Steve Oshins’ Tips for Getting Through the Pre-Fiscal Cliff Gifting Chaos

Nearly everybody is out of 2012 capacity at this point. So… Consider setting up a simple one-page gift trust with just the essential terms so you have a valid trust under the state law you are selecting. Give the settlor’s best friend as Trust Protector the power to completely amend and restate the trust (maybe for a selected period of time like three months) in that Trust Protector’s sole and absolute discretion (and obviously draft around a GPOA). Get it fully executed and funded with the $5MM gift before year-end. Enjoy the New Year’s. Take a deep breath. Reconvene in…

We’re Moving!

Please be advised that we are currently moving our office location. Our office will be closed on Friday, November 30th and will re-open for business at 8:30am Pacific Time on Monday, December 3rd. We look forward to our brand new office (right next to the beach!). Don’t forget to update your address book! 212 Yacht Club Way, Suite A-7 Redondo Beach, California 90277 Thanks for your understanding and patience during this entire process!

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours and a Special Thanksgiving Story from Phil

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, our office will be closed at 12pm Pacific on Wednesday, November 21st and will re-open at 8:30am Pacific on Monday, November 26th. We hope that all of our customers, prospective customers, readers, followers, fans and their loved ones have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving, filled with great food, fun, memories and thanks. Please enjoy this special Thanksgiving story from our President, Philip Kavesh. A Truly American Thanksgiving Feast! By Attorney Philip J. Kavesh, President Growing up in a small farm town in Southern New Jersey, Thanksgiving was always one of my favorite days of…

New Tax – Unearned Income Medicare Contribution Tax (UIMCT)

The Ultimate Estate Planner, Inc. is pleased to share with you a copy the article, “Tax Planning for the New 3.8-Percent Medicare Tax” by Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP (Distinguished) found in the Family Tax Planning Forum that appeared in TAXES – The Tax Magazine®’s October 2012 edition. The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 created a 3.8% tax, referred to as an Unearned Income Medicare Contribution Tax (UIMCT), on certain passive investment income of individuals, trusts and estates scheduled to begin in 2013. The attached article provides an overview of the new tax, explains how it…

Last Chance to Register for This Wednesday’s Post-Election Teleconference

November 6, 2012 may prove to be one of the most important election days in U.S. history, at least from a tax perspective. Regardless of who wins the Presidency and who controls the Senate and House, we are likely to see the first major changes to the U.S. Tax Code in over ten years. Accordingly, there is no better time than immediately after the election to advise your clients and prospects on what important steps to take before the tax law changes in 2013. That’s why we’re bringing together on November 7th – – the day after the election –…

Book Bonuses Extended Through Friday, November 9th!

We are pleased to announce that we have extended the deadline to receive 3 free bonuses to those who purchase a copy of the new book, 2012 Estate Tax Planning Steps to Take Now, by the 3 of the industry’s leading tax and estate planning experts, Martin Shenkman, J.D., CPA, MBA, Jonathan Blattmachr, J.D. and Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP (Distinguished). These 4 bonuses include: BONUS #1: Access to a special website where you can immediately customize, address and mail out the provided marketing postcard, so you can get clients and prospects to start calling you for appointments!* BONUS…

Three of the Leading Experts in Estate Planning Field Release New Book on 2012 Year-End Planning for Clients

Leading tax and estate planning experts, Martin Shenkman, J.D., CPA, MBA, Jonathan Blattmachr, J.D. and Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP (Distinguished) have come together for the very first time to co-author the single most authoritative practical guide to crucial, last-minute planning for 2012. This unique book is written technical enough to assist professionals like you to understand the key planning choices and how to avoid the traps involved with each – – and written in plain-English enough for the sophisticated client who wants to better understand complex planning or needs some motivation to move ahead and do something! This…

New IRS Form 706 Implements 2 Major Changes in the Law

At The Ultimate Estate Planner, Inc. it’s important to us to keep our customers and the rest of the estate planning community informed about very important and exciting updates as it happens. A special thank you to Joseph C. Mahon featured on WealthManagement.com. IRA Issues Draft Form 706 by Joseph C. Mahon The revisions implement two major changes in the law On Aug. 16, the Internal Revenue Service released a draft version of a revised Form 706 (the 706), “United States Estate (and Generation Skipping Transfer Tax) Return.” www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f706–dft.pdf. It didn’t release instructions. The revisions implement two major changes in…

Roth IRA Conversion Recharacterization Permitted

At The Ultimate Estate Planner, Inc. it’s important to us to keep our customers and the rest of the estate planning community informed about very important and exciting updates as it happens. A special thank you to Michelle Ward and Robert Keebler for this wonderful article featured on WealthManagement.com. Roth IRA Conversion Recharacterization Permitted by Michelle L. Ward Taxpayer relied on financial advisor’s advice In Private Letter Ruling 201235030 (June 6, 2012), received by Keebler & Associates, the Internal Revenue Service granted the taxpayer an extension to recharacterize his 2009 Roth individual retirement account conversions. Facts In 2009, the taxpayer…

Draft Form 706 Includes Option for Opting Out of Portability

Join us next Thursday, September 6th for a special 60-minute teleconference with nationally renowned CPA, Robert S. Keebler, on the topic of Portability and the New Form 706. For more information and to register, click here. Last Friday, the Internal Revenue Service released a draft of the new Form 706. For the first time, the form addresses the issue of portability of a deceased spouse’s unused estate and gift tax exclusion amount by providing an option for the executor to opt out of electing portability of the unused portion. Under the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act…