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1 week ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
As the 2025 legislative session unfolds, wealthy families, their advisors, and the executives of family offices are watching closely. A series of tax proposals from Trump-aligned lawmakers in the House and Senate promises to reshape the federal tax code—particularly in ways that could fundamentally alter estate and succession planning for owners of family businesses, legacy real estate, and valuable collections.
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2 weeks ago | 
fa-mag.com | Matthew Erskine
From January 20, 2025, when the second Trump administration began, until April 4, 2025, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen 12% with U.S. stock markets losing $5 Trillion in value in the last three weeks alone. Based on the Shiller P/E Ratio, the markets, now at approximately 30, could fall another 30% to 22 on the Shiller P/E Ratio scale before finding a floor. Despite this, historically, the stock market does recover its value over time.
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2 weeks ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
When markets falter, many investors instinctively tighten their grip on their wealth, waiting for stability to return. But for high-net-worth individuals and families with long-term goals, a declining market is not merely a time to endure—it is a rare opportunity to act.
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3 weeks ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
n recent years, the evolution of blockchain technology has introduced novel complexities to estate planning, none more so than the emergence of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations—or DAOs—that invest in artwork, NFTs, and physical collectibles. As clients increasingly turn to DAOs to manage high-value assets, estate planners are encountering challenges that straddle both digital and tangible domains, requiring innovative legal and fiduciary solutions.
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1 month ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
For the last two years there has been an ongoing imperative for estate planning and other professionals to get their clients who have an interest in a small corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership to report their personal information in compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).
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1 month ago | 
wealthmanagement.com | Anthony Lin |Todd Gillespie |Matthew Erskine |Pat Donachie
WealthManagement.com is part of the Informa Connect Division of Informa PLCThis site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.
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1 month ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
As the 2025 tax season unfolds, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has unveiled its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams. This list highlights the most prevalent scams taxpayers need to be wary of and offers strategies to safeguard against becoming a victim. Additionally, understanding the tax implications of losses incurred from these scams is crucial for those affected.
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1 month ago | 
forbes.com | Matthew Erskine
In an era of increasing scrutiny on offshore accounts, the U.S. government has aggressively pursued individuals who fail to disclose their foreign financial holdings. The recent case of U.S. v. Leeds, (D. Idaho 2025)serves as a reminder of the consequences of noncompliance with the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) requirements. U.S. v.
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1 month ago | 
wealthmanagement.com | Matthew Erskine
Family offices that cater to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families face the intricate challenge of balancing estate and tax planning strategies amidst evolving tax laws. To address this, strategies like wait-and-see, standby trust and flexible trust have emerged as effective tools for managing uncertainty and optimizing wealth transfer. Here’s a detailed look at these strategies and their applications in family office planning.
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1 month ago | 
familywealthreport.com | Matthew Erskine
Matthew Erskine March 14, 2025 One of our regular columnists and expert on legal matters writes about new developments affecting the Corporate Transparency Act, a piece of legislation that became law little over a year ago and which was intended to significantly increase disclosure of beneficial ownership information to the authorities. This news service has covered an important piece of beneficial ownership (BO) legislation enacted in the US and taking force from January 2024 – the Corporate...
