Succession Planning, Trusts, Buy-Sell Agreements,
Business Docx, Business Planning, Succession Planning,
Wealth Docx, Domestic Asset Protection Trust, DAPT, Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection, Dahl v Dahl, HDAPT,
Thought-Leader Series, Webinars, Client Relationships,
Estate Planning, Practice Development,
Thought-Leader Series, Estate Tax, Webinars, Taxation,
Estate Planning, Thought-Leader Series,
Thought Leader Series, Estate Planning, Tax Planning, Wealth Docx,
LLCs, Buy-Sell Agreements, Business Law, Business Planning,
Buy-Sell Agreements, Business Law, Business Planning, Operating Agreements, Business Docx,
Practice Marketing, Practice Developent,
Practice Marketing, Practice Development,
Practice Developent, Estate Planning, Taxation, Tax Planning, Estate Tax,
Thought-Leader Series, Estate Planning,
Thought-Leader Series, Webinars, Asset Protection, Estate Planning and Probate,
Asset Protection, Business Planning, Thought-Leader Series, Business Entity Formation,
Physician Planning, Estate Planning, Asset Protection, CLE,
Thought-Leader Series, Asset Protection, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs),
Estate Planning and Probate, Asset Protection, Estate Tax, Family,
Thought-Leader Series, Webinars,
Charitable Planning, Charitable Remainder Trust, Estate Planning, Thought-Leader Series,
Agricultural Planning, Farm Planning, Business Planning, Succession Planning For Farmers, Marital Deduction Planning, Estate Tax,
Succession Planning For Farmers, Estate Planning, Business Planning, Business Succession Planning,
Succession Planning For Farmers, Business Succession Planning, Business Planning, Estate Planning,
Success Strategies, Client Relationships, Client Development Tools, Communicating with Clients, Thought-Leader Series, Webinars,
Thought-Leader Series, Estate Planning, Business Planning, Ethics,
Financial Planning, Estate Tax, Estate Planning and Probate,
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Thought-Leader Series, Webinars, Asset Protection,
Thought-Leader Series, Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs),
Thought-Leader Series, Beneficiaries and Heirs, Clark v Rameker, Indvidual Retirement Arrangement (IRA),
Thought-Leader Series, Clark v Rameker, Estate Planning,
Thought Leader Series, LLC Operating Agreement, Partnership Formation, Business Entity Formation, Tax Planning,
ILIT, Trusts, Trust Protector, Trust Advisor, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust,
ILIT, CLE, Estate Planning,
Irrevocable Trust, Trust, IRT,
IRT, Trust Modification, Wills and Trusts, Thought-Leader Series, Irrevocable Trust,
Webinars, LLCs, Estate Planning, Business Planning,
LLCs, Estate Planning, Business Planning, Thought-Leader Series,
Trustee, CLE, Estate Planning and Probate,
Trustee, Fiduciary Compliance, Estate Planning and Probate,
Thought-Leader Series, Webinars, Financial Planning,
Practice Development, Practice Marketing, Thought-Leader Series,
President Donald Trump, Tax Planning, Tax Reform, Business Planning, Small Business,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselOn the heels of his inauguration, President Trump quickly got to work exercising his executive authority to implement some of his...
Estate Planning, Practice Development, Practice Marketing,
ILIT, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, Estate Planning,
by William Conway, JD and Mary Merrell Bailey, JD, CPA, MBA, MS (Tax), MSAThis 2 page excerpt covers some basic concepts of Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) Planning, including:What’s the...
Beneficiaries and Heirs, Estate Planning,
By: Paula Clarkson, J.D.Naming beneficiaries of an insurance policy seems likes an easy thing to do. If a person is married, the spouse is the beneficiary. The children are often...
Buy-Sell Agreements, Business Planning, Business Docx, Succession Planning,
by Karen L. Brady, JDThe buy-sell agreement arguably is the most important legal agreement for closely-held entities. It can also be an area of great risk for unanticipated outcomes if...
Grantor Trust, Financial Planning, Gift tax, Beneficiaries and Heirs,
by Bernstein Wealth Management Research ReportsOne of the most effective wealth transfer strategies using marketable stock, “rolling” two-year GRATs will no longer be possible if legislation currently before the Senate...
