The Bengson case shows the power of the language of an operating agreement to govern the internal affairs of a Delaware limited liability company. Because the language of the operating agreement in the Bengson case was properly drafted to waive statutory inspection rights, Defendant won the case, and the Demand by member Bengson to inspect the company books was denied.
If you anticipate that you will be subject to Federal and/or state estate tax liabilities, the time to begin gifting or other “estate tax planning” strategies is well before you are in a “death bed” situation. You should not wait to be in your own “death bed” situation before you commence proper estate tax planning. The use of limited partnerships and limited liability companies to claim “valuation discounts”, and reduce estate tax liabilities, has been a longstanding practice in estate tax planning. However, the Estate of Fields opinion is authority that it can be very difficult to achieve a “valuation discount” in a “death bed” situation.
While we may not expressly consider asset protection for our children, transferring an asset protection structure to your children is consistent with the objective of estate planning. This concept of transferring your asset protection structure to the next generation derives from the view that an established asset protection structure has value. If you transfer your asset protection structure to the next generation, you continue this “investment” to provide value for the next generation. You save your children the legal fee and filing fee costs that they would otherwise need to incur to create their own asset protection structure.
At its root, the Huckaby case concerns what state law should be applied to real estate owned in a trust – the law where the real estate is located or the law by which the trust is to be administered. If you are trying to implement asset protection for real estate located in a “non-DAPT” or otherwise “non-asset protection favorable” state, you should consider the possible benefit from a “real estate – personal property” conversion approach.
Because of its asset protection and tax advantages, the limited liability company has become a popular choice for form of entity. While it is relatively easy to form a limited liability company, it is important to note that various “post-formation” action is necessary to derive the intended benefits from the limited liability company. If you want to maximize the asset protection from your limited liability company, the Orix case suggests that California is not a favorable jurisdiction to use; other states, such as Delaware and Nevada, offer a better alternative on the “charging order/foreclosure” issue.
Among the many tools available for persons seeking asset protection is the “domestic asset protection trust” (the “DAPT”). Broadly speaking, DAPTs are U.S. domestic trusts established by a grantor, who generally retains certain rights over the trust, but wants the assets of the trust to be protected from creditors.
Given that asset values tend to increase over time, and Federal estate tax liability tends to arise more on the death of a “second-to die” spouse than on the death of a “first-to-die” spouse, portability can be a critical concept to minimize Federal estate tax liability. Additionally, Revenue Procedure 2025-28 is relevant for taxpayers seeking to amend their tax returns for taxable years 2022 through 2024 and claim a 100% full deduction of their “domestic research or experimental expenditures” in those taxable years.
This article focuses on “related party” transactions under Internal Revenue Code Section 267(a)(1) and Internal Revenue Code Section 1239(a). While there is some overlap, it should be noted that the specific scope of “related parties” for purposes of a “related party” transaction under Internal Revenue Code Section 1239(a) is different than the specific scope of “related parties” under Internal Revenue Code Section 267(a)(1).
It has been stated that the limited liability company has become more popular than the corporation as the basic form of entity to do business in the United States. A critical document with any limited liability company is the operating agreement. When an operating agreement for a limited liability company fails to fully cover the six key issues described here in accordance with the understandings of the limited liability company’s members and managers and applicable law, such operating agreement is a poorly-drafted, inadequate operating agreement.
Effective estate tax planning often involves two competing objectives. On one hand, there is an objective to remove assets from a person’s taxable estate, so that estate tax liability can be reduced on such person’s death. On the other hand, there is an objective to retain the income and principal from a person’s assets, so that such person’s activities are not disrupted during such person’s lifetime.
Charitable activities are favored under the Internal Revenue Code. The income of a charitable entity can be subject to favorable income taxation, and transfers to a charitable entity can realize income tax and estate tax deductions. One type of charitable entity is a private foundation. This letter refers to the “private non-operating foundation.”
There are two types of reporting companies – “domestic reporting companies” and “foreign reporting companies.” It is important to remember that reporting companies that were formed or registered to do business in the United States on or before December 31, 2023 are required to comply with applicable “FinCEN” reporting by January 1, 2025 and reporting companies that were formed or registered to do business in the United States during 2024 are required to comply with applicable “FinCEN” reporting within 90 calendar days after receiving notice of such formation or registration.