• QuickRead Top Story - Tax

    An Inside Look at Keller v. U.S. :IRC sec. 2036 and Valuation Discounts

    Careful Estate Planning Overcomes IRS Objections Even After Sudden Death Keller v. United States resulted in a huge family limited partnership (FLP) win—$125 million—in Fifth Circuit Court.  In this article, learn what the lead attorneys at the Dallas-based law firm of Meadows, Collier, Reed, Cousins, Crouch, and Ungerman have to say about FLP planning and their victory as well as what every financial advisor can learn from this monumental taxpayer victory.

  • Case Law - QuickPress

    Family Business Breakthrough: Wandry v. Commissioner a “Landmark Decision” That Allows Tax-Free Ownership Transfers Over Generations —WSJ

    Shielding the Family Business The best part for valuators is that all of this requires a professional appraisal (detail below). The Wall Street Journal Tax Report‘s Laura Sanders reports  that: Small-business owners often complain of feeling caught in the cross hairs of the tax code. For a change, here’s good news. The Tax Court has just blessed a new technique that owners of closely held businesses—and wealthy families—can use to pass assets to heirs with a minimum of taxes and complications. The ruling in the case, Wandry v. Commissioner,[T.C. Memo. 2012-88 (Mar. 26, 2012)], is stirring up excitement among experts. David Kautter, a director of American…

  • Tax

    In an Unusual Tax Year, the Wealthy Turn to Partnerships —NY Times

    Wealth Managers: Proceed with Caution When Setting Up an FLP Once an esoteric way for families to centralize management of assets, the Family Limited Partnership (FLP) is becoming extremely popular this year, writes the New York Times.  Why?  Because of the scheduled expiration of the $5.12 million gift tax exemption at the end of this year.   Still, setting up an FLP doesn’t make sense for all companies.