Final Rules on Family Limited Partnership Valuation – Estate Tax
During an address to the American Bar Association Taxation Section over the weekend, Melissa C. Liquerman, Branch Chief within the IRS Office of the Chief Counsel, acknowledged that long awaited regulatory guidance under Section 2704 addressing family-owned business...
The Estate Tax Turns 100
The Estate Tax Turns 100 years old this year! It is time to kill it once and for all! Please help us to do that by referring families to us that can help our efforts and support our work. Forward this email on to any family that you think would be interested in...
Rep. Sander Levin introduces bill to increase the estate tax
Rep. Sander Levin, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, recently released a new bill that brings back the estate tax parameters from early in the Obama administration - a $3.5 million exemption, and a 45 percent top rate. That's moving in the other...
Update on Release of Valuation Discount Regulations
PATG continues to monitor the anticipated year-end release of Treasury regulations under Section 2704 that could place limits on the availability of valuation discounts. As you are aware, PATG worked closely with our Congressional champions over the last year to...
$1.15 Trillion Spending Deal Passes with Provisions to Gift Tax
Early this morning, Congressional leaders announced that an agreement had been reached to pass a $1.15 trillion deal on spending and tax legislation that would avoid a government shutdown and fund the federal government in fiscal 2016. Policy and Taxation Group would...
Rep. Kevin Brady named chairman of Ways and Means Committee
Policy and Taxation Group is excited to announce that Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) has just officially been announced as the next chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Brady is a true champion of the estate tax repeal effort and the author of this year's estate...
Family Enterprise USA 2015 Annual Survey
Family Enterprise USA releases an annual survey in order to gather updated data on the state of family businesses throughout the country. You can access the 2015 survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TM9W9W8. If you are a family business owner, please...
Each American Dream Hispanic Survey
Each American Dream recently received back the results from our national survey of Hispanic voters and would like to share some early key insights with you! An interesting finding from our study was the large disconnect between the values and political affiliation...
Each American Dream Op-Ed featured in The Hill
We would like to share with you Each American Dream's latest op-ed, authored by our Chairman Pat Soldano and published last week in The Hill. Pat discusses the need for Congressional action on comprehensive tax reform and the negative impact of Presidential candidate...
Each American Dream Hispanic Research Project
Policy and Taxation Group's sister organization Each American Dream (EAD) is in the midst of an exciting research project among Hispanic voters, studying how Latinos view wealth, taxes and the economy, and the American Dream. We kicked off this research in April by...
British Proposal to Reduce Estate Tax a Reminder of International Competition
Over the weekend, it came to light that the British Conservatives will soon announce plans to reduce the scope of the United Kingdom's estate tax by dramatically expanding exemptions allowed for a person's main residence. This proposed relief is a positive sign, but...
Sen. Sanders introduces “Responsible Estate Tax Act” to raise the estate tax to 65%
On June 25, U.S. Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) presented legislation calling for an across the board hike on federal estate tax rates with the introduction of the "Responsible Estate Tax Act". Sen. Sanders' bill is accompanied by a companion bill in...
Obama’s Double Death Tax
This was originally posted as an op-ed in Roll Call. By Tyler Deaton For the first time in a decade, Congress has decided to seriously examine the burden the death tax — also known as the estate tax — places on grieving families and their small businesses and...
President Proposes Over $400 Billion in New Estate Taxes
This week, President Obama released his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016, outlining his spending and tax agenda for the coming year. As with previous proposed budgets, the outline relies heavily on more than $1.5 trillion in new taxes, mostly on high income and...
Treasury Response re: Estate Tax
As we previously reported, PATG has been tracking speculation from inside and outside Washington that the IRS may issue proposed regulations aimed at curbing the availability of valuation discounts for interests in closely-held entities. As you know, such a change...
Exciting Changes at Policy and Taxation Group
I wanted to take this opportunity to notify you of some changes at Policy and Taxation Group (PATG), and formally welcome Tyler Deaton to the team. Tyler will replace Jeff Cook-McCormac as Senior Advisor to the organization. For some time, I have been planning my...
State of the Union Recap
Last night, the President gave his sixth State of the Union address where he outlined his policy agenda for the coming year (video, transcript). The tone of the speech was decidedly optimistic, with broad language urging Congress to work with him to get things done....
Views: Cut waste, fraud and abuse
Source: The Hill By Jeff Cook-McCormac If there is a lesson to be learned from the 2014 midterm elections, it is that Americans are frustrated with the status quo. Voters did not cast their ballots in favor of one political party or the other. Instead, they went to...
News: CBS This Morning – Frank Luntz Cites EAD Election Night Survey
News: New York Times – The Midterms Were Not a Republican Revolution
Source: The New York Times By Frank Luntz On election night 1994, as Republicans recaptured the House for the first time in 40 years, I stood in the audience and watched my client Newt Gingrich, who would soon become speaker of the House, declare the beginning of the...
Thune Sends Letter to IRS Defending Family Businesses
Over the past several months, PATG has been tracking speculation from inside and outside Washington that the IRS may issue proposed regulations aimed at curbing the availability of valuation discounts for interests in closely-held entities. As you know, such a change...
Editorial: Death tax imposes cost on family business stability
Seattle Times NEWS that the last family farm in Issaquah is being sold for residential development is a reminder of one of the subtle ills of our tax system: a death tax that forces many farm families and business owners either to liquidate their assets, or go through...
Frank Luntz Presentation on Women Voters
By Frank Luntz June 18, 2014 To see the full presentation, click here.
News: FOX News reports on EAD Poll
Frank Luntz - an Each American Dream survey found that 78% of Americans now say that working hard and doing the right thing isn't enough to get ahead. Responders point to politicians, corruption, and debt as sources. See the video ...
Frank Luntz Presentation on Income Inequality & Taxes
By Frank Luntz January 28, 2014 To see the full presentation, click here.
Views: Sen. Jim DeMint on Income Inequality
Economic inequality has become the left's great hope for recovering its political integrity after the Obamacare disaster. President Obama, trying to change the subject, has latched onto the issue and is sure to make many more speeches about it in the New Year. New...
News: New York Times – Colorado Voters Reject $1 Billion Tax Hike
DENVER - They had $10 million in contributions, a barrage of advertising and support from the usually warring factions of the educational establishment. But Democratic leaders in this swing state were dealt a stinging defeat on Tuesday as voters resoundingly rejected...
News: Forbes – What is a Wealthy Tax Payer’s Fair Share?
Beginning early in his re-election campaign, President Obama began voicing his belief that our broken tax system and mounting deficit could be fixed — in part, at least – by asking the nation’s wealthiest taxpayer’s to pay their “fair share” of federal income tax. By...
Views: Arthur Brooks on the Value of ‘Earned Success’
I learned to appreciate the American free enterprise system by quitting a job in Spain. At age 19, I dropped out of school to pursue a career as a French horn player. After a few twists and turns, I wound up in the Barcelona Symphony, which was a Spanish government...
Election Results Create New Dynamic for Fiscal Cliff Talks
With the November 6 elections in the rear view, thoughts turn to the lame duck session and the coming 113th Congress. Observers inside the beltway continue to work to interpret the election results and determine how they will shape the near- and long-term prospects...