Publications
Estate Planning During A Bear Market
In April of 2022, the stock market officially entered Bear Market territory. Bear Markets occur when the market declines more than 20% below a recent market high, in this case the 52-week market high. Why the market has declined has been attributed to many different factors, such as inflation, the energy shortages, the War in Ukraine, and so on – each contributing to investor’s fears and a desire by investors to cut their losses. In the short term, the volatility of the markets will remain. Estate planning is a long-term strategy, so what about the long term?
Web 3.0: Planning For Art NFT Collectors
NFTs are popular in applications that require unique digital items, including crypto art, digital collectibles, and online gaming, where some guarantee of authenticity and ownership history adds value. As far as art is concerned, this space is developing rapidly. This article takes a look at the territory.
You Could Be Immortal: Estate Planning for Digital Assets
Climate Change is Code Red for Humanity: Is ESG Investment Code Red for Fiduciaries?
Confusion lies in which ESG factors in investing a fiduciary should consider. Factors that directly benefit a beneficiary of the trust are allowed, but not factors that benefit a third party based on a moral or ethical basis, and only indirectly benefit the trust beneficiaries. The assumption that an ESG investment will always outperform a non-ESG investment alone can’t justify prioritizing ESG factors. More is required when drafting trusts and other documents.
Lifting The Veil: Art Deals, The Bank Secrecy Act And The Need For Art Fiduciaries
The use of the art market to launder drug money; and, how the government is dealing with the issue by extending the reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act to the art and antiquities market. The reporting requirement is a sharp departure from the otherwise confidential art market and will require artists and collectors to change their mindset when buying and selling art. Indeed, this change, the proposed changes in the U.S. tax laws and the emergence of non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) is prompting a sea change in how fiduciaries manage these assets during lifetimes and after death.
Forbes: What A Difference A Year Makes! Income Tax Changes Since December 2019
What a difference a year makes! Even before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic earlier this year, there have been changes to the income tax code with a significant impact on individual taxpayers. Here is a reminder of those significant changes and how they might affect you.
Forbes: Handling Debts in an Estate
The financial stress on both families and businesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic means an increasing level of debt for both. In reviewing estate plans today, one of the issues to consider is what would happen if a client who has significant debts, or is liable for debts incurred by their business, suddenly falls ill and dies? There is a process for handling debts of a decedent in estates, but it requires careful planning.