Self-canceling installment notes (SCINs) are often discussed, but rarely used by our clients, until now. A SCIN involves the sale of an asset (for example, a business interest or stock), typically to the seller's family members, in exchange...
In a January 2010 Trusts & Estates article entitled The Estate Planner's Guide to Product Suitability,1 I suggested that it's imperative to have a process for determining the characteristics of a life insurance policy that's well...
On Dec. 1, 2011, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Ruling 2011-28,1 which finally clarified that a life insurance policy in an irrevocable trust isn't included in the grantor's estate if the grantor retains the right to...
In tax terms, a bargain sale is a sale to a charity for less than the fair market value (FMV) of the item being sold. These sales can be a real win-win: the charity acquires something it needs, but otherwise couldn't afford, and the donor/seller...
Many clients are planning to make large gifts before the end of 2012, to take advantage of what may be a fleeting opportunity to do so without incurring any gift tax. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of...
