Wealth Planning

Gary Rathbun has never done much 401(k) business, but with the Pension Protection Act trumpeting fee disclosure and fiduciary liability, Rathbun felt the opportunity was too great to miss.

Most investment advisors face SEC audits and examinations with dread. After all, the SEC has beefed up its registered investment advisor (RIA) exams in the past year or so, increased its inspection budget and is working towards increasing the...

Owners of closely held businesses have long sought ways to buy the interest of an owner who dies. They also have sought ways to enjoy the business' success financially while avoiding estate tax upon their death. A new private letter ruling...

Consider a not uncommon scenario. The date is Jan. 1, 2008. Bob Savvy is the sole shareholder of Family Fortune, Inc., an S corporation. Family Fortune was recently appraised at $10 million, but the investment bankers Bob has spoken to believe...

Estate planners need to identify Internal Revenue Code Section 409A issues when advising executives and professionals who participate in nonqualified deferred compensation plans. The final regulations' effective date Jan. 1, 2008 is fast...

Retirement benefits present unique challenges to the fiduciary of a decedent's estate. In fact, an executor may have to grapple with three scenarios in the context of a decedent's individual retirement account (IRA) or other retirement plan: (1)...

Just as things seemed to be quieting down)after the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Jalong came the latest challenge to the peace of the estate-planning world: tax patents. In early 2006, an infringement suit was filed over the first business...

You, too, can have a Roth individual retirement account (IRA). How? And why would you want to? The final regulations under Internal Revenue Code Section 402A confirm that you may establish a Roth IRA by rolling over a Roth account that's in a 401...

The Party of Roosevelt is talking a lot about taxes these days, about fairness and about how fat-cat hedge fund managers pay taxes at lower rates than school teachers (which, unless the fat cats are grossing most of their money on dividends, can't...

In general, Registered Rep. tries to stay out of politics. But the 2008 presidential election has already captured my attention. Sensing a demoralized Republican party, the Democrats seem to be positioning themselves as eat-the-rich populists...