By Vincent Gallo

Planned gifts that allow the donor to retain an income stream for life or a term of years include charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and pooled income funds (collectively, charitable life income plans). A related technique is the gift of a remainder interest in a house or farm, which allows the donor to retain the use of the house or farm for life or a term of years.

By Carole C. Foos, CPA, David B. Mandell, JD, MBA

Many doctors invest in real estate - in rental properties, commercial developments, surgery centers or even their office or home. This article provides guidance on how to protect such assets and leverage them for tax benefits as well.

By Mason Salisbury

The “Asset Protection LLC” – It used to be all LLCs where the same. What ever LLC operating agreement was on the word processor or on the form book CD was the one you sold to clients. Embarrassingly, these LLCs are still nearly omnipresent. Good news is it will not matter what kind of LLC you have if you are never sued and the average LLC owner is not sued. Bad news is you may not be the average LLC owner.

By Mason Salisbury

A Living Trust does everything a will does for estate planning and adds a great deal of asset protection which a will does not. A Living Trust is used in place of a will and it is not to be confused with a “living will”. It is a revocable trust you create, you control, and you can dissolve or change at any time. To my debtor/creditor attorney mind estate planning is just a bonus, it is the asset protection you want.

By Mason Salisbury

Every state has its own set of “Exemption” statues. In them you will find perhaps the only unassailable creditor protection available and it can be extensive. Not planning retirement savings, home ownership, and life insurance purchases around your state’s exemptions is foolish indeed. I am a South Carolina attorney and this article is about South Carolina “Exemptions” only. What dollar amount of home equity, 401(k)s, IRAs, life insurance, annuities, cars, jewelry, tools of your trade, and household furnishings are safe from creditors no matter what.

By Mason Salisbury

LLCs, limited liability companies, can be wonderfully flexible entities for asset protection and estate planning. Just do not sell yourself short with a “form” LLC. By “form” LLC, I mean an LLC consisting of a canned, fill-in-the-blanks, “form” operating agreement. Because clients don’t know what they are missing, one size too often does fit all.

By Carole C. Foos, CPA, David B. Mandell, JD, MBA

The recent Medicare cuts in reimbursements for most physicians go from frustrating to downright scary. Layer on top of this any proposed healthcare overhaul (which may now be difficult to pass), and it starts to feel like the federal government is determined to make it difficult for physicians to prosper.

By Mason Salisbury

The LLC is the superior asset protection and business entity and has displaced partnerships and corporations as the entity of choice. The LLC is made to order for businesses ownership, asset protection, and estate planning. LLCs combine flexibility of organization and operation with flexibility in taxation and strength in asset and liability protection.

By C. L. Huddleston, J.D.

We all know about "Asset Diversification." Skilled investment managers and investors know about "Currency Diversification." But in an increasing income tax rate environment that is not enough. Introducing "Tax Regime Diversification."

By Tammy Bogner, Brian Layman, David B. Mandell, JD, MBA