Wills & Estates

Potential Estate Planning Tax Impacts of the Proposed Reconciliation Bill

On September 13, 2021, the House Ways & Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released the draft text of its proposed budget reconciliation bill (the “Build Back Better Act [First Draft]”), and on September 15, 2021 it approved various sections of the proposal. The Committee released an updated draft on October 28, 2021 (the “Build […]

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Wills & Estates and Tax (Law) in California

Jeb Burton

Managing Shareholder, Estate, Tax and Business Law, The Burton Law Firm

Potential Tax Impacts of the Proposed Reconciliation Bill to Individual Taxpayers

On September 13, 2021, the House Ways & Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released the draft text of its proposed budget reconciliation bill (the “Build Back Better Act [First Draft]”), and on September 15, 2021 it approved various sections of the proposal. The Committee released an updated draft on October 28, 2021 (the “Build […]

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Wills & Estates and Tax (Law) in California

Jeb Burton

Managing Shareholder, Estate, Tax and Business Law, The Burton Law Firm

Potential Tax Impact to Individual Taxpayer: Effective – January 1, 2021

[On November 5, 2021, the changes detailed below were approved by the Senate and are going to be voted on in the House of Representatives.] Potential Tax Impact to Individual Taxpayer: Effective – January 1, 2021 Increase to Allowable State and Local Tax Deduction (§137601): Currently, up to $10,000 may be deducted for state and […]

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Wills & Estates and Tax (Law) in California

Jeb Burton

Managing Shareholder, Estate, Tax and Business Law, The Burton Law Firm

California Updates Several Employment Laws: Effective January 1, 2022

1. The Definition of “Family” Officially Changed to Include Your In-Laws. One of the more interesting changes comes from AB 1033 (available here). A straightforward law, the California Family Rights Act is amended so that “family” includes an employee’s parents-in-law. Current law makes it unlawful for an employer to refuse to grant a request by an […]

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Wills & Estates and Tax (Law) in California

Jeb Burton

Managing Shareholder, Estate, Tax and Business Law, The Burton Law Firm

New Rules to take effect under the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has adopted final rules that implement provisions of the Trademark Modernization Act enacted on December 27, 2020. Most of the rules will become effective on December 18, 2021. Highlights of the new rules include streamlined procedures for canceling registrations due to nonuse. The underlying policy for these […]

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Wills & Estates and Tax (Law) in California

Jeb Burton

Managing Shareholder, Estate, Tax and Business Law, The Burton Law Firm

Best Wishes from Koffels Solicitors

To all the IRG team, and our many friends and colleagues in IR Global, we send very best wishes from all of us here at Koffels Solicitors in Sydney, Australia. We are so disappointed not to be able to attend this year, but we are with you in spirit, and wish you the best conference […]

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Landmark Court Of Appeal Ruling Allows Claimant To Recover A ‘Success Fee’ As Part Of An Award From Father’s Estate

Landmark ruling provides long awaited guidance for private client practitioners on recoverability of success fees and helps to ensure claimants in difficult financial circumstances can access legal support A Court of Appeal ruling, passed down today, has confirmed that the success fee element of conditional fee agreements (CFAs) can be recovered as part of an […]

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Why, Why, Why? The Importance of Reasons in Post-secondary Administrative Decision Making

The right for an affected party to receive reasons explaining an administrative decision is a well-established rule of procedural fairness. The result in a recent case before the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, Andres v University of Lethbridge, 2021 ABQB 551, highlights the importance of adhering to this rule in post-secondary administrative decision making. In Andres, […]

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The Duty of Good Faith in Commercial Tenancy Disputes

The recent decision of ARC Digital Canada Corp. v. Amacon Alaska Development Partnership, 2021 BCSC 1612 (“ARC Digital”) demonstrates that the doctrine of good faith continues to be a strong cause of action in disputes between commercial parties. The Facts In ARC Digital, Amacon Alaska Development Partnership (the “Landlord”) leased commercial premises to ARC Digital Canada Corp. (the […]

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Vaccination Issues in the Workplace: Communications to Employees & New Government Requirements

Given the advancing stage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in British Columbia, and with many employees returning to shared workspaces under loosened health and safety restrictions, employers should be thinking about how to approach vaccination issues in the workplace.  What communications to provide to employees about vaccinations, including implementation of policies, and how to ensure […]

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Surrogacy Dilemma: Can Your Surrogate Get Parenting Time With the Child They Helped Bear?

Can your surrogate get parenting time with the child they helped bear? This is the question the BC Supreme Court recently faced in KB v MSB, 2021 BSCS 1238. The parties’ relationship history: MSB, NBB & KB The relationship between the parties involved is messy and unusual. MSB and NBB are a married couple and they […]

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