Estate Tax Planning Strategies for Wealthy Clients
Leveraging the Exemption While Anticipating Tax Increases
Recording of a 100-minute CPE/CLE webinar with Q&A
This seminar will provide a briefing on important developments in federal estate tax law, regulations and guidance and offer strategies to consider to maximize clients' estate tax exemptions. The panel will also discuss possible additional documentation and other unintended consequences from a larger exemption.
Outline
- Current situation with federal estate tax
- For 2009, maximum tax rate is 45%, exemption $3.5 million
- For 2010, tax is to be fully repealed
- For 2011 and beyond, tax is to be restored at maximum rate of 55% and $1 million exemption
- Obama Administration favors permanent $3.5 million exemption; but, might it reconsider 2010 repeal?
- Leveraging the higher exemptions for 2009 and 2010
- Create estate planning documents to get maximum exemption
- Possible asset realignments necessary
- Reexamine whether assets are in tax-deferred vehicles that prevent transferals
- Consider whether qualified plans can be left to a credit shelter or bypass trust
- Simplifying estate plans
- Should credit shelters and bypass trusts be eliminated?
- Review of fundamental options
- Intentional defective grantor trust, annual gifting, charitable planning, family loans, grantor trusts, etc.
- Possible unintended consequences from increased exemptions
- Formula clauses in wills, designed for tax purposes
- Higher state death taxes upon first spouse’s death
Benefits
The panel will offer you valuable guidance in these and other relevant topics:
- Political outlook: What are the Administration's and Congress' current intentions for the estate tax? Could the estate tax return for 2010? What are the chances for an improved rate and exemption going forward?
- Exemption outlook: Planning alternatives to maximize the spousal exemptions now available in 2009 and 2010.
- Avoiding unintended consequences: Making necessary adjustments to Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) planning, business succession, and other key issues.
- Staying current: Recent and proposed IRS guidance and regulations on valuation of larger estates, deduction limitations, return preparer penalties and other topics.
Faculty

Richard Franklin
Partner
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
He is an estate planning and trust specialist and frequent speaker on associated topics to ABA and state bar groups. He... | Read More
He is an estate planning and trust specialist and frequent speaker on associated topics to ABA and state bar groups. He has written on estate and IRA planning topics for numerous professional journals.
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James Carolan
Vice President, Trust and Estate Advisor
Comerica Bank Wealth Management
He has more than 20 years of experience in estate planning, including planning for non-U.S. citizens or assets. He now... | Read More
He has more than 20 years of experience in estate planning, including planning for non-U.S. citizens or assets. He now works with high net worth clients across the country. He previously worked for another financial institution and for 16 years in private law practice.
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Gerald Hatfield
Partner
Fox Rothschild
His practice focuses in complex estate administration and estate and trust planning, among other specialties. A... | Read More
His practice focuses in complex estate administration and estate and trust planning, among other specialties. A frequent speaker on estate tax topics, he previously worked with the Cozen O'Connor law firm and as a trust officer at Mellon Bank.
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Gary Altman
Principal and Founder
Altman & Assoc.
He has practiced in estate and tax planning law in the Washington, D.C. area since 1980. He was an adjunct professor in... | Read More
He has practiced in estate and tax planning law in the Washington, D.C. area since 1980. He was an adjunct professor in estate planning for the Florida Institute of Technology's Alexandria, Va. campus for seven years and now chairs the Financial Planning Association's National Capital Chapter.
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Thomas Hyde
Partner, Estates and Trusts Practice Group
Hodgson Russ
He leads the firm's Estates and Trusts Practice Group, serving many clients with cross-border U.S.-Canada estate... | Read More
He leads the firm's Estates and Trusts Practice Group, serving many clients with cross-border U.S.-Canada estate issues. He also works within the firm's Canada and non-profit practice groups.
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Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. CPE credit is not available on recordings. All formats include course handouts.
On-Demand Seminar Audio