Trusts & Estates, WealthManagement.com Publishes Guest Article from McManus on Coordination of Income Tax and Estate Planning

trusts and estates logo

wealthmanagement

Combine Income Tax Preparation and Estate Planning

Coordination is key

Apr 1, 2015 John McManus Trusts & Estates

When tackling a jigsaw puzzle, you’ve likely taken the “divide and conquer” approach, separating the larger puzzle into more manageable sections. Eventually, you bring the different areas of focus together to put the finishing touches on the full image.

Wealth management is the same. Estate planning emphasizes an array of complex matters spanning death taxes, asset protection, incapacity, guardianship and family missions. Compartmentalizing can be helpful, but advisors must remember to bring the pieces of the puzzle back together in the end. It’s critical that strategies to maximize the value of your clients’ estates are coordinated with their retirement, financial and income tax planning.

McManus Weighs in on IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for ThinkAdvisor

Photo credit: Lendingmemo

Photo credit: Lendingmemo

The IRS recently issued its list of “Dirty Dozen” tax schemes, an annual release that kicks off tax season. Michael Fischer, contributor for ThinkAdvisor, took a closer look at the 12 scams and tapped McManus & Associates Founder John O. McManus for his guidance on two that specifically impact high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs): “Stashing cash offshore” and “Abusive tax shelters”.

Firm’s Tax Experts Hold Conference Call on Income Tax Preparation

McManus & Associates can prepare your Income Tax Returns. For many years, the firm has been completing tax returns for clients and has learned that keeping income tax planning under the same roof enables a more refined level of specificity in estate planning for your family. Want to hear more about how you can benefit from McManus & Associates’ Income Tax Planning Practice? Listen to the firm’s recent conference call with clients (link below) and contact us at 908-898-0100/212-753-9000.

LISTEN HERE: “Preparing Your Tax Returns”

pennies photo

Top 9 Estate Planning Tasks to Complete before Year-End

The holiday season represents a window of opportunity for growing and preserving wealth. McManus & Associates today outlined the “Top 9 Estate Planning Tasks to Complete before Year-End”. As part of the firm’s educational focus series, Founding Principal and top AV-rated Attorney John O. McManus recently discussed time-sensitive recommendations for building your nest egg and reducing your check to Uncle Sam for Tax Year 2014.

DailyFinance Cites Tips from McManus on Legal Decisions That Should Be Triggered When a Child Turns 18

Daily FinanceIn the eyes of the legal and financial world, an 18th birthday represents a major shift. Motley Fool Contributing Writer Michele Lerner’s latest DailyFinance story, “Parents: Are You Legally Ready for Your Kids to Be Adults?” utilizes tips from McManus & Associates to show families steps that should be considered when a child turns 18.

McManus and Client Contribute Expertise and Color to Wall Street Journal Feature Story

WSJ

As part of our continuing effort towards thought leadership, McManus & Associates recently presented The Wall Street Journal with our impressions on the newest estate planning paradigm. The firm’s ideas helped shape a comprehensive, informative cover story in the Weekend Investor by well-versed Reporter Laura Saunders. The article, titled “The New Rules of Estate Planning,” also highlighted the Grevatt Family, one of our clients, for whom we employed a smart strategy in today’s environment.

Forbes Discusses Death Taxes with John O. McManus

forbes-logo-pngEarly this year, bills A1281 and S1311 were introduced in New Jersey to “eliminate transfer inheritance tax and increase the filing threshold and applicable exclusion amounts under New Jersey estate tax in accordance with provisions of federal tax law.” NJ A397 was also introduced and, if passed, would repeal the New Jersey estate tax.

Top 10 Ways to Protect Children Under 18 and Over 18, Stateside and Abroad

Even for children who have newly become legal adults, parents need to be empowered to make decisions to help protect them in times of need. Laying out important considerations for families to discuss before and after children turn 18, McManus & Associates – top-rated, Tri-State-Area-based trusts and estates law firm – today released the newest edition of its educational focus series. The discussion, “Top 10 Ways to Protect Children Under 18 and Over 18, Stateside and Abroad,” identifies questions parents should evaluate, from who should be named as local representatives on a health care proxy for minors to whether a prenuptial agreement is appropriate if an adult child is soon getting married.

DailyFinance Shares How McManus Helped Clients Avoid Estate Planning Nightmares

Daily FinanceEstate planning nightmares don’t just exist in dreams. Writing for DailyFinance, Reporter Michele Lerner relays several real-life horror stories that arose—and certainly have been replicated in similar forms far and wide—due to families neglecting to have detailed conversations about inheritance plans. “According to the 2014 Intra-Family Generational Finance Study by Fidelity Investments,” Lerner writes, “64 percent of parents older than 55 who have at least $100,000 in investable assets and their adult children over 30 aren’t on the same page about when the right time is to have conversations about estate planning.”

New Jersey Law Journal Features Article by McManus in Special Supplement on “Wealth Management”

NJLJ logo

 

On July 28th, New Jersey Law Journal published a special supplement on “Wealth Management.” The featured section includes a co-authored guest article from McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus and Mark Cortazzo, senior partner at MACRO Consulting Group. The piece, titled “How Estate Planning Can Unintentionally Wreck a Retirement Plan,” outlines steps that can be taken to protect clients when complex investment vehicles like variable annuities are involved in the estate planning process.