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State Income Tax Issues For Residents Relocating To States Without Income Tax

July 27, 2017 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

State Income Tax Issues For Residents Relocating To States Without Income Tax

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Robert Port, Brian Enlow, Richard Litwin, Millie Baumbusch

This episode of “Wealth Matters” includes a roundtable discussion about how Georgia residents can address income tax issues when relocating to states that don’t have income tax. Special guests include attorney Richard Litwin and CPA Brian Enlow. Hosted by Robert Port and Millie Baumbusch of Gaslowitz Frankel LLC.

Richard Litwin/The Litwin Law Firm

Richard C. Litwin is an Atlanta attorney, who specializes in state and local taxation and tax disputes, including sales and use tax, multistate corporate income tax, personal income tax, state residency, employment tax and property tax matters. Mr. Litwin is a Georgia Super Lawyer and has been listed in The Top 100 (lawyers in Georgia). He is also listed in U.S. News and World Report’s The Best Lawyers in America, for (1) Litigation and Controversy – Tax and (2) Tax Law; Georgia’s Top-Rated Lawyers (publication of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Wall Street Journal and The Daily Report) and Mr. Litwin has also been voted as one of the state’s top attorneys in Georgia Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite, in Taxes/Estates/Trusts. Mr. Litwin is Co-Moderator of the Georgia Department of Revenue Attorney Liaison Committee, which meets twice each year.

Mr. Litwin served as Chairperson of the State Bar of Georgia Section of Taxation (2001-2002) and served as a member of the State Bar of Georgia Tax Section Georgia Tax Court Task Force. Mr. Litwin was Chairperson of the Atlanta Bar Association Taxation Section (2004-2005) and currently serves as a board member. Mr. Litwin has also served as a member-at-large of the Atlanta Bar Association CLE Board of Trustees. Mr. Litwin has worked on projects with the Department of Revenue, in his role as a member of the Georgia Department of Revenue Liaison Committee and as a member of a special task force formed to address State consolidated return filing regulations. He also served as a member of the Georgia Department of Revenue Business Advisory Committee from 2007-2008.

Prior to forming his current firm, Mr. Litwin was a partner at an Atlanta law firm. Mr. Litwin was also an Assistant Attorney General in the Tax Section of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office and worked in the Tax Department at the Atlanta office of an international accounting firm. Mr. Litwin speaks frequently on various tax topics, at national and state bar seminars and at seminars sponsored by the Georgia Society of CPAs. Mr. Litwin has also published articles on various aspects of taxation, including “The Georgia Tax Tribunal Act of 2012,” an article that he co-authored and that was published in the December 2012 edition of The Georgia Bar Journal. Mr. Litwin serves as a volunteer tax lawyer with Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta. He also serves, by appointment by the Georgia Supreme Court, as on the State Bar of Georgia’s Standing Committee on the Unlicensed Practice of Law.

Mr. Litwin graduated from the University of South Carolina, with a B.S. degree, cum laude, in Economics, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Emory Law School, where he was a member of the Moot Court Society. In September 2016, Mr. Litwin was appointed by the Univ. of South Carolina Board of Trustees to serve a three-year term as an at-large member of the USC Board of Visitors.

Brian Enlow/Warren Averett

Brian Enlow is a CPA in Warren Averett’s tax division and is a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Roundtable. For over 15 years, Brian has served as a trusted advisor to multi-state businesses and their owners, focusing on the manufacturing and distribution, real estate, and service industries. He has helped these clients in all stages, from business formation to successful exits, including sales to private equity funds and ESOPs. Brian resides in Atlanta with his wife and twin 3 year old sons.

About Gaslowitz Frankel:

Gaslowitz Frankel is an experienced trial practice firm specializing in all aspects of complex fiduciary litigation throughout Georgia and the Southeast. With a focus on representing individuals, companies, banks, and fiduciaries in dispute involving wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, businesses, and securities law, their experienced and highly qualified litigation attorneys have tremendous credentials and a proven history of success.

To watch the video of this show, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to watch past episodes of “Wealth Matters”, please visit their You Tube Channel.

Remember to tune in on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:30 AM to listen live to their show!

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Strategies For Sharing or Transferring the Family Vacation Home

March 22, 2017 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

Strategies For Sharing or Transferring the Family Vacation Home

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Millie Baumbusch, Cynthia Duncan, Frank Norton, Robert Port

This episode of “Wealth Matters” presents a discussion about the financial impact of vacation homes. Hosted by Robert Port and Millie Baumbusch of Gaslowitz Frankel with special guests Cynthia Duncan of The Bowden Spratt Law Firm and Frank Norton of The Norton Agency.

