Practice Management

In March 2009, Bernard L. Madoff pleaded guilty to federal charges involving a Ponzi scheme. In a Ponzi scheme, money contributed by new investors is used to make payments to existing investors. At some point, the perpetrator can't bring in enough...

The 2010 Tax Act answered many questions that lingered in practitioners' minds throughout 2010. At the same time, the 2010 Tax Act presented a new question for practitioners: How do we advise executors of estates of 2010 decedents on whether to...

Executors of estates of decedents who died in 2010 face a tough choice under the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the 2010 Tax Act). Should they elect to subject the estate to federal estate tax...

To opt or not to opt, that is the question. Shakespeare's Hamlet may have most perfectly stated what estate tax practitioners are being asked when providing guidance under the 2010 estate tax regime. While Hamlet questioned the relative value of...

Most executors know that there need not be estate tax for decedents dying in 2010. Therefore, many executors believe that the estate administration process is easy, as in, No estate tax, no action. Wrong and scary. We recently had an estate of...

Last summer, one of our clients in his mid-forties died unexpectedly, before we were able to finish helping him with his wealth transfer planning. He was a New York resident and was survived by his wife and two young children. The decedent's...

Boston: “My clients don’t seem to want to bring any of their friends to my client events,” Randy complained at our recent rainmaker retreat. He then proceeded to tell us about the series of small events he’s held that were...

The global wealth management business has climbed to record highs, but pricing continues to be an Achilles ’ heel for the industry, according to a widely anticipated new study from The Boston Consulting Group released yesterday (Tuesday, May...