Wealth Watch E-Letter

A free e-newsletter reporting on trust litigation and the latest estate-planning news. Subscribe to Wealth Watch E-Letter.

Wrestling with the Privacy Rights
Of John E. du Pont, Convicted Murderer

A Pennsylvania court weighs in on a former wrestler’s bid to unseal the records of du Pont’s incapacity hearing so as to peer into his trust documents ...

Charitable Lids
Triumph Again

They now should be at, or near the top of many wealthy families’ to-do lists in 2010—but only if there’s an estate tax this year ...

Gates Embraces Philanthro-capitalism

The world’s largest private foundation bets big on venture philanthropy ...

Past Wealth Watch E-Letters...

Latest Issue

8/ INVESTMENTS:
The Illusion of Calm?
By Michael E. Lewitt
A stable global financial system is an absolute necessity—unfortunately, a stable financial system is precisely what we still don’t have. The world remains highly vulnerable to another crisis until appropriate economic and regulatory changes are instituted. Meanwhile, investors should insure their portfolios can be turned into cash quickly. Also, pay close attention to value measures such as price/earnings ratios and credit spreads for warning signs.

Michael E. Lewittis president of Harch Capital Management, Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla. and author of The HCM Market Letter.

14/ ESTATE PLANNING & TAXATION:
Arghhhhhh!
By Roy M. Adams & Stuart A. Weichel
We’ve been waiting for a real solution to the estate tax dilemma since 2001, but at press time we still didn’t know what would happen.

Roy M. Adams
is a partner at Constantine Cannon LLP, in New York.
Stuart A. Weichel is an associate at Constantine Cannon LLP, in New York.

15/ VALUATIONS:
Discounts Under Siege
By Radd L. Riebe
In the family limited partnership arena, 2009 was a bad year for taxpayers who didn’t do things properly. The Internal Revenue Service challenged transfers of interests using the indirect gift or step-transaction doctrines, or the failure to meet the bona fide sales exception. Expect the focus on valuation issues in general and discounts in particular to intensify in 2010.

Radd L. Riebe is a managing director of the Valuation and Financial Opinions Group at Stout Risius Ross, Inc., in Cleveland.

18/ RETIREMENT BENEFITS:
The North Winds Howled
By Michael J. Jones
Retirement accounts took a hit last year, not only from the economic meltdown, but also because of swindlers like Bernard Madoff. Here are some practical ways you might help clients clean up this mess.

Michael J. Jonesis a partner in Monterey, Calif’s Thompson Jones LLP and chairs the Trusts & Estates Retirement Benefits Committee.

25/ PHILANTHROPY:
Rising to the Challenge
By Karen H. Putnam
Since personal and foundation portfolios nose dived last year, philanthropy has focused more on gifts that might have the most impact on charities, such as infrastructures and public-private partnerships.

Karen H. Putnamis director of Philanthropic and Family Wealth Stewardship Services at Bessemer Trust in New York.

See Entire Table of Contents

Note from the Editor

Rorie Sherman, Editor in Chief

Trusts & Estates is the town center where experts who serve the planning needs of the ultra-wealthy gather to gain insight into their specialties and to learn about related professions. Community members include estate-planning lawyers, corporate and individual trustees, financial planners, accountants, investment advisors, charitable giving specialists, family office executives, insurance agents, valuation experts and the like....More about us



T&E edit guidelines / T&E advisory board members


Tech E-Letter

Analyzing ILITs

InKnowVision has a spreadsheet-based software that helps wealth planners look at irrevocable life insurance trusts...

Roth Conversion 2010

A new software package helps advisors deal with the complexities and opportunities presented by Roth conversions after 2009...

View Past Technology Review Newsletters


Past Issues

  • November Issue
  • October Issue
  • September Issue
  • August Issue
  • July Issue
  • June Issue
  • May Issue

Sign Up

Articles are free for Trusts & Estates members.

Become a Member

Member Login

Download The 2009 Findings from a Nationwide Survey of Estate Planning Attorneys

Podcasts

Advising the Wealthy:
It's a Whole New Game

Many underlying assumptions of wealth planning have been proven wrong. Clients are shaken. How can advisors help clients now? Charlie Ratner talks with estate-planning expert Lou Harrison, investment guru Michael Lewitt and retirement benefits specialist Mike Jones. Register for this timely podcast......

Webinars

Integrative Philanthropy

Times are tough - in fact, donors are more careful to integrate their philanthropy with their financial and estate planning. Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. and Marc D. Hoffman describe the current philanthropic/political landscape and review the techniques that donors of means are now increasingly using to optimize their giving.
Available On Demand!...

The Electronic Practice

Learn how to get the most out of your computer as you work with trusts and estates matters. Sponsored by Sungard -
Available On Demand!...

All Offense — How to Get More Affluent Clients
In Tough Times

A three-part webinar series hosted by Registered Rep. magazine and Presented by Matt Oechsli of The Oechsli Institute- Available On Demand!...

Press Releases

WealthCounsel and Trusts & Estates Magazine Release Findings from the Third Annual Industry Trends Survey

WealthCounsel, a nationwide organization of estate planning attorneys, and Trusts & Estates magazine today released the results of the Third Annual Industry Trends Survey. The announcement came on opening day of the 44th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning in Orlando, Florida where several thousand estate planning practitioners gathered for a week-long educational conference....

2009 Events