A presentation on  administrative and judicial developments in the areas of Federal gift and estate taxation, and charitable giving. The presentation will discuss regulatory and statutory developments in the past year, as well as provide an overview of federal tax decisions that address estate and gift valuation matters, the inclusion of assets within taxable estates, valuation discounts available when gifting, charitable gifting developments, and other matters relevant to estate planners.

This presentation will focus on drafting trust documents to hold retirement benefits, given the changes in the law under the SECURE Act and the SECURE final regulations. 

We will begin by discussing fiduciaries, generally, and the sources of fiduciary obligations under Louisiana law. We will then narrow our focus to fiduciary obligations specific to trusts and estates. The presentation will also cover the types of lawsuits that arise when dealing with these specific fiduciaries. Additionally, we will discuss potential pitfalls to avoid in litigation and to be aware of when drafting trust instruments and wills.

On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court released its much anticipated decision in the Estate of Connelly v. United States, No. 23-146, (U.S. June 6 2024). The Court ruled in favor of the IRS and held that a  corporation's obligation to redeem a deceased shareholder's ownership interest - under a stock redemption agreement - does not offset any includable corporate-owned life insurance proceeds when calculating the value of the corporation for estate tax purposes. This overturns the longstanding ruling by the 11th Circuit in Estate of Blount v. Commissioner, 428 F. 3d. 1338 (11th Cir. 2005). This presentation will cover key issues including: 

Understanding the Court's rationale in overturning Estate of Blount v Commissioner.
What does the decision mean to entity redemption buy-sell agreements moving forward?
How best to effectively plan moving forward to ensure tax efficiency and effectiveness.

When the capacity clock runs out, who steps in to call the plays? This presentation will tackle the legal framework of interdiction and tutorship, with a special focus on the complexities that arise when the parties or assets cross state lines. It will break down the roles of tutors, curators and guardians on the field as well as strategies to avoid procedural fumbles in multi-state cases.

A review of recent legislation and jurisprudence relating to the possession and disposition of property of heirs and legatees of intestate and testate successions.