ESTATE TALK
Six Things Everybody Should Do Before They Die
Everyone should have some sort of estate plan, regardless of the size of the estate. Generally, the larger the estate, the more complex the plan, and no two estate plans are exactly alike. But there are a few techniques that apply to almost every plan, large or small, simple or astounding.
 

LEGAL LINES
Tax Court Allows 40% Discount for Gifts of Stock
The U.S. Tax Court has held that the value of gifts of stock in a holding company that owned the majority shares of a bank should be discounted by 40% for lack of marketability and lack of control.
 

MEDI-MINUTES
HCFA Clarifies Definition of "Homebound"
Many Medicare beneficiaries and their advocates have complained that the program’s definition of "homebound" for the purpose of determining eligibility for home health benefits are overly restrictive and unreasonable. 
 

HEALTH HAPPENINGS
Hypertension and Low-Fat Diets Don't Mix
Women who use diets low in animal fat and protein to combat hypertension (high blood pressure) may have a higher risk of a type of stroke caused by uncontrolled bleeding in the brain, according to a recent study. 

TAX TID-BITS
Reformation Turns Non-Charitable Trust into Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust
A man created and funded an intervivos trust. Upon the man's death, the trust created a second trust with a portion of its corpus. The beneficiaries of the first trust (Trust A) are all charitable organizations, whereas the income beneficiaries of the second trust (Trust B) are the decedent's children.