Cynthia Duncan/The Bowden Spratt Law Firm

Cynthia Duncan is a shareholder in The Bowden Spratt Law Firm, P.C. She has over fourteen years of experience in the field of trusts and estates matters. Her practice focuses on wealth transfer, business succession, and family governance.

Cynthia is a member of the Atlanta Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia, and the American Bar Association. Cynthia is also a member of the Business Planning Group of the ABA. Cynthia is the co-author of several articles for professional journals and frequently speaks at continuing legal education programs. Her most recent article “McCord to Holman – Five Years of Value Judgments” appeared in the Spring 2009 ACTEC Journal. Cynthia spoke at the 2009 ABA Spring Symposium on the Anatomy of a Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement. In 2011, she spoke at the 56th Annual Estate Planning Institute on the Anatomy of a Grantor Trust and, most recently, at the 62nd Annual Estate Planning Institute on the nontax issues associated with family recreational properties.

Cynthia received her B.A., cum laude, in English from Wake Forest University in 1996 and received her J.D. from the University of Florida in 2002, where she graduated with high honors. Cynthia and her husband, Derek, have two young children, Lucy and Sam.

Frank Norton/The Norton Agency

Many people think they know Frank Norton, Jr., but the real Frank Norton, Jr. just may surprise you. Spend some time talking with him and you’ll uncover a creative introvert with strong family values, an untenable work ethic, and a heart for being a community servant—all traits that serve him well in his role as President of The Norton Agency.

Norton grew up in a family devoted to real estate—his grandfather, father and mother all worked in the profession from as far back as the late1920s—but he decided to pursue a degree in architecture at Georgia Tech. While working his way through college in the research department at Coldwell Banker, however, Norton found himself enticed to try his luck in the real estate field, and quickly became the youngest manager in Coldwell Banker’s history.

“My time with Coldwell Banker gave me an unbelievable perspective of the real estate field,” he says. “I also saw other people working hard, but enjoying what they were doing; I saw you could have fun at work and still be successful.”

After the birth of his first child, the appeal of living and raising his family in a small town drew Norton home and, in 1986, he joined The Norton Agency, rolled up his sleeves and became a part of the community.

“I chose to come back to Gainesville to work and raise my family because, to me, family is the most important part of my life and being a part of a community is important, as well,” Norton says. “Being from a small town, being a part of Gainesville was what I knew, and I wanted those same experiences for my children.”

Norton’s personal and professional commitment to community has led him to support numerous area non-profits; however, his only “hands-on” philanthropic work is with the Boy Scouts of America. A life-long Scout, Norton received his personal Eagle Scout designation at the age of 13, and he’s been involved with the Eagle Scout program for 11 years, helping more than 100 young men achieve the distinction.

Norton’s Boy Scout ties influence several of his business philosophies—specifically his belief in unflinching honesty and challenging injustice—while his general approach to business was shaped by his dad, Frank Norton, Sr., a “workaholic” entrepreneur with an uncanny memory and a passion for taking risks.

“I’ve never considered myself the smartest person in the room, but I can outwork anyone,” Norton says. “I have the work ethic, the energy, and a passion for what I do, and I hire people with those same traits. Certainly, I love my family and my time spent with them, but I also love coming to work and the positive energy generated by the people around me at the agency.”

Norton’s day-to-date tasks center on strengthening the agency’s brand, steering a proactive strategic planning and vision process, and being a “rainmaker” through company expansion and generation of new business. He also acts as a “cheerleader” for a 300+ member team representing 49 family units.

“We’d be nowhere without nepotism,” Norton jokes. “In all honesty though, we are extremely diligent and careful about recruiting our staff. We want people who are going to be engaged and who want to work here. We want people who want to be a part of a family and hold the same values and vision.”

When asked what he values most, Norton’s answer is quick and simple: “Life experiences. Those moments you remember and treasure for a long, long time,” he says. And buying a home is one of the largest life moments.

“The Norton Agency doesn’t need to be the biggest, and we don’t need to have our name on everything in town, but we do want to help shape, mold and change lives,” Norton says. “Finding someone a home changes their life, and we want to be a part of those life-changing moments.”

About Gaslowitz Frankel:

To watch the video of this show, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to watch past episodes of “Wealth Matters”, please visit their You Tube Channel.

Remember to tune in on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:30 AM to listen live to their show!

