by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Dec 4, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blended Families, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Career Maintenance, Career Preparation, Charity, Creditors & Predators, Defensive Gun Use, Entity Formation, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Maintenance, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, GunLaw.Pro, Health Planning, Honor, Incapacity Planning, Income Tax, Life, Limitation of Liability, News & Commentary, Operation & Governance, Pet Protection, Probate Admin, Property Tax, Punishment, Regulatory Compliance, Religious Faith, Retirement Planning, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection, WorldExaminer.com
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 30, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Protection, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, News & Commentary, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
The IRS has released Revenue Procedure 2024-40, which specifies annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2025. Some highlights: Gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption amounts: $13.99 million (up from $13.61 million) Annual gift tax exclusion (IRC...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 30, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Charity, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) planning can be quite complex, and the expenses involved usually are justified only with a very large gift to charity, well north of a million. Practically speaking most of this planning is tax-driven and must be to make it feasible,...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 27, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Protection, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, Retirement Planning, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
There seems to be a misconception among some California estate planning attorneys that BDOT planning (BDOT stands for Beneficiary Deemed Owner Trust; also called a 678 trust, named after IRC §678) is inconsistent with, and should never be used with, a trust designed...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 20, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Dying Embarrassed, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Maintenance, Family Protection, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, GunLaw.Pro, Honor, Income Tax, Life, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
At the beginning of this year, the California Uniform Directed Trust Act (CUDTA) went into effect, codified in Probate Code §§ 16600-16632. It was a long time coming, having been first proposed back in 2010 by our state bar’s trust and estate section. When it...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 17, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Maintenance, Family Protection, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, GunLaw.Pro, Honor, Income Tax, Life, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
Six years ago I posted this article proposing use of an advanced planning technique known as the Health and Education Exclusion Trust (HEET) to leave a dynastic legacy of firearm training. Such a trust might be called a Gun HEET. The Fall of the Republic and...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 10, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blended Families, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Career Maintenance, Career Preparation, Charity, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Family Maintenance, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, GunLaw.Pro, Health Planning, Honor, Incapacity Planning, Income Tax, Life, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Pet Protection, Property Tax, Punishment, Regulatory Compliance, Religious Faith, Retirement Planning, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
[Central Coast residents: You can safely ignore this article because we are here to help you with comprehensive planning.] Most of our local clients prefer to have the first meeting in person at our office in Morro Bay. After that initial meeting, many of these local...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 30, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Entity Formation, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
Under Private Letter Ruling 202428003, the IRS has allowed late filing of a Qualified Subchapter S Trust (QSST) election, to obtain relief from termination of S corporation status. The corporation represented that the termination was inadvertent and not for tax...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 29, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Dying Embarrassed, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, Tax Planning
Estate reduction surgery may be more urgent than you think. Understandably, a lot of folks are sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see what happens in November — not only in the presidential race, but in the congressional races that will determine the balance...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 26, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Property Tax, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Buying a business and purchasing real estate are two very different investments. Business ownership typically requires some management skills and knowledge about market conditions, consumer trends, staffing, and finances. Ownership of real estate, on the other hand,...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 24, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Career Maintenance, Career Preparation, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Honor, Income Tax, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The decision to hire family members for your business is a delicate balancing act that involves both personal and professional considerations. Working with loved ones can create a sense of trust and unity within the workplace and has been shown to increase business...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 23, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Starting a business requires a great deal of planning and execution. Exiting from your small business should entail a similar level of forethought and preparation. Nevertheless, some surveys indicate that nearly half of business owners have no exit strategy.[1] After...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 16, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
There is no law that limits the number of LLCs an entrepreneur can own. Forming multiple LLCs may make sense under certain circumstances: for example, companies that have several rental properties, separate businesses with common ownership, or when one business makes...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 13, 2024 | Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Increasing costs and rising interest rates have impacted many businesses. If your business is in crisis, there are steps you can take that could improve your business’s financial condition and help it successfully move forward. Entrepreneurs are competent, but they...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 12, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Fortune, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Equipment leasing is an alternative to purchasing new equipment. Amid volatile interest rates and inflated equipment costs, more businesses are turning to leases as they look for ways to preserve cash while acquiring the equipment they need to operate. Equipment...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 11, 2024 | Blog, Fortune, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Written contracts are the backbone of business relationships. They outline the rights, obligations, and expectations between parties and provide a legal framework that ensures parties keep their promises. Absent written contracts, business relationships are less...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 10, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
A distribution from a limited liability company (LLC) is a payment of cash or property made by an LLC to the LLC’s owners, also known as members. Although state law sets forth certain default rules, LLC members can specify in the LLC’s operating agreement when and how...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 9, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
When you are first starting a business, operating it as a sole proprietorship may make a lot of sense. Sole proprietorships are simple and inexpensive to set up and maintain: they are operated by a single taxpayer and are the most common form of business organization....
