Donor-advised funds (DAFs) allow a person, family, or organization to place assets into a private fund that is administered and managed by a third party for the purpose of making charitable donations. The donor or donors maintain the authority to direct the timing and placement of distributions from the fund. This blog, the fourth in a series about charitable gift planning, will discuss the structure and benefits of DAFs and how these funds can be a part of your overall estate and wealth planning in West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Ohio (OH), and elsewhere.

Various studies over the years have placed the approximate rate of failure for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) between 70 and 90 percent, according to the Harvard Business Review. Yet businesses continue to spend trillions of dollars each year on M&A. These two statistics alone convey the weight of the potential risks and rewards of M&A transactions. Using mergers and acquisitions as a growth strategy can be highly effective, but companies must enter into these deals with an abundance of caution and, preferably, with the guidance and support of a trusted, experienced business attorney. 

People often support charities that are important to them by making general monetary donations to those causes throughout their lives. In many cases, there are financial and legal vehicles that could be used when giving to charity that create a greater benefit for both the donor and recipient. This blog, the third in a series of seven on the topic of planned giving in estate plans, will broadly discuss some of the different types of charitable trusts and the specific benefits of a charitable remainder trust.

Attention to detail is critical when you are starting or reorganizing a business. The legal structure you choose has broad impacts: it determines how taxes must be managed, how liability is allocated, and how your enterprise can be funded, to name a few. Whether you are opening a downtown hotdog stand or hoping to launch the next Airbnb, understanding the options for hospitality business structures is vital to your success. To make sure you choose the formal structure that best suits your circumstances, consult with a hospitality attorney who can help you evaluate the options and choose the business structure that best suits your needs and goals. 

Our complicated federal and state tax laws provide vehicles for protecting wealth for the current owner and future generations. Charitable lead trusts (CLTs) provide the means for wealth protection, serving as both a tax and an estate planning tool in West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), and Ohio (OH). Understanding what CLTs are and how they work can help you determine whether they are the best tax and estate planning tool for your needs.