As the new year approaches, we present our annual year-end advisory for 2025.  This edition highlights noteworthy estate and gift tax changes and outlines planning opportunities for year-end and beyond. We also take a moment to recognize some of our accomplishments in 2025 and provide our outlook for the new year.

2026 ESTATE, GIFT, AND

In this episode of Future Focused: Sophisticated Estate Planning, hosts Michael Clear and Erin Nicholls are joined by Corporate Partners Scott McClure and Len Gray to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is expanding opportunities with qualified small business stock (QSBS). OBBBA brought about key updates to QSBS, including an increased

For insiders of publicly traded corporations, there are numerous Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulations to follow and abide by.  One set of those regulations comes from Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“the Securities Act”), sometimes referred to as the “short swing profits rule,” which prohibits certain company insiders from making

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law.   The OBBBA makes permanent several provisions implemented by Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and also introduces several new rules, many which significantly affect high-net-worth individuals.

Outlined below are five major takeaways from the OBBBA. If you

In the second episode of Future Focused: Sophisticated Estate Planning Speaker Showcase, Private Client Services Partner Vanessa Maczko and Corporate Partner Jack Sousa discuss estate planning strategies, with a focus on business owners and succession planning for both family and non-family enterprises. The discussion highlights the importance of structuring ownership using voting and non-voting shares

On this episode, hosts Erin Nicholls and Michael Clear welcome corporate Partner R.J. Kornhaas to discuss the intricacies of investing in privately held businesses and business succession planning. They delve into essential considerations, such as the types of investments—including convertible notes and preferred stock—and emphasize the importance of having legal counsel review documents to safeguard

As the owner of a franchise, you may be focused on the day-to-day operations and management of the business. You might have plans for the longer-term, for growing the business in the years ahead. But what if you are no longer around? Who will operate it? And who will inherit it? Would you prefer that

Timing is crucial for clients looking to gift before the potential sunset of the estate and gift tax exemption at the end of 2025. In today’s episode, Partner Erin Nicholls sits down with Evan Levine, Founder of Complete Advisors as well as his colleague, Nainesh Shah, lead analyst, who specializes in business valuations for trust

Jacob Koenig, Managing Director and Partner of Woodbridge International, sits down with Partners Erin Nicholls and Michael Clear to discuss his firm’s unique approach to selling companies, including their focus on marketing and their ability to reach an extensive network of well-vetted potential buyers. The conversation touches on current market conditions and the importance of

On this episode, Partners Erin Nicholls and Michael Clear continue their conversation with Wiggin and Dana Partner Jack Sousa, on entrepreneurship, equity, and entity structuring. They dive deep into the entrepreneur’s guide to equity, employee stock options, and the strategic importance of early legal advice, with particularly valuable insights on estate planning synergy and