For decades, most people have known 529 Plans  as a tool for putting money aside tax free for their children’s college expenses. Less known is their usefulness as a powerful estate planning tool. Strategically, using 529s as part of a wealth transfer strategy can help high-net-worth clients pass on significant wealth tax free to future generations. 

For many years, sustainability was little more than a footnote in corporate strategies – written on paper, but disconnected and low on the priority list. Yet the case for sustainable business was steadily building, underpinned by the belief that how companies manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues influences long-term resilience, reputation and ROI.

The U.S. imposes an Expatriation Tax on U.S. citizens who abandon citizenship and on or long-term U.S. residents (non-citizens) who surrender their green card. The expatriation tax consists of the Exit Tax and the Inheritance Tax.  This article explains the Exit Tax.

On December 11, 2020, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (“Defense Act”) was presented to the President, who then vetoed the legislation on December 23. The House voted to override the veto on December 28, and the Senate soon followed on January 1, 2021. Accordingly, the Defense Act became law. 

Limited liability companies (“LLCs”) have become the business entity of choice. The corporation has waned in popularity, likely due to the exposure of corporate stock to shareholder creditors. Although corporations insulate shareholders from “inside” operational liabilities, an indebted shareholder must generally surrender corporate stock to a judgment holder. The judgment holder then often becomes a shareholder (with all shareholder voting and liquidation rights).