“Asset protection is a legitimate, legally sanctioned objective; though one that has limitations of its own.” The timing of asset protection planning can be critical when it comes to these “limitations.” By the time a creditor is reasonably foreseeable, the creditor may be able to stop or unwind transfers of assets whether through obtaining an…
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In 2014, Mississippi enacted the Mississippi Qualified Disposition in Trust Act,[1] which amended the former provisions of the Mississippi Trust Code to allow the creation of a “qualified disposition trust,” also known as a domestic asset protection trust (“DAPT”). Generally, assets placed in trust by someone other than a beneficiary are protected from such beneficiary’s…
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A recent Tax Court decision underscores an increasingly rigorous examination of Section 831(b) microcaptive insurance arrangements.[1] This ruling may be insightful to taxpayers considering or currently operating microcaptives, has broad implications for businesses seeking legitimate tax incentives created by Congress. Overview of the Case The case at hand involves the Internal Revenue Service’s (“IRS”) rejection…
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Holding property in a limited liability company, or LLC, can provide a certain level of asset protection to individuals as opposed to holding such property in their individual capacity. However, that is not to say that a good asset protection plan is as simple as transferring property to a formed LLC and calling it a…
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The practice of “estate planning” covers a broad range of topics, one of which is accounting for gift and estate taxes. From the inception of the estate tax until the early 2000s, when the exemption amount was less than a million dollars, this was a facet of estate planning that practitioners had to evaluate in…
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A line from President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address on March 4, 1865, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,” was the mission statement for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) for decades. The VA offers many different benefits to those who served in…
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Individuals approaching age 65 have some very important decisions to make, however, they may not be aware of the potential long-term consequences of these decisions. One of the most important decisions is which Medicare programs to enroll in. Among the choices are Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C, and previously referred to…
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Split dollar life insurance arrangements can take on a number of forms, and the exact structure of the arrangement determines the tax consequences, which can become complicated quickly. In a recent case out of the District Court of Ohio, the court held that an insurance arrangement between a single member C corporation, Peter E. McGowan…
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Recently, an attorney friend of mine involved in a family legal matter concerning trust administration called to ask me what probably seemed like a simple question – is a trust a legal entity? The point of the question related to procedural aspects of trust administration, issues involving duties of the attorney involved, and related considerations.…
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If you’ve ever owned a home in Mississippi, you are probably familiar with the concept of homestead exemption, if for no other reason than to reduce the amount of ad valorum (property) taxes you pay each year. While filing for the homestead exemption in Mississippi does provide the benefit of reducing these taxes, its main…
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