Count Up Your Blessings – Most Retirees Can Dodge a Capital Gains Tax Boost
Is extreme income inequality a bad sign for society? I think it is, and most would agree with this simplest of statements. Yet...
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Early Uprisers – Farmers and Real Estate Industry Oppose 1031 Changes
I don’t care how mellifluously John Denver sings it – life on the farm is nothing like laid back. At least not these days. Farmers...
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Ganging Up on Gains: Biden Hopes to Strike Down the Step-Up
President Joe Biden wants the Internal Revenue Service to receive an additional $80 billion in funding over the next ten years. The...
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Where the Road Might Lead Us – Prospects for Taxing Executive Compensation
Who has too much money out there? Go ahead, raise your hands. I’ll be over shortly with the collection plate. You say you don’t...
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The Long Run – Can Whole Life Beat Fixed Investments?
“Do you know what our problem is? We’re relentlessly lower-middle class.” When he said it, Benedict was wearing a bespoke Saville...
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The Hour Is Getting Late – Sanders Takes Aim at the 5%
Wealthy families and individuals are worried today, as threatening clouds form on the disturbingly near horizon. Politicians, with...
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Get Schooled: How Whole Life Can Smooth Income Volatility in Retirement
Adversity will teach you a lot. Don’t you just hate it? As continuing education, the pandemic keeps giving. Retirees last year who...
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Caught in the Bullseye: Managing Estate Planning Uncertainty for Affluent and Wealthy Clients
Last time I was in New York, I had a terrible time. The greasy spoons are thinning out. Imperial Coffee House served the best hot...
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You’re on My List: The 1031 Exchange May Be History
The political rumor mill is hinting that the venerable 1031 exchange, an invaluable tool for real estate operatives, may soon be no...
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Step on It: Facing the Elimination of the Step-Up in Basis
The Global Financial Crisis crashed down on my head, and there he was, right beside me, an angel of mercy. Not literally: our...
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Sunset Comes Early: Momentous Change May Be Coming to Estate Planning Realm
We all face a moment when everything stops. Life hangs for a second, urging reflection on three simple words of great portent: this...
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Avalanche Zone: Democrats Propose Sweeping Away Step-Up in Basis
In a comfortable chalet, warmed by the fire, sipping a toddy or chocolate, it seems nothing can disturb your repose. The fine...
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Lies, Damn Lies and Social Media Posts: Life Insurance Payouts Unaffected by Covid Vaccination
Some crazy ideas are out there today. Let’s clear up one of them: Those Covid jabs inflicted by reputable healthcare workers are...
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Drain the Usual Suspects: Can Overfunded Life Protect HNW Clients from Coming Tax Rises?
We stand at the tree line, all silent for a moment, waiting to cross the fateful valley. I’m not talking about Faulkner’s fantasy...
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The Joys of Creating an ILIT – and the Fatal Mistake That Can Kill It
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, or ILITs, are a wonderful way for clients with complex estates – or difficult heirs – to manage...
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Heads Up or Headache – Purchasing Life Insurance Inside a Qualified Plan
I like the way I earn my living, writing and editing, but some days I feel that remaining in bed, head firmly covered, seems the...
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