Beginning in 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) effectively removed gift and estate tax liability concerns for many families. However, the favorable estate tax changes in the TCJA are currently scheduled to sunset after 2025, unless Congress takes further action. Notably, the TCJA provision that doubled the gift and estate tax exemption from $5 million to $10 million (adjusted annually for inflation) will revert to pre-2018 levels after 2025. (more…)
How a Crummey Trust May Benefit an Estate Plan
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has reduced estate tax concerns for many families, but estate tax liability remains a concern for some. Notably, you may implement strategies in the wake of the TCJA that are designed to reduce future exposure to federal and state estate taxes.
One such option, a Crummey trust, remains a viable option. Despite its odd-sounding name, derived from the landmark case authorizing its use, the results are anything but crummy. (more…)
Estate Tax Concerns for Both Today and the Future
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) doubled the federal gift and estate tax exemption amount from $5 million to $10 million, adjusted annually for inflation. Combined with the unlimited marital deduction and other estate tax provisions, including portability of the exemption, a married couple can easily shelter more than $20 million from federal estate tax. (more…)
Beware of the New Tax Law’s Impact on Trust and Estate Income
In this podcast, Chris Madrid from our Family Wealth and Individual Tax Planning Group discusses important modifications the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made to the income taxation of trusts and estates for 2018 and beyond.
Read the Beware of the New Tax Law’s Impact on Trust and Estate Income article.
Tax Reform…. Not in California
UPDATED JULY 18, 2019: At Last…Partial Conformity…
In December 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) which was the most significant tax reform legislation enacted since the 1980s. In July 2019, 18 months later, the California legislature acted and the governor signed Assembly Bill 91 that contained a select number of conformity provisions. These provisions will simplify tax compliance for California taxpayers as differing federal and California tax reporting for certain transactions will no longer be required. Unfortunately, California has yet to conform to most of the changes enacted by the TCJA.
The conformity changes included in AB 91 are highlighted below.
However, in an act of “reverse conformity,” the legislature passed Senate Bill 78. Originally, the federal Affordable Care Act imposed a “penalty tax” on taxpayers who did not have qualifying health insurance coverage. Congress repealed this “tax” effective January 1, 2019. But due to an act of reverse conformity, a “penalty tax” will once again be imposed on California taxpayers that do not have qualifying health insurance, effective January 1, 2020. (more…)
Beware of the New Tax Law’s Impact on Trust and Estate Income
By Christine Collins Madrid, CPA, Tax Director
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law in December 2017, made important modifications to the income taxation of trusts and estates for 2018 and beyond. Trust and estate income tax rates and brackets changed, along with deductibility of some estate and trust administrative expenses. Also, a new qualified business income deduction is available, under certain circumstances, that could be as much as 20% of qualified business income. (more…)
Estate Planning Pitfall - You’re Not Paying Enough Attention to State Estate Tax Laws
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provides greater flexibility in estate planning for many taxpayers. Under the TCJA, the federal gift and estate tax exemption is increased from $5 million to $10 million, subject to inflation indexing. The indexed amount for 2018 is $11.18 million.
The exemption is effectively doubled to $22.36 million for a married couple. Thanks to the portability provision, the estate of a surviving spouse can use the unused portion of the exemption from the estate of the first spouse to die. (more…)
Charitable Giving in a Post-TCJA World - What You Need to Know in the Wake of the New Tax Law
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) represents the biggest overhaul of the tax code in more than three decades. Tax experts are still sorting out all the intricacies. But this much is clear: The TCJA will have a significant impact on estate planning and related aspects, such as charitable giving.
Even though the TCJA reduces tax incentives for making charitable donations for some people, it encourages contributions for others. Let’s take a closer look at the new tax landscape and how it relates to charitable giving. (more…)
Payroll Withholding Confusion – Are You Withholding Enough from Your Paycheck?
By Sheila Foley, Accounting Consultant
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was enacted in late December, 2017 and it significantly altered the tax laws applicable to individual taxpayers. The significant changes included: reduction in tax rates and modification of brackets, increase in the standard deduction, repeal of personal exemptions, limitation on deductions for state and local taxes, mortgage interest, home equity loan interest and elimination of deduction for miscellaneous itemized deductions. (more…)