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 1, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Career Maintenance, Career Preparation, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Family Maintenance, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Honor, Life, News & Commentary, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
There is a wonderful recent story about a Minnesota family that has baptized 27 babies over three generations with a baptismal gown made from the World War II parachute that saved grandpa’s life! I’m always coming up with analogies for trusts and often use...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 1, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Dying Embarrassed, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, News & Commentary, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2024 (AHEMA) is a giant $5 trillion tax increase now before both houses of Congress which has the potential, if Democrats end up with enough control after elections this year, to radically change estate planning. These...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jul 29, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 made several significant changes to the tax code that affect small businesses and business owners. It introduced the qualified business interest deduction, added a bonus depreciation deduction for qualifying property, and...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jul 28, 2024 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The rise of home-based businesses represents a fundamental shift in the way Americans work. Home businesses offer their owners a convenient and flexible way to earn income without commuting to a traditional office. They may also qualify for tax breaks in the form of...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jun 20, 2024 | Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Dying Embarrassed, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, News & Commentary, Operation & Governance, Probate Admin, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
In a major unanimous decision (Connelly v US) sure to cause revision of many business succession plans, the US Supreme Court earlier this month on June 6, 2024, rejected use of a corporate redemption obligation as an estate deduction. While the Court pointed out in a...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Mar 28, 2024 | Blog, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Income Tax, News & Commentary, Property Tax, Tax Planning
My daughter, Ayn, will be heading for law school this Fall! She was offered a very nice package covering most expenses of attending the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Most estate planning attorneys like me, especially those of us...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Feb 8, 2024 | Blog, Fortune, Income Tax, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
As the holiday season approaches, gift-giving is on the minds of many business owners. But there are reasons why a business owner may want to give gifts to workers and clients throughout the year and not just during the holidays. Whether to recognize a job well done,...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Nov 12, 2023 | Blog, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Gift Tax, GST Tax, Tax Planning
Suppose earlier this year you read somewhere (this site, for example) that estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemptions will drop in half in 2026, and that there is generally no clawback for gifts made before then which exceed the 2026 exemption...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Nov 12, 2023 | Asset Protection, Blog, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Fortune, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Trust Admin, Venture Protection
Did you ever put off studying for a final, until the night before the final? That’s pretty much how the planning community is feeling about the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which will go into effect January 1, 2024. Congress passed the devilish law several...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 22, 2023 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Admin, Estate Planning, Fortune, Income Tax, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning, Trust Admin
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0 Act). The previous SECURE Act in 2020 made several changes to retirement planning: It increased the required beginning date (RBD) for required...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 6, 2022 | Blog, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning
Giving money to charity might seem counterintuitive to those running a for-profit company. However, it is important to keep in mind that charitable giving can not only make a big difference to the recipients of your generosity, but it can also provide a net gain to...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Aug 23, 2022 | Blog, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Farming brings to mind kinship with nature and a simpler way of life. But the farming industry is highly regulated, and navigating the applicable laws and regulations can be far from simple. A rising world population creates greater demand for food and the farmers who...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Aug 15, 2022 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
You spend a significant part of your life building your business, and it becomes a major part of your legacy. But when you die, everything you have built could fall apart if you have not taken the time to create a business succession plan. Without a plan in place,...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Aug 8, 2022 | Asset Protection, Blog, Business Succession, Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, Creditors & Predators, Entity Formation, Estate Planning, Family Maintenance, Financial Mentorship, Fortune, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
Trusts are usually associated with estate planning, but trusts can also apply to business operations. As a small business owner, you can hold the business in a trust instead of using a business entity such as a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. Business...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jul 27, 2022 | Blog, Entity Formation, Operation & Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The number of people working from home has never been higher. During the pandemic, many workers got a taste of the remote-work future and realized that they prefer to work from home. Now, as companies move ahead with return-to-office plans, there is an emerging power...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jul 21, 2022 | Blog, Income Tax, Limitation of Liability, Operation & Governance, Tax Planning
