McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus with Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Photo: McManus with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
Many Millionaires Are Down on the Stock Market – Should You Be?
Last Friday, Brian O’Connell penned a piece for TheStreet on what millionaires being down on the stock market means for regular investors. Here are thoughts from John O. McManus, founding principal of McManus & Associates:
With the wealthy keeping a tight rein on their dollars, the market remains flat to down. Because millionaires feel poorer, they’re spending less on creature comforts, which can cause the economy to slow. We saw this in the Great Recession – fewer vacations and pricey dinners, less frequently cut lawns and cleaned pools, and fewer wallets opened for cars, high-end fashion, jewelry and more. When millionaires are soured on the market, regular investors should view this as a red flag, because the rich tend to spend the most on guidance from top-notch advisors and can afford to be patient and invest for the long-haul. If millionaires are pulling out of the market or not investing, there’s no reason regular investors should do the opposite. That said, many millionaires may still be invested in the market, because they can afford to take a long view.
MarketWatch Publishes Article on Cutting Capital Gains Authored by McManus
5 ways to protect your estate from capital gains taxes
Published: Dec 25, 2015 6:04 a.m. ET
Traditional estate planning is being turned on its head
By JOHN O. MCMANUS
The time-honored approach to estate planning is being turned on its head by significant tax law changes that have taken effect in recent years.
Long-term capital gains tax rates now range from 25% to 33% (when you add together the top federal, state and local rates and Obamacare’s Medicare surtax). So now that the federal estate tax exemption is $5.43 million ($10.86 million for a couple’s combined exemptions), many Americans may no longer be exposed to federal estate taxes, making taxes on income and capital gains more prominent.
In fact, some legal practitioners who spent the first half of their careers zealously transferring assets out of their clients’ estates to avoid estate taxes now expect to spend the second half pushing assets back into their clients’ estates because the estate planning paradigm has changed.
What are the best ways to strategize around capital gains taxes to keep them as low as possible?
Rundown of the tax rules for gifts
To answer that, it helps to first understand the rules about gifts and taxes.
Forbes Confers with McManus on Intra-Family Loans
Are intra-family loans now a steal? According to a recent story from Ashlea Ebeling of Forbes, the answer is a resounding “yes!” John O. McManus recently spoke with Ebeling on the topic, of which you should take note. From the article:
The terrifically low rate you can use for a short-term intra-family loan is just 0.56% for loans up to three years. Go out up to 9 years and the rate is 1.68%. For loans of 10-years-plus, it’s just 2.61%.
As Ebeling points out, intra-family loans are a good option for parents and grandparents who want to help buttress future generations with buying a house or opening a professional practice, for example. And what if you were to loan $1 million to a family member who then uses it for a private equity investment that doubles to $2 million? From the story:
“I’ve just made $1 million on her balance sheet instead of mine,” explains John McManus, an estate lawyer in New Providence, N.J. who just helped a developer father loan his son the money to invest in distressed commercial real estate in Newark.
InvestmentNews Features McManus Column for The Tax-Conscious Adviser
Below is an advice column on capital gains tax strategies by John O. McManus that was published by InvestmentNews for its regular feature, “The Tax-Conscious Adviser.”
Estate plans require a fresh look
Thinking around bequests shifts as capital gains tax and estate tax exemption rise
Nov 29, 2015 @ 12:01 am
By John O. McManus
Significant tax law changes mean it’s time to dust off your estate plan. Long-term capital gains tax rates now range from 25% to 33%, with the combination of the top federal, state and local rates and the Medicare surtax. This hike in capital gains tax rates, coupled with the greater federal estate tax exemption, calls for a fresh look at planning strategies.
With the current $5.43 million federal estate tax exemption ($5.45 million for 2016), many people may no longer be exposed to federal (and possibly state) estate taxes. Thus, maneuvering around capital gains tax becomes the primary concern.
John O. McManus Featured Expert for Next Avenue (PBS)
The following article written by John O. McManus first appeared on Next Avenue (PBS).
5 Ways to Keep Capital Gains Taxes Down
How traditional estate planning is being turned on its head
November 23, 2015
FEATURED EXPERT
The time-honored approach to estate planning is being turned on its head by significant tax law changes that have taken effect in recent years.
Long-term capital gains tax rates now range from 25 percent to 33 percent (when you add together the top federal, state and local rates and Obamacare’s Medicare surtax). So now that the federal estate tax exemption is $5.43 million ($10.86 million for a couple’s combined exemptions), many Americans may no longer be exposed to federal estate taxes, making taxes on income and capital gains more prominent.
McManus Speaks to Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Investment News
Reporter Greg Iacurci tackled year-end tax planning strategies in a recent piece for Investment News. To help identify where the focus of advisers should be, Iacurci spoke with John O. McManus, estate planning attorney and founder of McManus & Associates.
The Investment News story, “Year-end tax planning strategies advisers should be considering,” encourages exploration of end-of-year tax considerations now, with just two months left in 2015. As Iacurci points out, “tax rules are largely unchanged,” so “tactics employed last year will more than likely still be relevant.”
Educational Focus Series: Top 10 Possibilities of Portability
A significant opportunity presented by Uncle Sam, portability was first introduced as part of Tax Relief Unemployment Reauthorization and the Job Creation Act of 2010. It was scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2012 but was made permanent with passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. McManus & Associates, a top-rated estate planning law firm with offices in New York and New Jersey, today released the “Top 10 Possibilities of Portability.” Part of the firm’s Educational Focus Series, the discussion was led by Founding Principal and AV-rated Attorney John O. McManus, who shared guidance on transferring unused federal estate tax exemption amounts and the critical steps that must be taken to utilize this important estate and income tax tool.
McManus Raises Concern about Reverse Mortgages in Investment News Article
Greg Iacurci, reporter for Investment News, recently explored reverse mortgages, a type of home equity loan for borrowers age 62 and older that allow homeowners to access part of their home equity in cash. For his story, “Advisers like reverse mortgages, but only in unique circumstances,” Iacurci interviewed John O. McManus, founding principal of McManus & Associates, who shared some words of caution.
While reverse mortgages may be an ok option for clients who plan to stay in their home indefinitely and who could use some supplemental income, McManus warned against draining one of your most valuable assets to pass down to children or other loved ones.
VIDEO: John McManus Presents Estate Planning 101 at FAE
John O. McManus recently presented on Estate Planning Basics at the Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE). Sharing compelling client examples and colorful analogies to aid understanding, McManus discussed Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies, and Living Wills.
In addition to learning about essential estate planning vehicles, watch video of the presentation below for answers to important questions related to estate tax planning and planning for incapacity.
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