The federal estate tax is, in a sense, voluntary, because the estate tax charitable deduction allowed under Internal Revenue Code Section 2055(a) can reduce any taxable estate to zero. On the other hand, relatively few estates are now subject to...

Self-made people are often conflicted about philanthropy. Many of them work very hard for their wealth and, to a certain extent, measure their self-worth by the size of their pile. If a client's goal is to not only build his pile but also be...

Private foundations (PFs) remain popular because wealthy donors often want to maintain control over donated assets. In a similar vein, many wealthy families form family offices to provide greater control and oversight over their financial affairs...

State governments are, more than ever, struggling to meet budget deficits. But state legislators often find that raising taxes and cutting programs aren't the best ways to get re-elected. Instead, many states have found a new way to plug holes in...

Charitable pledges and restricted gifts continue to serve as common means of supporting favored causes. Given the significant capital invested through such gifts, the need for deliberate planning and comprehensive negotiation becomes more...

A freeze transaction is an estate-planning technique that uses the interplay of the differing financial and valuation characteristics of preferred equity and common equity securities to transfer assets from one generation to another while...