The Thursday Report – 1.28.16 – Ground Control to Major Thursday

The Annual Florida Bar Wealth Protection Conference Flash News Announcement

New Title II Firearm and Gun Trust Laws Set to Impact Thousands

Baker’s Dozen: No Cupcakes for the Uninformed Debtor

How Will the Federal Reserve Raising Interest Rates Impact You? by Elysia Stobbe

Richard Connolly’s World – Gun Trust is a ‘Trust’ for Federal Tax Purposes

David Bowie Trivia

Humor! (or Lack Thereof!)

We welcome contributions for future Thursday Report topics. If you are interested in making a contribution as a guest writer, please email Stephanie at stephanie@gassmanpa.com.

This report and other Thursday Reports can be found on our website at www.gassmanlaw.com.

SPECIAL THANKS to Jeff Howard of Ray Howard & Associates in Jacksonville for his favorable comment on last week’s Thursday Report. Jeff wins a $10.00 gift certificate to Kentucky Fried Chicken and a fake autograph signed by anyone he chooses.

Ground Control to Major Thursday

“Still don’t know what I was waitin’ for
And my time was runnin’ wild
A million dead-end streets and
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test.”
“Changes”

This week’s Thursday Report is dedicated to the memory of David Bowie, who was born on January 8, 1947 in Brixton, South London, England, under the name David Robert Jones. Bowie was a punk rocker with a completely original rhythm and sassy tone and lyrics – twenty years ahead of his time. 

His first hit that is presently played was “Space Oddity” in 1969, and it was followed by many more, including “Fame,” “Changes,” “Jump They Say,” “Modern Love,” and “Heroes”. The song “Fame” was contributed to by John Lennon and became Bowie’s first American Number 1 hit single in 1975.

See below for Trivia Questions about David Bowie!

Quote of the Week

“Just in: Politician turned reality show star endorses reality show star turned politician.”
– Ari Melber

Ari Melber is the Chief Legal Correspondent at MSNBC where he covers the Justice Department, Supreme Court, FBI, and legal issues. He previously hosted MSNBC’s daily ensemble show The Cycle and now serves as a guest host for many of the network’s other nightly political shows. Ari practiced at a major New York law firm, specializing in First Amendment privilege and copyright litigation, from 2009 to 2013 and is a former legislative aide to Senator Maria Cantwell. He received his J.D. from Cornell Law School and is a member of the New York Bar.

The quote above comes from Ari’s Twitter account @AriMelber and was published on January 19, 2016 in response to former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin endorsing current GOP candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Race. To see the video of Sarah Palin’s endorsement, please click here, or, if you would prefer, please click here to watch the Saturday Night Live parody of the event with Tina Fey and Darrell Hammond as Sarah Palin and Donald Trump.

We thank Carl W. Jenne of Allan and Conrad, Inc. for sending this quote to us for inclusion in today’s Report!

The Annual Florida Bar Wealth Protection Conference
Flash News Announcement

The Annual Florida Bar Wealth Protection Conference in Miami on Thursday, April 14^th, and Friday, April 15^th will definitely be our best program ever! You can attend one or both days.

Speakers will include Barry Engle, Howard Fisher, Denis Kleinfeld, Jonathan Gopman, Alan Gassman, and many others! The two-book course materials will be available to all attendees.

A Thursday evening dinner with the speakers and a post-dinner small group discussion and workshop on Practice Acceleration will be available only to those who attend the live sessions.

Our tentative program, which will be subject to changes in the next week or two, can be viewed by clicking here.

This conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Miami. You can call 305-358-1234 to book your room (be sure to mention our event!) or you could always rent a car in Miami and sleep in that instead.

Registration details will be forthcoming. See you there!

New Title II Firearm and Gun Trust Laws Set to Impact Thousands

If you missed Alan’s talk for InterActive Legal at Heckerling, please know that the new regulations released on January 8^th (two days after completion of the book Alan wrote with Sean Healy, Lee-Ford Tritt, Jonathan Blattmachr, and others, which can now be purchased by clicking here!) will dramatically change the gun trust and gun ownership laws that apply to automatic weapons, silencers, and short-barreled rifles and shotguns.

