Gift and Estate Tax Planning

Opportunities in Gift and Estate Planning

Current economic realities combined with changes in tax laws are creating unique opportunities for estate planning. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the Act) and the impending tax reform from Congress, in whatever form, will significantly impact estate and gift tax planning.

Regardless of what happens, the IRS will always keep a close eye on estate and gift tax plans and corporate donations. Compliance with the adequate disclosure regulations of 1999 is paramount; failure to do so can result in an audit window that never closes. Also, the 2006 addition of §170 (f)(11)(e) to the Tax Code imposes standards on opinions of value, and noncompliance with these standards can result in time-consuming IRS challenges and costly penalties.

Opportunities for Corporate Non-Cash Charitable Contributions/Donations Donation of a non-cash asset requires a qualified appraisal.  Under §170 (f)(11)(C), taxpayers are required to obtain a qualified appraisal for donated property for which a deduction of more than $5,000 is claimed.

What We Do

Our valuation services related to the transfer of family wealth and non-cash charitable contributions/donation include the following:

• Valuation of closely-held stock, including common, preferred and convertible-preferred.
• Discount studies, including but not limited to, lack of control, lack of marketability and built-in capital gains.
• Control premium studies.
• Valuation of intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights, patents, contracts, technology, and more).
• Real and personal property valuation.
• Testing asset transfers to ensure that the transferor has received fair and adequate compensation for the property rights given up.

Why CVA?

Now, more than ever, families, corporations, and their tax advisors need to engage qualified, trustworthy, valuation professionals. With more than 30 years of providing valuation services related to estate and gift tax planning, CVA has the expertise you require. Our independence of audit or other attest services, rating agencies, and investment banks makes us thoroughly objective; we have no conflicts of interest. We are a “Qualified Appraiser” as defined by the IRS, and we provide well-supported analyses that withstand IRS and judicial scrutiny. Our consultants have the experience needed to value all types of company stock, tangible assets, and intangible property that may be transferred or donated to a trust, Family Limited Partnership, charitable organization, or another form of business or business entity.