The Ohio Trust & Estate Blog: Taxation & Estate Planning

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Taxation & Estate Planning Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Taxation & Estate Planning

The Ohio Trust & Estate Blog

Ohio law on Trusts, Estates and their legislation and litigation.
By Michael D. Bonasera, Esq.

Post Frequency: 0.5/day

Last Entry: December 18, 2012 at 19:46:48

TOMMY!

Posted on December 18, 2012
So I’ve not posted for a while. In fact, you’ll note that I mention in the below post that my son was about a month from arriving… Well, arrive he did. On 6/18/2012 Tommy arrived and, smiling almost ever since, has kept me fairly occupied...

Sad Updates

Posted on May 08, 2012
Its been a while since I’ve written anything here and, though I fully intend to get back to it in the coming months, a couple sad events required mentioning: MCA died last Friday. The number of tributes available on the web make this small entry seem, well, really small, but in the timeline of my [...

So Many Great Blogs, So Little Time

Posted on August 16, 2011
My Google Reader account is getting pretty full-up. There’s so many great resources out there for estate planning that it’s getting hard to keep up! It’s a nice problem to have I guess… The first new discovery is The Nevada Trust Reporter...

Shameless Plug ? ABA Top 100 Recommendations

Posted on August 11, 2011
Hello dear readers The ABA is working on their annual list of the Top 100 Legal Blogs in the country. If you think site is one that is deserving of the honor, would you mind terribly filling out this little form here to let them know? First Lexis Top 25, now the ABA, then the [...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Ohio?s Estate Tax Is No More!

Posted on July 01, 2011
Its official folks! Just this afternoonGovernor Kasich signed the bill repealing the Ohio estate tax . ?By repealing this suffocating tax, Gov. Kasich and the Ohio legislature have made their state stronger ? and made it a model for the remaining 21 other states who continue to impose state estate or inheritance taxes, including three [...

Leading Ladies ? Now On The Small ScreenToo!

Posted on June 28, 2011
In a prior post I commented on a project that I was lucky to be involved in with a client that I had a wonderful time representing: A small, first-time production of a full length feature film that happened to also be a musical. Leading Ladies had a very successful run on the international festival [...

What Now For Same Sex Couples In New York? ? Estate Planning Thoughts

Posted on June 27, 2011
Having not posted anything for a while it seems appropriate that my return-post – if I can be dramatic about it – should be on the subject that I’ve dedicated a fair amount of screen space to, that of marriage equality. So thanks to NYC for bring me back to the blog-o-webs! Now that [...

Hans Sarji?s Awesome Post About The New Bi-partisan Effort To Repeal The Estate Tax

Posted on April 02, 2011
I frequently reference other blogs here. I’ll typically use such content as a jumping off point to ruminate on the same subject or to dovetail into a separate but related subject… Not this time. This post yesterday from Hans Sarji who publishes Estate of Confusion – which is another honoree by LexisNexis as one the nation’s top [...

Thanks For Voting!

Posted on April 01, 2011
Thank you to all who voted for this blog as one of LexisNexis’ Top 25 Estate Probate and Elder Law Blogs of 2011! You did it! I am honored to count myself among such a great list of winning blogs. All of their publishers work hard to make their blogs entertaining and informative so its nice [...

Last Day To Vote!

Posted on March 31, 2011
In a prior post I announced that this blog had been nominated as a “Top Estate, Probate, and Elder Law Blog” by LexisNexis. Well today is the last day to vote for your favorite blog. To vote for me (or anyone else): Click on the image below or click here...

Posthumously Conceived Children And Their Uphill Battle For Inheritance Rights

Posted on March 27, 2011
This story from yesterday’s FoxNews.com highlights the difficulty faced by children who were conceived after one of their parents dies. Melissa Amen conceived her 3-year-old daughter, Kayah, seven days after Kayah’s father died of cancer. Melissa and her husband, Joshua, struggled for two years to have a child before she conceived through intrauterine insemination...

So you gave some property to a relative and didn?t file a gift tax return. The IRS is coming.

Posted on March 26, 2011
This comes to us from Forbes.com today… As part of a new national hunt for gift tax evaders, the Internal Revenue Service has asked a federal court for permission to order a California state tax agency to hand over its computer database of everyone who transferred real estate to relatives for little or no consideration [...

Estate Planning and Divorce

Posted on March 17, 2011
I’ve written here and here before on the unique challenges planners face when drafting a plan for people who are not in their first marriage. One such challenge is advising clients whether they have any lingering rights or responsibilities from their divorce decree or another agreement that arose when their prior marriage ended...

I?m Doing A Lot of Gifting Right Now

Posted on March 12, 2011
Well, not me personally but I’m working on a lot of gifting for clients. High net worth individuals should consider making substantial gifts now and next year while the lifetime exemption for gifts is still $5 million. No one knows what will happen to the law in 2013 but as it is presently written the [...

Another Article on the Possible Demise of DOMA

Posted on March 12, 2011
Professor Berry this morning linked to a very interesting article [pdf] on the possible demise of DOMA by Jerry Simon Chasen (Attorney at Law, Miami, FL). Within a four-week period last summer, three U.S. district court decisions were handed down that call into question the constitutional viability of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)...

90 Year Limit To Dynasty Trusts Proposed In 2012 Budget

Posted on March 07, 2011
If the estate planning lawyers you know are looking even more pallid than usual this morning, its likely because of this story in today’s WSJ: A type of trust used by the wealthy to shelter assets from estate taxes for hundreds of years, or even forever, is under fire...

