CCH's U.S. Master Estate and Gift Tax Guide is a concise and reliable handbook for both tax advisors and estate representatives involved in federal estate and gift tax planning, return preparation and tax payment. This trusted reference provides clear explanations of the laws relating to federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes to give readers the solid understanding they need to understand and apply today's complex wealth transfer tax rules.

As a tax professional, staying on top of all the annual changes to tax law and provisions is a substantial challenge, with a constant need to have the latest information at your fingertips wherever you go. As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the country, Congress has continued to provide legislative relief to all corners of the economy, with help coming for businesses and individuals alike. To help you understand recent updates and essential guidance, the U.S. Master Tax Guide (2021) Special Edition has been carefully researched by experts to reflect the current U.S. tax structure, and includes explanations updated for the tax aspects of Congressional and administrative action in response to the pandemic, including the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (which includes the COVID-19-Related Tax Relief Act, the No Surprises Act, and the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020), so you can best serve your client's 2020 filing needs and get ready for the 2021 season. It also includes the latest IRS guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.

A comprehensive and accessible account of the U.S. estate tax, examining its history and evolution, structure and inner workings, and economic consequences. Governments have been levying some form of inheritance tax since the ancient Egyptians did so in the seventh century BC. In the United States, the federal government experimented with various forms of inheritance taxes, settling on an estate tax in 1916 and a gift tax in 1932. Despite this long history, there are few empirical studies of the federal estate tax. This book offers the first comprehensive look at U.S. estate and inheritance taxes, examining their history and evolution, structure and inner workings, and economic consequences. Written by David Joulfaian, a veteran economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the book provides accessible accounts of such topics as changes in tax laws, issues of equity, the fiscal contribution of the estate tax, and its behavioral effects. Joulfaian traces the evolution of U.S. inheritance taxes from 1797 to the present, noting that the estate tax rate and base expanded through 1976, then began to decline. He describes the tax itself, explaining that it currently applies to estates and gifts in excess of $11.18 million, and outlines applicable deductions and credits. He sketches a profile of taxpayers and their beneficiaries; surveys the revenues from estate and gift taxes; and discusses the effect of estate taxation on labor decisions, saving and wealth accumulation, charitable giving, life insurance ownership, and other economic activities. Finally, he addresses criticisms of the estate tax and analyzes its shortcomings. Accompanying tables present a wealth of data gathered by Joulfaian in his research and not available elsewhere.