It is a 10 year felony to allow anyone to have access to these “Title II” items, and individual ownership must be documented after fingerprinting, photo filing, and permission from a Chief Law Enforcement Office (police, sheriff, or state police).

For over 50 years, the gun trust rules have allowed weapons to be held in trust, with all trustees having the right to use and possession, without fingerprinting, photo registration, and law enforcement officer approval once the trust has been settled.

It appears that all gun trusts in existence and duly registered before July 12^th, 2016 will be grandfathered from the new requirements. The new requirements include the necessity of having initial trustees register with fingerprints, photos, and background checks. Many clients zealously limit what the government and others know about them and do not want to be on a “Hey everybody! I have a machine gun!” list.

Advisors must be very careful to confirm that clients who own or have access to these dangerous weapons will act responsibly, and also not expose themselves, family members, and friends to minimum 10 year felony convictions.

To make matters more dicey, many authorities believe that well over half of the gun trusts in existence have significant flaws due to perpetuation of “99 dollar gun trusts” that gun shop owners innocently encourage their customers to use to avoid costs and delays in registering and transferring ownership of weapons.

Consider sending the following letter to your valued clients, many of whom have not thought to tell you that they have an automatic weapon, silencer, or short-barreled rifle or shotgun that they use with others.

Dear Clients,

On January 8^th, federal regulations were issued that will provide harsher registration and disclosure requirements on those who own or who have any access or possible use of automatic rifles and pistols, silencers, and certain other “Title II” weapons.

Please feel free to share this letter with anyone who may own or make use of these items.

It is a felony for the individual owner of these items to allow use, or even possible access, to any non-owner, even if they are your spouse or your children.

These items need to be locked securely in a gun safe and only the registered owner should have a key.

The gun trust law, which has allowed all trustees of a properly drafted and registered gun trust to have access and use of these weapons, and to avoid the need for fingerprinting, filing photographs with the federal government, and certain other requirements will not be the same for gun trusts formed and registered after July 12, 2016.

In addition, many gun shop owners have inadvertently provided their customers with gun trust documents that do not comply with the federal law and expose the trustees and their families to possible prosecution.

Please let us know if you have any questions with respect to the above. We have additional literature and information that we can share with you. It is very important to use lawyers who understand both the weaponry laws and the trust laws.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be of service with respect to your planning.

We will have a complimentary one hour webinar in the near future with Jonathan Blattmachr and other experts. Please let us know if you would like to attend.

Thanks to all presenters, sponsors, and attendees at the 50^th Annual Heckerling Institute and to a good many patient bartenders and servers. For more information on the book, please click to see the book cover and the table of contents.

For more on gun trusts, please see the featured article of the week in Richard Connolly’s World or click here to see the latest LISI newsletter by Alan Gassman, Sean Healy, Lee-Ford Tritt, Jonathan Blattmachr, Seaver Brown, and Travis Arango.

Baker’s Dozen: No Cupcakes for the Uninformed Debtor
by Alan Gassman and Lydia Greiner

Lydia Greiner is originally from Inverness, Florida. She grew up racing motocross across the country but elected to remain in Florida to pursue her educational endeavors. She graduated from the University of South Florida in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Political Science. She is currently in her third year at Stetson University College of Law and will graduate this May with a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law.

I had 12 cupcakes and 3 ex-friends
When we get together, the fun never ends.

Many debtors prefer to stay out of bankruptcy for a number of good reasons,[1] however, under Section 303 of the Bankruptcy Code, a debtor can be forced into bankruptcy through an involuntary proceeding. It is well established under Bankruptcy Code Section 303 that it takes three qualified creditors to force a debtor into bankruptcy if the debtor has twelve or more creditors with undisputed claims that together exceed a statutorily established amount.

