From www.consumeraffairs.com The office of Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna reached a settlement with an Arizona company accused of violating a three-year-old state law intended to crack down on ‘trust mill’ schemes. Under the agreement, The Preservation Group and its founders will offer refunds to more than 60 Washington seniors who purchased living trusts.… Read More
A Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) is an estate planning technique particularly attractive in a low interest rate environment such as we are experiencing. It allows an individual to make large gifts without paying gift tax or using any unified credit. Many families have used short-term GRATs to shift appreciation to beneficiaries with no estate… Read More
Right now, any person may prepare a federal tax return for any other person for a fee. There are no licensing requirements. Some tax return preparers, like lawyers and accountants, are licensed by their states and some are enrolled to practice before the IRS. However a very large share of tax return preparers do not… Read More