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So You Think Your Estate Plan is Done: Fixable Problems/Simple Cures?

July 27, 2016 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

So You Think Your Estate Plan is Done: Fixable Problems/Simple Cures?

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Craig Frankel, Carly Howard, Rebecca Cummings, Adam Gaslowitz

So You Think Your Estate Plan is Done: Fixable Problems/Simple Cures? Adam Gaslowitz and Craig Frankel discuss this topic with their special guests, Carly Howard and Rebecca Cummings.

Carly Howard/Atlantic Trust

Carly Howard is a senior wealth strategist in Atlantic Trust’s Atlanta office, with more than 10 years of industry experience. In this role, she provides high net worth clients with integrated wealth management services, including comprehensive estate and financial planning solutions, multi-generational legacy planning, and fiduciary administration for trusts and probate estates. Prior to joining Atlantic Trust, Carly was a senior vice president and personal trust specialist with BB&T Wealth’s Professional and Executive Advisory Group, where she provided customized wealth management services for executives and business owners with a focus on fiduciary issues related to executive compensation. She previously served as a fiduciary specialist for BB&T Wealth in South Carolina and Wells Fargo Private Bank in North Carolina. Prior to joining the financial services industry, Carly was an adjunct professor at the Charleston School of Law and an attorney practicing estate planning and fiduciary litigation with major law firms in Miami and Charlotte. She holds Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degrees from the University of Miami and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the College of Charleston. Carly currently chairs the board of directors for PhilanthroFest, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and was included in the Community Building Initiative (CBI) Charlotte’s 2015 “Leaders Under 40” program. She has also served on the South Carolina Probate Code Revisions Committee, Charleston Tax Council, Florida Association for Women Lawyers and other trade groups. Carly has written articles for or been quoted in national and local publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Trusts & Estates magazine.

Rebecca Cummings/Rebecca Godbey Cummings, LLC

Rebecca Cummings is an expert in wills, trusts and estates. For nearly two decades, she has given clients the peace of mind that their estate planning is in perfect working order, and she has counseled families through the process of administering the estate of a loved one. Rebecca spent a decade as an entrepreneur and founder of a small law firm before becoming a partner in one of the most respected estate planning groups in Atlanta. In 2015 she established this law firm to make expert legal advice more affordable for middle class people, and in 2016 she began offering professional fiduciary services for Georgia estates and trusts. Previously a law professor, Rebecca is known for her exceptional ability to explain complex ideas and systems in simple terms; she has repeatedly been named one of the state’s “most effective” lawyers and one of the Top 100 lawyers in Georgia. Rebecca also serves as an expert witness in estate and trust disputes and is the author of “The Case Against Access to Decedents’ Email: Password Protection as an Exercise of the Right to Destroy.” Rebecca is also a dynamic speaker, facilitator, and business development coach. She is past president of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL) and she has given hundreds of workshops, presentations and keynote speeches to companies and organizations such as Coca Cola, the CDC, Emory, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) and the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, on topics as diverse as Georgia’s trust code, running effective meetings, and successful negotiation strategies. Rebecca returns year after year to facilitate strategic planning retreats for organizations that value her ability to create fun and productive multi-day planning sessions for their employees and volunteers. She is affiliated with Novateur Partners, an Atlanta-based consulting, training and coaching company. Rebecca earned her B.A. at Emory University and her J.D. at William & Mary Law School.

ABOUT GASLOWITZ FRANKEL, LLC:

To watch the video of this show, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to watch past episodes of “Wealth Matters”, please visit their You Tube Channel.

Remember to tune in on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:30 AM to listen live to their show!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EstateDispute

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstateDispute

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The “Administrative” Stage of Estate Planning

September 22, 2015 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

The "Administrative" Stage of Estate Planning

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Adam Gaslowitz, Ronnie Genser, Jeff Scroggin, Craig Frankel

On this episode of “Wealth Matters”, hosts Craig Frankel and Adam Gaslowitz discuss how to anticipate and avoid issues at the “administrative” stage of estate planning with their guests Ronnie Genser and Jeff Scroggin.

Ronnie Genser/Bereavement Navigators

Prior to founding Bereavement Navigators in 2012, Ronnie Genser’s professional background included over 25 years in international and domestic sales, marketing, training, and consulting. In addition to her sales and marketing career, from 2006-2008 Ronnie served on the Board of Directors of the Lewy Body Dementia Association. As a board member and subsequent volunteer, over a five-year period (2006-2011) she created the organization’s support group network of almost 100 support groups, which spanned 36 states and the province of Ontario, Canada. This support group network continues to provide families and care givers the resources to cope with the life changes wrought by Lewy Body Dementia, an incurable, progressive disease that currently ravages 1.3 million Americans.