?Top Blog? Nomination by LexisNexis

Posted on March 02, 2011
I’m happy to announce that the Estate Practice & Elder Law Community at LexisNexis has nominated The Ohio Trust & Estate Blog as one of their “Top Blogs” for 2011. If you happen to be a member of that community you can nominate your favorite blog here and, when the time comes, cast your vote...

One of The Top 3 Estate Planning Mistakes

Posted on March 01, 2011
One of the top 3 estate planning mistakes – in both frequency and severity – is families not planning after second marriages. These mistakes are so bad because there usually has not been any undue-influencing or other wanton shenanigans that would allow the plan to be set aside, its just that mom/dad or their attorney [...

You?re POA For Mom/Dad And They Have a Trust? Can You Change The Trust?

Posted on February 28, 2011
This question comes up frequently… Someone is the power of attorney for someone else, let’s say mom or dad, and the POA wants to change to mom or dad’s trust in their capacity as power of attorney to conform to some new wish of mom or dad...

Same Sex Marriage, The Estate Tax & The [Possible] Death of DOMA

Posted on February 26, 2011
“There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo I posted last week about Hawaii having approved civil unions for same sex and couples (and for the rest of us breeders too). Then the Obama administration one-upped that news by deciding to stop defending DOMA in the federal courts which [...

Hawaii Approves Civil Unions

Posted on February 21, 2011
Add Hawaii to the list of states that now allow Civil Unions for all of its citizens: On Wednesday, Hawaii state legislators approved civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, and Governor Neil Abercrombie vowed to sign it into law. It was approved with an 18-5 vote...

Everything Old Is New Again ? The Effect of Portability Clauses on Bypass Trusts

Posted on February 03, 2011
I was worried that after the passage of the last tax compromise that estate planners wouldn’t have anything to argue over – silly me. There is an ongoing debate about whether or not, in light of exemption portability, bypass trusts should still be used...

Civil Unions in Illinois ? Its Official

Posted on February 01, 2011
Yesterday, Monday, January 31st, Governor Quinn signed a bill legalizing civil unions for gay and lesbian couples in Illinois. Though the state continues to define marriage as between a man a woman this bill will, according to this story in the Sun Times, provide over 650 spousal benefits and protections...

Opinions Differ Widely On Effect Of New Estate Tax Law

Posted on January 04, 2011
So now that we know what the numbers are in the long awaited tax compromise, its time to track whose happy and whose sad… And as with most things legislativley related, its not a clear answer as it depends not only on what numbers you look at but how you look at them...

My First Link to Oklahoma

Posted on December 29, 2010
Rod Yancy wrote me today requesting a link exchange to his blog and, after a quick perusal I was happy to oblige. Rod looks to be doing good work for the good people in Tulsa so I was more than happy to add him as my newest link and my first from Oklahoma...

I was featured in Columbus CEO Magazine

Posted on December 28, 2010
Columbus CEO’s current edition has an article on estate planning for non-traditional couples in which I was quoted a couple times. I don’t think they have an online edition but if your in my area and a subscriber give it a look. Lisa Hooker (the freelance writer who did the story) did a nice job...

Obama Signs 2010 Tax Relief Act ? What Do Trust & Estate Bloggers Talk About Now?!

Posted on December 18, 2010
My man Greg posted a very complete summary here on his blog which I have generously re-posted below: HIGHLIGHTS Two-year extension of all current tax rates through 2012 Rates remain 10, 25, 28, 33, and 35 percent 2-year extension of reduced 0 or 15 percent rate for capital gains & dividends 2-year continued repeal of [...

House Passes The Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010, H.R. 4853

Posted on December 17, 2010
Well, despite some last minute (attempted) shenanigans, President Obama has a shiny new piece of tax legislation on his desk this morning that he is expected to sign. In addition to continuing the “Bush Tax Cuts” for two years and exetnding long-term unemployment benefits there are some sweeping changes to the estate tax...

Estate Tax Deal? 35%, $5 Million Exemption, Questions Remain

Posted on December 07, 2010
According to this article on TheHill.com last night, it looks like we could have deal in the works that would restore the estate tax. It looks most likely right now that the tax would affect all estate valued in excess of $5 million for individuals and $10 million for married couples – so no portability here – with [...

Estate Planning Malpractice ? NY Court Has A Warning For Ohio Planners

Posted on August 14, 2010
I’ve written on the issue of estate planners committing malpractice against their clients here and here on this blog before. Its an issue of interest for Ohio attorneys because Ohio still clings to the antiquated rule of privity to decide who has standing to sue the attorney who allegedly gave the bad advice...

Related Law Bulletins

Real Estate Agents, Lenders, Appraisers & Home Inspectors: ARE BUYERS WASTING TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME?
PREQUALIFY, PREQUALIFY, PREQUALIFY. It cannot be said enough times...

What Should Sellers Look for in Hiring a Real Estate Agent?
MARKETING SKILLS, MARKETING "SUPPORT" AND EXPERIENCE. There are nu...

Should Sellers Hire a Real Estate Agent?
We often say YES! There are simply far too many unscrupulous buyer...

Real Estate Tax Appeals: Who Has the Burden of Proof
Recently, many municipalities have performed revaluations in order...