Irrevocable Trust, Estate Planning, Decanting Trusts,
Decanting trusts is a strategy that is increasingly gaining the attention of estate planning professionals — and with good reason. Essentially, decanting is a creative, yet underused, option for your...
Estate Planning and Probate, Trusts,
By: Steven J. Oshins, Esq., AEP (Distinguished)Estate planners are constantly looking for additional ways to save taxes for their clients. One often-overlooked concept is to use trusts to save state...
The income tax planning strategies for, and consequences of establishing a non-grantor trust are many and varied. It should serve as sufficient warning that negative and unintended consequences have and...
Trusts, Taxation, Capital Gains Tax, Grantor Trust, Non-Grantor Trust, Wealth Docx,
by WealthCounsel StaffTrusts are common techniques used to protect assets and to transfer the contents of an estate to the next generation. Importantly, trusts are taxed differently than individuals, and...
Employee Agreement, Independent Contractor Agreement, Business Docx, Business Law, Business Planning,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounsel Uber is facing many questions and challenges related its business model. However, the biggest issue currently confronting the upstart company...
Uniform Protected Series Act, Series LLC, Operating Agreements,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Business Law Faculty, WealthCounselSeries LLCs, if structured properly, can provide significant liability and asset protections. They have been called the next generation of pass-through...
Swap powers, Irrevocable Trusts, IRT, Basis, Estate Planning,
by WealthCounsel StaffSwap powers are an important but often overlooked opportunity in estate planning. Attorneys working with clients to maximize tax savings and preserve assets should be aware of the...
By: Laura French, J.D., LL.M. in TaxationAs experienced practitioners, we have all used the annual and lifetime gift tax exclusions to benefit our clients and help them reach their financial...
Taxation, Limited Liability Companies , LLCs, Success Strategies,
By: Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP (Distinguished)As shown in this article, the savings of making the S-election can be significant. However, this strategy can only be applied to specific...
The issue is not whether a discount is appropriate, but what is the appropriate discount. This is particularly important in today’s environment because of the Internal Revenue Service’s increased hostility...
Estate Tax, Estate Planning,
Revenue Ruling 2008-22 clarified how to create a “defective” grantor trust without causing the trust to be included in the grantor’s estate. Daniel Capobianco’s article discusses the ramifications and utility...
Wealth Docx, Revocable Living Trust, Irrevocable Trust, Standalone Retirement Trust, Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT),
Wealth Docx, Wills and Trusts, Standalone Retirement Trust, Hybrid Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (HDAPT), Irrevocable Trust, Revocable Living Trust, IRT, RLT, SRT,
Wealth Docx, Trusts, Educational, HEET,
Wealth Docx, Wills and Trusts, Wills, Trusts, RLT, Revocable Living Trust, Asset Protection, Asset Protection Trust, IRT, APT,
Asset Protection Trust, APT, Trusts, Asset Protection, Wealth Docx,
Wealth Docx, Trusts, IRT, Irrevocable Trust,
Wealth Docx, Wills and Trusts, Estate Planning,
Wealth Docx, Trusts, RLT, Revocable Living Trust,
Estate Planning, Software, Document Drafting,
SAERAT, Stand Alone Education Retirement Accumulation Trust, Retirement Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, RILIT, Estate Planning and Probate,
Wealth Management, Estate Tax, Estate Planning,
At least one silver lining has emerged from the recent dark clouds over financial markets: Low interest rates and depressed asset valuations make it easier to escape gift and estate...
Wealth Docx, Transitioning Attorney, Transitioning into Estate Planning, New Estate Planning Practitioners, CLE,
Wealth Docx, Gun Docx, Estate Planning, New Estate Planning Practitioners, Transitioning into Estate Planning,
Wealth Docx, CLE, Practice Marketing, Practice Developent,
Wealth Docx, Estate Planning, New Estate Planning Practitioners,
Wealth Docx, Business Docx, Transitioning into Estate Planning, Transitioning Attorney,
Wealth Docx, Business Docx, Gun Docx, CLE, Transitioning Attorney, Transitioning into Estate Planning,
Wealth Docx, Business Docx, Gun Docx, Estate Planning and Probate, Practice Developent,
Wealth Docx, Business Docx, CLE, Practice Development,
Estate Planning and Probate,
IRC §2704, 2704, Tax Planning, Estate Tax,
Digital Asset Protection, Digital Estate Planning, Estate Planning,
Estate Planning, Tax Planning, 2704, IRC §2704,
Presidential Election 2016, Donald J. Trump, Business Planning, Healthcare, Taxation, Trade,
by Jennifer L. Villier, JD | Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselIs the sky falling on small business because of Trump’s victory, or will business owners thrive under the Republican policies? As...
