Category: Estate Planning

Estate Planning

How Does the SECURE Act Affect Your Retirement Savings Plan? by Adam Cohen, CPA


Posted on May 11, 2021 by Adam Cohen

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) was signed into law at the end of 2019 to help more Americans prepare and plan for greater financial security during their retirement years. As the average life span increases, people need more money to maintain their standards of living in retirement. However, not […]

Trusts Still Have Time to Reduce Taxable Income in 2020 by Jeffrey M. Mutnik, CPA/PFS


Posted on February 25, 2021

Rarely do taxpayers have an opportunity to reduce their taxable income and related tax liabilities in a given year after the clock strikes midnight on December 31. This is not the case for certain trusts, which the IRS grants an additional 65 days after year-end to distribute income to beneficiaries and treat it as if […]

Social Security Announces Minimal Cost of Living Adjustment for 2021 by Jeffrey M. Mutnik, CPA/PFS


Posted on November 03, 2020

Recipients of Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI), will receive a modest 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment in 2021, down from 1.4 percent in 2020, according to a recent announcement from the Social Security Administration. This meager bump during the financial challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic will bring just a few extra […]

IRS Grants Certain Deductions for Estates and Non-Grantor Trusts, Including Excess Deductions on Termination by Jeffrey M. Mutnik, CPA/PFS


Posted on October 13, 2020

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued final regulations that allow decedents’ estates and non-grantor trusts to claim certain deductions that would otherwise have been disallowed under the 2017 overhaul of the tax code. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) barred individuals, estates and non-grantor trusts from claiming miscellaneous itemized deductions for any taxable […]

Individuals, Businesses Receive More Incentives to Make Charitable Donations in 2020 by Jack Winter, CPA


Posted on June 02, 2020 by Jack Winter

The financial impact of the COVID-19 health crisis will leave a lasting impression on individuals and businesses throughout the world. For nonprofit organizations that rely on public donations to fund research and services for those in need, the pandemic can be devastating. In response, the CARES Act offers U.S. individuals and businesses greater incentives to […]

Estate Planning in the Time of COVID-19


Posted on May 22, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life as we know it, threatening our physical and financial well-being, potentially for years to come. Just as social distancing and other safer-at-home measures have been implemented to help you protect your health, there are some estate planning strategies you should consider at this time to help you protect your […]