In determining which creditor (or three, if there are twelve or more) can force a debtor into involuntary bankruptcy, the court will evaluate the creditor’s claims and whether they are non-contingent as to liability and amount and whether the claims are undisputed.[2] Additionally, for a proceeding under 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(1), the court will need to determine whether the undisputed, non-contingent claims have an aggregate value of $15,325[3] “more than the value of any lien on property of the debtor securing such claims held by the holders of such claims.”[4]

If there are fewer than 12 creditors, 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(2) will apply. However, creditors proceeding under Section 303(b)(2) are still subject to some statutory requirements. The aggregate amount of the creditors’ claims, for example, must be $15,325 or more.[5] Additionally, certain types of creditors, insiders, are not eligible to initiate the proceeding.[6] Unlike Section 303(b)(1), there is no additional requirement under Section 303(b)(2) that the creditor’s aggregate claims exceed the value of any lien on the debtor’s property securing the claims by the statutorily prescribed $15,325.[7]

Confusion arises when trying to determine what is an eligible creditor that may be counted as one of the twelve required in a Section 303(b)(1) proceeding. Whether a creditor is eligible to file for involuntary bankruptcy depends on their claim(s) against the debtor.

Although “creditor” only has one definition in these types of proceedings,[8] the type of creditor qualified to file for involuntary bankruptcy may differ from those counted in determining whether the debtor has a sufficient number of holders to initiate a Section 303(b)(1). Unfortunately for debtors, the definition of “creditor” under Section 303 is not as broad as the common law definition, and there have been a significant number of inconsistent court cases.

Courts have reached different conclusions in deciding who is eligible[9] to count toward the required 12 or more creditors. While some illegitimate creditors may easily be identified and discounted, others require the court to examine factors related to the creditor’s claim and the relationship between the debtor and creditor. These inconsistencies result in difficulty and confusion when trying to identify eligible creditors.

The primary categories of creditors that will be eliminated in determining if the 12-creditor requirement is met under a Section 303(1)(b) proceeding are as follows:

1. Creditors whose claims are contingent or not finally determined.
2. Creditors whose claims are adequately secured by collateral worth as much or more than is owed.
3. Creditors who are “insiders.”
4. Creditors who owe the debtor more than the debtor owes the creditors.
5. Creditors who owe so little that the debt will not be considered to be “real.”
6. Creditors who are considered to be an alter ego of the debtor.

Don’t share cupcakes with insiders.
They aren’t known to be providers.
You’ll end up with just a wrapper,
And not feeling so dapper.

In determining the number of legitimate creditors who may trigger involuntary bankruptcy, insiders are a large group of creditors that include different individuals or entities depending on who the debtor is – a natural person, a fictitious entity, or a municipality.[10] Although an insider is not among the creditors who are counted when determining whether the debtor has a sufficient number of creditors to trigger involuntary bankruptcy under 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(1), they are not barred from pursuing claims against the debtor if a proceeding is initiated.[11] Insiders in an involuntary bankruptcy context include:

1. If the debtor is an individual —
   1. Relative of the debtor or of a general partner if the debtor
   2. Partnership in which the debtor is a general partner
   3. General partner of the debtor; or
   4. Corporation of which the debtor is a director, officer, or person in control;
2. If the debtor is a corporation –
   1. Director of the debtor;
   2. Officer of the debtor;
   3. Person in control of the debtor;
   4. Partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
   5. General partner of the debtor; or
   6. Relative of a general partner, director, officer, or person in control of the debtor;
3. If the debtor is a partnership –
   1. General partner in the debtor;
   2. Relative of a general partner in, general partner of, or person in control of the debtor;
   3. Partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
   4. General partner of the debtor; or
   5. Person in control of the debtor
4. If the debtor is a municipality, elected official of the debtor, or relative of an elective official of the debtor;
5. Affiliate or inside of an affiliate as if such affiliate were the debtor; and
6. Managing agent of the debtor.[12]

Additionally, the requirement of “generally not paying such debtor’s debts” may resonate differently with different courts depending on where the creditors filed for the involuntary bankruptcy action.  Courts will use a totality of the circumstances test and balance the interests of the parties in determining whether a creditor pursuing involuntary bankruptcy action should be dismissed.  A few factors that most courts examine include: the number of unpaid claims, the amount of the claims, the materiality of the non-payments, and the debtor’s conduct in financial affairs.