Donald Trump, Presidential Election 2016, Estate Tax, Estate Planning and Probate, IRC §2704,
by Jeramie J. Fortenberry, JD, LLM (Taxation) | Executive Editor and Legal Education Faculty, WealthCounselIn a surprising upset, Republican candidate Donald J. Trump defeated Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton on November...
Estate Planning, Legal Marketing, Software,
The Internet has changed the way consumers research, evaluate, and select the products and services they purchase. Law firms are no exception. To ensure your firm’s success, position yourself with...
Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills and Trusts, Wills,
What does the average American really think about estate planning? Does the average American think about estate planning at all? New data shows significant knowledge gaps around practical applications of...
Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Marriage,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, J.D., Vice President, Education, WealthCounselPortability is now here to stay – at least, says the cynic, until Congress revisits the transfer tax laws. But since ATRA...
International Tax Planning, Estate Planning,
by Jonathan A. Mintz, JD | Contributing Guest Writer, Evergreen Legacy Planning In a year of change and uncertainty, planning for non-US citizens meets a vital need for many families...
It’s no surprise that challenges to a decedent's will or trust are on the rise due, in part, to growing financial portfolios, higher rates of blended families, and an ever-increasing...
Business Docx, Business Law, LLCs, LLC Operating Agreement,
Irrevocable Trusts, IRT, Asset Protection,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, J.D., Vice President, Education, The WealthCounsel CompaniesThe uncertainty of the pre-ATRA transfer tax system motivated many clients with higher net worth to implement sophisticated, multi-layered estate...
Business Docx, LLC Operating Agreement, LLCs, Buy-Sell Agreements,
Irrevocable Trust, IRT, Trust Modification, Trust Protector, Decanting Trusts,
by Matthew T. McClintock, JD | Partner, Evergreen Legacy LawDespite its name, it is a myth that Irrevocable Trusts (IRTs) cannot be modified. When circumstances change that impose new adverse...
American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Taxation,
By: Matthew T. McClintock, J.D.We all know by now that ATRA 2012 provided the first permanent transfer tax law in more than a decade. The federal estate, gift, and GSTT...
Success Strategies, Referrals, Client Maintenance, Client Development Tools, Social Media,
What would you do if you knew you could not fail? There are an unlimited number of ways to prepare for the interesting challenges and opportunities 2011 and beyond will...
Beneficiaries and Heirs, Client Communications, Family,
Can your clients articulate clear plans for using inherited wealth to build healthy relationships? Do your clients have business succession plans in place for the seamless transfer of family business...
Asset Protection, Trusts, Wyoming (WY),
The current transfer tax structure, depressed values and low interest rates create tremendous opportunities for our estate planning clients. As estate planners, we constantly evaluate the best options for those...
Retirement Planning, Practice Development, Estate Planning,
Ryan D. Brown, JD and Paul G. McGillivray, JD | Contributing Guest WritersEstate planning and elder law attorneys are looking to increase their clientele and services. Clients need retirement...
Community volunteers often ask attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors to donate their time and expertise to set up nonprofit organizations. Before you agree to help, ask yourself the following:First, can...
The holiday season may be one of the busiest times of the year for estate planners. With family already on their minds, your clients may be reaching out to you...
Estate Planning, Revocable Living Trust, NFA Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Trusts,
By: Mary Merrell Bailey, JD, CPA, MBA, MSTaxation, MSAccountingEstate Planning is a specialized field with its own vocabulary. Often, the same idea is known by multiple names, which can be...
Success Strategies, Email Marketing ,
The WealthCounsel e-mail lists are a wonderful way to get to know your colleagues, supplement your legal research and confirm your legal analysis. Whether you are a new member, transitioning...
Marketing 101, Practice Developent, Success Strategies, Attracting Clients,
By: Bill Wilson, J.D.A practitioner must decide between two types of second or satellite offices. One is a fully staffed office, much like the first office, and the other is...