For more than 32 years, I have counseled clients on planning for federal estate tax and Oregon inheritance tax. Throughout that time, numerous legislative changes have occurred: taxes have increased and decreased; effective dates have come and gone; and clients have changed their strategies to fit the evolving landscape in our tax laws. Never, however, have we been confronted with the lack of certainty over estate tax laws that we now face, due to the ineptitude and irresponsibility of the United States Congress.
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In 2009, both the U.S. Congress and Oregon’s legislature passed new laws protecting residential tenants in properties where a lender is foreclosing. As a result, any buyer at the foreclosure sale must investigate the status of tenancy at the property and give significant notice before possessing it.
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For more than 82 years, our firm has helped businesses and families build, protect, and distribute wealth. In this third of a three-part series, I’ll explore several key important areas to consider when distributing wealth, especially if you own a small or medium size business.
1. See the Big Picture
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From its source high in the Black Forest, the Danube River winds its way east toward Vienna, Budapest and eventually the Black Sea. At the point where it crosses the border into Austria, it passes Passau, a beautiful baroque city on the banks of the Danube in that corner of Germany where the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany all meet.
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