While the real estate market is experiencing significant upheaval at the moment with decreased inventory and more tentative buyers, we believe there will be a reasonably quick return to status quo in the real estate market. Potentially, there will be an increase in...
PLDO Law Blog
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Trust Beneficiary Forfeits Beneficial Interest After Violating No-Contest Clause
In July, the Massachusetts Appeal Court in Capobianco v. Dischino Capobianco v. Dischino, 19-P-197 (Mass. App. Ct. Jul. 9, 2020) ruled that a beneficiary forfeited his beneficial interest in a Trust established by his parents when he filed an action seeking to remove...
Terminating Your Interest in a Charitable Trust
A charitable remainder trust (“CRT”) is typically established as an irrevocable trust with an income stream reserved for the person who creates the trust (“the grantor”). When the income stream terminates, the remaining interest in the trust is donated to a charity. A...
Why LLC Operating Agreements Protect You and Your Business
Forming a limited liability company, or “LLC,” does not require an attorney. Articles of organization are filed with the Secretary of State and the LLC is then created; no attorney necessary. However, while registration with the Secretary of State is all that is...
SO, YOU WANT TO WRESTLE AN ALLIGATOR?
Before base jumping into the miasma of risk, the first thing you should do is make sure your estate plan, in its current iteration, meets your needs and has adapted to any challenging or changing family situation. A well-rounded estate plan is literally more of a life...
HOW LIFE INSURANCE PROCEEDS COULD AFFECT A COMPANY’S VALUATION FOR ESTATE TAX PURPOSES
A recent case brought to light the impact that a stock-purchase agreement and life insurance proceeds may – or may not - have on the valuation of a closely held company for estate tax purposes. In this case that caused a split between the 8th and 11th Circuits, the...
HASTE MAKES WASTE . . . CASH THE CHECK.
One never knows what corner the grim reaper lies behind. A final illness can often accelerate quickly and deprive a donor of adequate time to complete gifts for tax purposes that he intended to make. In a recent federal court case, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals...
ATTENTION SNOWBIRDS: DO YOU PASS THE DOMICILE TEST?
“A person doesn't know how much he has to be thankful for until he has to pay taxes on it.” This anonymous quote is timely. It is rumored that the Rhode Island Division of Taxation (“the Division”) is reviewing its procedures for determining whether a Rhode Islander...
HOW CLOSELY HELD BUSINESSES CAN PREVENT MANAGEMENT DEADLOCKS
Differences in opinion on how to achieve a stated goal in a closely held business can lead to disputes that block the enterprise from moving forward. Closely held businesses are characterized by a limited number of shareholders and a lack of public trading. The...