Estate Planning Update January 2026 2026 Annual Gift Tax Exclusion: remains $19,000 per donor, per donee. 2026 Gift and Estate Tax Exemption: increased to $15,000,000 per person this year (an increase of $110,000 per individual or $220,000 for a married couple) and made permanent. See paragraph 6(a) below. Marital Deduction for Transfers to U.S. Spouse: [...]
Ultra-high net worth client entered into negotiations to sell his business. The business’s attorneys handled the transaction documents, but DeAngelis Legal assisted the client to evaluate various transaction structures to reduce or defer income taxes on the transaction. After reviewing the alternatives, DeAngelis Legal created a new entity and other documents implementing the structure.
High net worth widow knew how she wanted her estate plan handled at death, but was not confident her estate planning attorney understood her desires and therefore had not updated her estate plan in years. After an in-depth review of her finances and objectives, DeAngelis Legal proposed a comprehensive estate plan which achieved her goals [...]
Husband and wife created a standard survivor’s bypass trust, with half the assets passing to the family of each spouse. Upon the death of the husband, this structure necessitated the valuation and allocation of the assets between the two trusts. While the couple had plenty of liquidity, the sheer number of entities and accounts made [...]
Client and friends created a new restaurant concept and engaged DeAngelis Legal to form the entity. After reviewing the alternatives, DeAngelis Legal created a new LLC and a comprehensive operating agreement detailing capital contributions, management, ownership and dispute resolution provisions incorporating the parties compensation framework they had agreed upon. Kudos to the parties for resolving [...]
Holding Vacation Rental Homes in an LLC: Liability, Insurance, and Tax Considerations Owning a vacation rental home can be a rewarding investment, but it also comes with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to liability, insurance, and tax implications. Unlike these little turtles who will grow their own protective shell, vacation rental [...]
Ultra-high net worth couple with long standing family-owned Arizona business struggled for years to complete their estate planning. Three different law firms tried and failed over the years to update their estate plan. DeAngelis Legal assisted the clients review their current assets and irrevocable trusts, discussed their objectives and alternatives, drafted the plan that incorporated [...]
Employer and employees desired to create an offshoot business separate and apart from the employer’s current business. DeAngelis Legal assisted the parties with creating a new LLC and a comprehensive operating agreement governing control, voting rights and transferability of the ownership interests in the new entity.
Co-trustees, who were also primary beneficiaries, engaged DeAngelis Legal to assist with the administration of their parent’s trust. Unfortunately, their parents had not transferred all assets to the trust. DeAngelis Legal assisted the trustees with the documentation necessary to obtain control over all assets of the trust without the need for probate through the Affidavit [...]
Family business engaged DeAngelis Legal to assist with the complete overhaul of their corporate records, including a comprehensive operating agreement for the operating business and various investment entities. DeAngelis Legal reviewed the current structure, interviewed family members and drafted documents implementing the family’s intent.
