Posts Categorized: Program Recap

Program Date: Thursday, April 26, 2018

Speakers: Paul M. Cathcart, Jr. and Charles R. Platt of Hemenway & Barnes LLP

Program Chairs: Heidi A. Seely of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster and David L. Silvian of Day Pitney LLP

Materials: Click here for the speakers’ handout.

Program Topic:  This program discussed estate tax and basis step-up planning choices for Massachusetts residents who expect to be subject to state, but not federal estate tax—those with assets between about $1 million and $11.2 million per person.  The program provided an overview of the current law and focused on opportunities for income-tax basis planning and Massachusetts estate tax planning.

Program Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Speaker: Sarah  M. Richards of Nixon Peabody LLP 

Program Chairs: Nikki Marie Oliveira of Bass Doherty & Finks, P.C. and Stephanie A. Bruno of Nixon Peabody LLP

Materials: Click here for the speaker’s handout.

Program Topic:  This program discussed the fundamentals of Estate, Gift, and GST Tax Planning for Massachusetts residents.

Program Date:  Friday, May 19, 2017

Panelists:   John A. McBrine and Aimee Fukuchi Bryant, both of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP

Program Chairs:  Sara Goldman Curley of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP and David L. Silvian of Day Pitney LLP, co-Chairs of the Estate Planning Committee

Materials:  To view the program materials, click here.

Summary of Program Topic:  The panelists for this program discussed the basics of advising clients interested in making charitable gifts, including a discussion of considerations when making gifts of different types of assets, either during life or at death, evaluating the use of a private foundation or a donor advised fund.  The panelists also covered an overview of deferred giving vehicles, such as charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities.

Program Date: Monday, November 28, 2016

Panelists: Susan A. Robb of First Republic Trust Company and Danielle R. Greene of Boston Private

Program Chairs: Heidi Seely of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster, P.C. and Nikki Marie Oliveira of Bass Doherty & Finks, P.C.

Materials: Click here for panelists’ handout.

Program Topic:  Panelists provided an introduction to the estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes.  The program content included a review of the key components of each tax, how the taxes related to one another, and context of the relevancy of each tax for purposes of preparing an estate plan.

Program Date:  Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Panelists: Liza Connelly of Boston Private and Stacy K. Mullaney of Fiduciary Trust Company.

Program Chairs:  Liza Connelly of Boston Private and Stacy K. Mullaney of Fiduciary Trust Company, co-Chairs of the Trust Administration Committee

Materials:  To view the program materials, click here.

Summary of Program Topic:  This program covered the myriad of issues facing trustees who hold real estate in irrevocable trusts such as issues on trustee succession, insurance, expense allocation between trust and beneficiary-occupant and between trust income and principal, and the obligation to obtain “highest and best” price in a sale of real estate.  The panelists discussed the issues facing trustees when administering trust-owned real estate and how to avoid potential pitfalls in both the administration and the sale of real estate.

Program Date:  Friday, October 28, 2016

Panelists:  Jeffrey W. Roberts and Johanna L. Wise Sullivan of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP

Program Chairs:  Sara Goldman Curley of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, and David L. Silvian of Day Pitney LLP, co-Chairs of the Estate Planning Committee

Materials:  To view the program materials, click here.

Summary of Program Topic:  This program provided an overview of key issues and planning points that attorneys should keep in mind when engaging in estate planning for a business owner.  It included an overview of different tax structures (C corporations, S corporations and LLCs), other structural issues (women owned businesses and business succession planning), and drafting considerations.  The panelists also discussed planning options, including the use of discounted valuations, freezing techniques and liquidity issues.

Program Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Panelists:  Alison Irving Glover of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Marshall D. Senterfitt of Goulston & Storrs, and Ryan P. McManus of Hemenway & Barnes LLP

Program Chairs: Marshall D. Senterfitt of Goulston & Storrs and Ryan P. McManus of Hemenway & Barnes LLP, co-Chairs of the Fiduciary Litigation Committee

Materials:  To view the program materials, click here.

Summary of Program Topic:  This program provided an in-depth review of estate planning strategies and best practices to be employed when a contest is possible or even likely.  The program focused on steps that can be taken during the planning stage to reduce the likelihood of litigation and to ensure that an estate plan, if challenged, will be upheld.  The panelists included a discussion of procedures that can be employed to try to achieve certainty and finality when litigation is anticipated.