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Making a Gift and Keeping it Too 2011-05-01Making a Gift and Keeping it Too 2011-05-01

The dust is slowly settling after the enactment of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the 2010 Tax Act). Estate planners are beginning to carefully consider a number of opportunities that allow clients to take maximum advantage of current conditions. Postponed income tax rate increases and deduction limits, a moratorium on phase-outs of exemptions,

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr, CEO

May 1, 2011

7 Min Read
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Robert F. Sharpe, Jr., president of The Sharpe Group, Memphis, Tenn.

The dust is slowly settling after the enactment of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the 2010 Tax Act). Estate planners are beginning to carefully consider a number of opportunities that allow clients to take maximum advantage of current conditions. Postponed income tax rate increases and deduction limits, a moratorium on phase-outs of exemptions, lower estate and gift tax rates coupled with higher exemption levels and other changes are acting as catalysts for prudent planning between now and the end of 2012.

The philanthropic area, for example, has seen strong interest in the use of lead trusts and other plans that lever...

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About the Author

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr

CEO, Encore

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. is CEO of Encore in Memphis, Tenn. He is a nationally recognized pioneer, leader and authority in the field of philanthropy. During more than 35 years serving America’s nonprofit community, he has consulted nationally with educational, health, social service, arts and religious organizations and institutions in the planning and implementation of their major, planned gift and endowment development efforts. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and Cornell Law School, he served as a development officer for a liberal arts college prior to practicing law with a major law firm specializing in taxation and estate planning.

Robert is chairman of the philanthropy editorial board of Trusts & Estates magazine and co-author of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) Model Standards of Gift Valuation. He has served on the board of Giving USA and on strategic task forces for the CGP. Among other publications, his remarks have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Smart Money, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Kiplinger’s.

He is a frequent speaker at gatherings across the country including Planned Giving Councils in New York, Washington, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners national conference, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) National Conference, and the American Bankers Association Wealth Management and Trust Conference.