Estate and Retirement Planning Answer Book (2008) (Answer Books)

Estate and Retirement Planning Answer Book (2008 Edition) provides quick and authoritative answers to help the estate planning professional decide how to integrate the receipt of retirement plan distributions with clients' estate plans, how to choose and design the type of retirement plan that best suits the client's needs, and how to comply with the growing number of federal requirements and tax rules that apply to these plans. Discussion includes such topics as the final minimum distribution rules for individual retirement accounts, qualified plan distributions, usage of insurance as a qualified plan asset, and changes in the law to reflect the latest legislation. In addition, coverage includes numerous examples that illustrate specific applications and situations as well as practice pointers that highlight recent interpretations of IRS regulations and provide cautions concerning common pitfalls. Highlights of 2008 Edition include: · Provisions of the Pension Act of 2006 that are effective for 2008 have been integrated into the text; . Discussion of conservation purposes for qualified conservation easement; . Updated gift tax exclusion amounts with examples; . Discussion of recapture rules; . Updated discussion of distribution and limitation amounts for qualified plans in 2008; . Discussions of limitations for charitable deductions; . Discussion of reporting requirements for split interest trusts; . Discussion of plan treatment upon cessation or membership change of control group; . Discussion of plan assets under ERISA; . Extensive discussion of employer securities and investment options for employer contributions; . Updated discussion of prohibited transaction exemptions; . Discussion of filing requirements for ERISA plans; . Discussion of vesting requirements for defined contribution plans; . Discussion of Qualified Optional Survivior Annuity; . Discussion of modified rules for determining hardship; . Extensive discussion of eligible automatic contribution arrangements; . Discussion of "applicable defined benefit plans" as established by the Pension Protection Act of 2006; . Expanded discussion of interest rates used in determining funding amounts for pension plans; . Discussion of deduction limits for defined benefit plans and employers/sponsors of such plans; . Updated discussion of treatment of missing participant benefits; · Discussion of plan amendment requirements for the Pension Protection Act of 2006; . Discussion of new Section 409A as applied to non-qualified plans; . Extensive discussion of Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Plans and Employment Retention Plans under the Pension Protection Act of 2006; . Discussion of IRA contribution allowances for employees of bankrupt employers; . Discussion of tax exemption on early retirement plan distributions to certain military personnel; · Updated discussion on rollovers of after-tax contributions; · Updated discussion of permitted rollovers to Roth IRAs; . Updated discussion of tax benefits for charitable contributions; and · An appendix listing by name the major laws effecting employee benefits and their bill numbers.