Tax day is one of the most important—and one of the most dreaded—days on the calendar for working Americans. If you have had a side gig or even transitioned to full-time self-employment, you may have to make estimated quarterly tax payments. Not everybody who earns...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jul 20, 2022 | Blog, Income Tax, Tax Planning, Venture Protection
The war for talent is heating up. A record number of workers have quit their jobs this year, creating a massive problem for employers. While higher pay can help get new workers in the door of your business, wages alone may not be enough to keep them there. Employers...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Jun 16, 2022 | Asset Protection, Blended Families, Blog, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Income Tax, Tax Planning
The Basis Optimized Trust (BOT) is an advanced option for planning that may yield better results than the more common types of irrevocable trusts, such as credit shelter (bypass) trusts, or qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trusts, which have been the...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Mar 31, 2022 | Asset Protection, Blog, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Fortune, Income Tax, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning
The Beneficiary Deemed Owner Trust (BDOT) is one of several options to consider for “trusted beneficiaries” (pun intended) to whom you are open to giving some access to trust income and/or principal. (Another option might be the Beneficiary Controlled...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Sep 1, 2021 | Asset Protection, Blog, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Tax Planning
Check out our new radio ad, commencing today on the Andy Caldwell Show, K-NEWS 98.5 FM…best talk radio on the Central Coast! Posted with permission of the Andy Caldwell Show and Dimes Media. Click here: Script: Ronald Reagan warned us: “Freedom is never more...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Nov 28, 2020 | Property Tax
Barring any assistance from a Kraken tentacle or two, it looks like California’s Prop 19 passed. Many families will be negatively affected and you should contact us right away for preliminary legal advice on whether you might benefit from taking immediate...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Dec 30, 2019 | Asset Protection, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Retirement Planning, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning
Dear Clients and Students, On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act). The SECURE Act, which is effective January 1, 2020. The Act is the most impactful legislation affecting...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Dec 21, 2019 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Tax Planning
Yesterday with all eyes focused on impeachment, President Trump signed into law the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, part of the 1,700 page, $1.4 trillion Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865, as amended)....
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 18, 2019 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Tax Planning
Dynasty trusts may be a tough sell when it comes to some millenials. How long did AOC say we have, twelve years? On the other hand, clients who are sane may benefit from acting now to create a dynasty trust before the window closes in 2026 — or perhaps...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 18, 2019 | Retirement Planning, Tax Planning
You may find Kiplinger’s updated tax map surprising: Click on any state in the map below for a detailed summary of state taxes on income, property, and everything you buy. Check out our slideshows below, including our picks for the 10 most tax-friendly and the...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Apr 9, 2019 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Tax Planning
Using quantitative analysis, we’ll show that the grantor’s choice is almost always clear: If her two-year GRAT is funded with marketable securities and is underwater at all prior to the first annuity date, she should cut her losses and start a new GRAT. That...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Apr 6, 2019 | Asset Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Tax Planning
Outright distributions, even if staged at various ages, signify outdated planning. The Beneficiary Controlled Trust, pioneered by my friend Steve Oshins and his father, fills the gap between outright distribution and extreme asset protection — very...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Feb 4, 2019 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax, News & Commentary, Property Tax, Tax Planning
While the estate tax is a perennial boomerang, Warren’s wealth tax tomahawk chop flies in the face of the Constitution’s prohibition on unapportioned scalping: The Constitution prohibits federal direct taxes that are not apportioned by population,...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Nov 3, 2018 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Family Protection, Firearm Legacy, Firearm Training, Health Planning, Incapacity Planning, Tax Planning
Here is a great little slideshow on top estate planning priorities to avoid tragedy and missed opportunity (“Top 10 Dangers Facing Senior Citizen Clients”) which I summarize below (adding a little California-relevant detail of my own), with a link...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Nov 1, 2018 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Tax Planning
[UPDATE 30 September 2024 — The Fall of the Republic and likelihood of reduced exclusions from death tax are leading to renewed interest in this technique. While there remains little guidance, if used conservatively it should work for extremely large...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 24, 2018 | Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Tax Planning
This Virginia attorney writes a very good article summarizing some of the problems of transferring real estate to a child as an alternative to actual estate planning. Capital gains tax due to loss of basis step-up, medicaid lookback (California’s medi-cal...
by Dave Duringer - Protective Law Corp | Oct 19, 2018 | Asset Protection, Bloodline Protection, Creditors & Predators, Estate Planning, Income Tax, Spendthrift Children, Tax Planning
California recently (9/14/18) joined a few other states that have enacted the Uniform Trust Decanting Act. A lot of states have decanting statutes, several dozen in fact, but they vary greatly and this uniform act is more restrictive than those in some of the more...
