This session will be a review of the most recent cases, rulings, and tax code changes that impact estate, gift and generation-skipping tax matters, and income taxation of trusts. 

The tax environment is fluid and what will occur is uncertain. This session will be updated up until the date of the program to provide practitioners with practical, actionable, tax planning advice that can be given to clients. Depending on the status of tax legislation current proposals and what to do in light of them will be reviewed. If there is actual legislation that will be discussed. in all events the focus will be on specific planning you can guide clients with.

This session will cover case studies, descriptions and explanations of effective and practical estate planning techniques to not only save estate taxes, but also to protect clients and their heirs from future estate taxes, divorce and creditors at the same time. 

This session will also show you how to structure basic estate documents, uses of GRATs, sales to grantor trusts, preferred partnership freezes and the like. 

AICPA works hard for its members. This session will show what projects the TRP is advocating for in the estate and trust area. Contacts with IRS and tax writing groups are emphasized.

In this session, we will explore what it looks like to work with the ever growing segment of clients experiencing diminished capacity.  We will discuss how our current regulatory environment impacts the way we do business, and what tools and best practices we can implement not only to protect our businesses but to best serve our clients and families.

The Association (unified voice of AICPA & CIMA) and CPA.com launched a shark-tank style startup accelerator four years ago with a focus on FinTech and EdTech solutions. Its purpose is to foster innovation and bring emerging technologies to the accounting profession. Investment into new technologies and solutions is critical for not only staying ahead of the curve, but providing client-centric service. In this session, you will hear about trends in FinTech developments and see the  startup companies that make up the 2021 cohort. These solutions have a leading role in a diverse range of categories including: crypto-asset management, financial impacts of climate change, accounting task automation and cash flow management.

This discussion will address current issues and trends in the transfer tax controversy arena at the audit level, appeals and in litigation. It will include issues related to the valuation and transfer of interests in closely-held entities, the use of formula clauses, recent caselaw, positions taken by the IRS and ways to address them at the planning level.

Gift tax returns when filed with "adequate disclosure" provide a golden opportunity reduce audit issues and exposure on a federal estate tax return and most likely avoid later-life surprises for increases in gift tax liability. The session provides examples for effective gift tax reporting in addition to review of the applicable law and rules. After reviewing the demands and importance of adequate disclosure, this session will review practical return preparation preliminary actions; how Schedule A of the Form 709 integrates with GST reporting; fixed-dollar formula gift disclosures;  engagement agreements with appraisers; informing the appraiser what to value; reporting GRATs; reporting transfers subject to ETIPs and when the ETIP ends; and reporting with Crummey gifts, among other topics. 

With the current, high estate tax exemption, many practitioners believe “generation skipping” tax planning (keeping inherited assets out of the taxable estates of children) is no longer needed for most clients, just for very large estates. However, the estate tax exemption could be frozen or even reduced after the 2020 election. Even if this doesn’t happen, many married couples will likely underutilize the “generation skipping tax” (“GST”) exemption because it isn’t subject to portability. And keep in mind that inherited estates may grow during a child’s lifetime because, even in moderate-sized parental estates, trusts are often being set up for children, e.g., asset protection, divorce, blood-line distribution control or income tax reasons.

The reality is, because of changes in the tax code, GST planning is appropriate in lots of estates when it wouldn’t have been not too long ago. But, this raises an important question: are you up to speed on the complicated GST rules and can you properly apply them?

Join Bob Keebler to learn how to utilize the GST rules to maximum advantage for your clients. Here are just a few of the topics Bob will cover in this content-packed session:

· Who are “skip persons” versus “non-skip persons”
· What are “direct skips” versus “indirect skips”
· The difference between the annual GST exclusion and life GST exemption amounts?
· The automatic allocation rules?
· When do you allocate the lifetime GST exemption amount to “indirect skips”?
· How does late allocation of the lifetime GST exemption amount work?
· How do you calculate the “inclusion ratio”?
· How to split trusts into GST and non-GST shares via “qualified severance”?

The presentation is about recent developments regarding federal estate and gift taxes. We will review general procedural and substantive updates regarding estate and gift taxation, including changes in the law that impact the filing of estate and gift tax returns. 

This session will cover cross-border estate, gift and trust issues and the reporting requirements associated with those issues. 

46 million Americans now own bitcoin. Yet, only a few tax professionals understand how to help individuals and businesses dealing with cryptocurrency. This session walks you through the tax implications of common cryptocurrency-related transactions and how to successfully service clients affiliated with cryptocurrency. We will also cover current developments surrounding this topic, such as the inclusion of the virtual currency question on the front of Form 1040, how to successfully navigate through tax notices (CP2000, Letter 6173, Letter 6174 & Letter 6174-A), and tax planning opportunities. 

As a profession, CPAs are at the tipping point of fully harnessing artificial intelligence, RPA, and analytics with ease. The market has accepted that these technologies will impact every function a CPA is already performing - audits, reviews, transaction services, risk advisory, fraud, and controls management. Firms and enterprises alike are investing in technology and skill development, while preparing for massive transformation. In addition, CPAs, with their technical mindset, commitment to continuous professional development, and close affinity to critical business data, are well positioned to deliver value using these technologies.

But technologies like AI, RPA, or analytics in-and-of-itself have a hard time standing on their own - in fact, 70% of transformation projects fail. BCG partner Sylvain Duranton says the real formula for success is: Algorithms (10%) + Technology (20%) + People & Process (70%). Is this the magic needed to create the AI-powered human, where judgement is greatly enhanced by technology?

Join to learn from our insights over the past 5 years, and how to get your team ready for the shift to becoming a technology-powered firm.

CPACharge was specifically designed to give CPAs and accounting professionals a simple and secure way to accept client payments online. Plus, there are no long-term contracts, setup fees, or cancellation fees. Watch our quick demo and see why over 150,000 professionals trust us to help them get paid faster and more reliably.

The Personal Financial Specialist credential is the only CPA-exclusive financial planning credential that builds on your CPA foundation.  As a CPA working with individuals and families, its only natural that topics like tax, estate, retirement, investment, and risk management planning (and much more) are a part of your client relationships.  They trust your objectivity, integrity, and professional competence as you seek out answers and recommendations for them.  Learn how this valuable experience working with clients can streamline the process to obtain the CPA/PFS credential. 

Join Dave Stolz, CPA/PFS & chair of the PFS Credential Committee, and Dan Snyder, CPA/PFS & director of AICPA's PFP Division as they explain the program and answer your questions.

Disabilities don't discriminate. Families of great means have children and other beneficiaries with disabilities at the same rate as families of modest means. Addressing the myriad needs of a person with a disability (PWD) requires a comprehensive Special Needs Financial Plan (SNFP). The SNFP is built upon a network of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs), each of which is designed to be funded with different types of assets, at different times, from different sources. Identifying and engaging a family's "team" of allied professionals is a critical first step in developing the funding formula for the network of SNTs. Although a SNFP will maximize the use of a family's private wealth and resources, it must also be compatible with maintaining the eligibility of the PWD for government benefits that are the sole gateway to accessing beneficial programs and services that are not available on a private pay basis.

This session will cover residency for income and transfer tax purposes, and discuss six issues including: revocable trusts and companies tainted by U.S. situated assets under section 2104(b), section 684 planning, section 2801 gifts and bequests from covered expatriates, planning for non-U.S. parents with U.S. beneficiaries, UNI, and CFC and PFIC related issues.

We will discuss the issues that can arise with long term trusts, review the tools available to modify irrevocable trusts, and offer advise on advising clients on modifications.