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.
Early 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.
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.
Estate 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.”
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.
Top 9 Considerations in Light of Administration’s Proposals to Change Estate and Gift Tax to Generate Revenue
Award-winning law firm McManus & Associates flags potential modifications to the law that should factor into one’s estate planning
NEW YORK, NY – President Obama and the Treasury Department recently released the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Proposal and the associated “Green Book,” which details the Administration’s revenue proposals. With future policies that will be pushed now clear, McManus & Associates, a top-rated tax and estate planning law firm based in the Tri-State Area, today released the “Top 9 Considerations in Light of President Obama’s Proposed 2015 Budget.”
Andrea Coombes
Andrea Coombes writes the “Ways and Means” column for MarketWatch, a media property of the Wall Street Journal that has nearly 9.5 million unique visitors per month. McManus & Associates Founding Principal and top AV-rated Attorney John McManus recently spoke with Coombes about special considerations for women when it comes to estate planning.
Gerry W. Beyer
A treasure chest of information on estate planning, “Wills, Trusts, and Estates Prof Blog” is a member of the Law Professor Blogs Network sponsored by Wolters Kluwer and written by Texas Tech School of Law Professor Gerry Beyer. Via the go-to outlet, Beyer recently highlighted McManus & Associates’ latest educational conference call, “Top 10 Signposts to Guide Planning for Estates under $10MM.” The discussion sheds light on estate planning strategies that should be considered now following recent changes in federal and state law.
Fun way to end the week: the entry page for SmartCEO’s New York CPA & ESQ awards is emblazoned with a quote from McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus.
Alexandra Talty
Alexandra Talty, contributor for Forbes who covers personal finance and travel, recently spoke with McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus for tax tips that she could pass along to her readers. McManus’ thoughts appeared back-to-back in Talty’s two-day series that highlights “some shocking employee deductions as well as hitting some basics for first-time tax filers.”
Talty’s first article, “Surprising Tax Reimbursements for Employees,” addresses the importance of crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s come tax season. As emphasized by McManus in the story:
“Document, document, document with details, details, details. The IRS is looking at it as a smell test,” says John O. McManus, founding principal of McManus & Associates. “The longer you take to respond back to them [if you are audited], the more they think you are contriving or making it up. You have to be very reactive when they are calling on things. This demonstrates that you are always buttoned up.”
McManus advises, “Every year, presume you will be audited, so keep everything.”
Today’s article, Talty’s second day of tax coverage, focused on those “lucky enough to be self-employed or property owners.” Her piece, “Freelancing Tax Write-Offs You Might Be Missing,” offers interesting tips to bear in mind for tax day, such as how to write off cruises and conferences.
An educational vacation is a great way to kill two birds with one stone – but how can you be sure you’re covered if the IRS comes knocking? From McManus:
“I do believe it is essential to keep a copy of the agenda,” advises John O. McManus, founding principal of McManus & Associates. “Then the IRS can connect that it makes sense for you to be on the cruise for that purpose or that you needed to attended the seminar.”
Tax write-offs that help you see the world? Just say, “bon voyage,” pack your bags and go!
To read more helpful hints for self-employed Americans, check out Talty’s story in full here. And for tax planning help that transcends April 15th, give McManus & Associates a call at 908-898-0100.
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