Ronnie’s successful career path took an unexpected turn after the sudden death of her husband, Dr. Sandy Weinberg, an Associate Professor of Healthcare Management at Clayton State University, as well as an internationally-renowned FDA Regulatory Affairs consultant to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biologics industries. He died unexpectedly on October 8, 2011 at age 61, after complications from a heart attack, having spent two days in the ICU at Northside Hospital in Atlanta and seven days in the cardio-vascular ICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The things Ronnie learned about what she needed to do after Sandy’s death including how to organize the numerous and unexpected tasks, the resources she found, and the tips she learned, she now shares in her work as a Bereavement Navigator with other widows, widowers, adult children, and other relatives who have lost a loved one, in hopes that her knowledge will make this process and the journey ahead easier for them.

Because Ronnie’s experience also taught her that being well-prepared before a death is one of the greatest gifts you can give a loved one, she also works with healthy couples and individuals to prepare, or in some cases better prepare, their affairs before their own deaths. As a result, Bereavement Navigators offers them and their loved ones the priceless gift of peace-of-mind, knowing the potentially myriad tasks their loved ones will face after their death will be much easier, less time-consuming, and most importantly, less stressful.

Jeff Scroggin/Scroggin & Company, P.C.

Jeff Scroggin has practiced as a business, tax and estate planning attorney in Atlanta for 36 years. His practice Scroggin & Company, P.C. is devoted to tax planning, estate planning, business representations, business succession and sales of businesses and properties. He is co-creator of the “Family Incentive Trust” and creator of the “The Family Love Letter.” Jeff practices out of an 1883 house in the historic district of Roswell, Georgia. The building contains one of the largest collections of tax memorabilia in the US. The tax collection was featured in a front page article in the Wall Street Journal on April 15, 2015. Jeff is known for his ability to convert complex, technical information into practical, useable forms. He also hopes he is not as pompous as this bio would seem to indicate.

Jeff serves as a Member of the University of Florida Levin College of Law Board of Trustees. Jeff received the following degrees from the University of Florida: B.S.B.A. (Accounting), 1974; Juris Doctorate, 1977; Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M.), 1979. Jeff has taught tax law at the University of Florida College of Law and College of Business.

Jeff is a Founding Board member of the University of Florida College of Law Tax Institute and a Founding member of the University of Florida Advisor Network. He was a CPA with Arthur Andersen’s nationwide estate planning group. He is a Nationally Accredited Estate Planner, is rated “AV” by Martindale Hubbell (since 1990) and has been named in Atlanta magazine as a Georgia “Super-Lawyer” (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015) and “Five Star Wealth Advisor” (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015). He holds a perfect 10 rating from AVVO. Jeff was Founding Editor-in-Chief of the NAEPC Journal of Estate and Tax Planning from 2006-2011 and was Co-Editor of Commerce Clearing House’s Journal of Practical Estate Planning from 2004-2006.

Jeff’s professional affiliations include: The State Bar of Georgia, the Florida Bar, American Revenues Society, American Tax Token Society, Atlanta Estate Planning Council, Buckhead Study Group, Georgia Planned Giving Council, and the North Georgia Estate Planning Council (President, 2002-2005). He was Chairman of the North Fulton Community Foundation from 2007-2009 and is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (2002-2010) where he was Co-Chairman of the Long Range Planning Committee and served as Chairman of the Publications Committee. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau ( 2004-2015), and is a member of the Roswell Rotary Club. He served as Founding Chairman of the Friends of Barrington Hall (2008-2012).

Jeff is the author of over 250 published articles and columns. He was a columnist for Advisor Today Magazine (1997-2010) and a contributing writer to National Underwriter. He has written three books and was recognized by the CFP Board of Examiners for writing one of the best planning articles for the year 2000. His website has been recommended by the Journal of Accountancy for estate planning purposes.

Jeff is a frequent speaker on business, tax and estate planning issues. He has been married for 37 years to Lynn Geiger Scroggin and has three children. His oldest son is a professional blacksmith, his daughter works as a charitable event planner & fundraiser and his youngest son is an Iraq war veteran.

About Gaslowitz Frankel:

If you would like to listen to past episodes of “Wealth Matters’, please visit their You Tube Channel.

Remember to tune in on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:30 AM to listen live to their show!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EstateDispute

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstateDispute

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/estatedispute