Further, the court in In re The District of McAllen found that ad valorem tax authorities, insiders, persons that owe more money than they are owed, and lease deposits that are contingent do not count to make creditors eligible to join an involuntary bankruptcy action, while de minimus claims do count.[13]

While there is no bright line rule to determine which creditors are “legitimate creditors,” in every situation involving an involuntary bankruptcy proceeding, the table below may help to provide some general guidelines.

I like cupcakes,
And I eat quite a few,
But every so often,
Instead I get a screw.

* Insiders are not prohibited from filing a claim against the debtor; they are only excluded from consideration in determining debtor’s legitimate creditors.[14]

** A creditor who is paid on time is unable to bring a claim against the debtor, and, thus, the claim would be subject to dispute.[15]

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[1] Often, the primary reason is to avoid losing a homestead protected under state law but not under the 2015 Bankruptcy Act 10-Year Look-Back for Fraudulent Transfers or the 1215-day ownership requirement, or the 730-day residency requirement. Also, a bankruptcy discharge right will be lost forever if a bankruptcy action is filed within one year of making a fraudulent transfer.
[2] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(1-2).
[3] The aggregate amount required for claims is statutorily provided and is periodically adjusted to compensate for inflation: $15, 325 is the amount required for filings in 2016.
[4] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(1).
[5] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(2).
[6] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(2).
[7] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(2).
[8] 11 U.S.C. § 101(10)(A-C). Creditor is defined under the Federal Bankruptcy Statute as the “entity that has a claim against the debtor that arose at the time of or before the order of relief concerning the debtor,” and an “entity that has a community claim.”
[9] In addition to the statutory requirements that their claims be qualified (undisputed and non-contingent.)
[10] 11 U.S.C. § 101(31).
[11] 11 U.S.C. § 303(b)(2); see also In re Little Bldgs, Inc., 49 B.R., 889 (B.C. N.D. Ohio, 1985).
[12] 11 U.S.C. § 101(31)(A-F).
[13] In re The District of McAllen LP, case no. 14-70661 (Southern Dist. TX 2015).
[14] See In re Little Bldgs, Inc., 49 B.R. 889 (Bankr, N.D., Ohio. 1985).
[15] See Atlas Machine & Iron Works, Inc. v. Bethlehem Steel Corp., 986 F. 2d 709 (VA Ct. App. 4, 1993.)

How Will the Federal Reserve Raising Interest Rates Impact You?
by Elysia Stobbe

Elysia Stobbe is the author of the #1 Best Seller How to Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye ™, which hit #1 Best Seller on Amazon in both Mortgage Books and Buying & Selling Homes as well as new releases. Elysia presented her Secrets of Success at Harvard University in April of 2015. In addition, Elysia has given key note speeches in Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, Marco Island, FL & Jacksonville, FL on a variety of topics including home buying, residential mortgages, strategic business coaching and leadership. As one of the nation’s leading mortgage experts with more than 12 years of experience, Elysia has been interviewed by CBS TV & Radio and featured by the Wall Street Journal for her expertise in VA Loans as well as interviewed by the Washington Post for her industry knowledge regarding first time home buyers. She can be contacted on Twitter, LinkedIn, or at her website: www.bestmortgagebook.info.

On December 16^th, 2015, Chairman Janet Yellen announced that The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Head of the Bank of the Banks) were raising interest rates.

Chairwoman Janet Yellen is the first woman to hold this position. Chairwoman Yellen took over the position from Ben Bernanke and was sworn into her office on February 3, 2014, after the Senate confirmation in January 2014.

The Prime Rate adjusted in sync with the announcement. However, most of the loan market already expected this, and mortgage interest rates has risen about 0.25% in the 10-14 days before the announcement in anticipation, so there was actually little movement in long-term rates at the time of the announcement.

But what does this mean for you? What does this mean for your clients? What is the actual cost?

The Federal Reserve has already raised interest rates by 0.25% and plans to continue raising rates 0.25% until next December, so there will be a full 1% increase in interest rates. That doesn’t sound like much, but for most people, it actually adds up. Take a $300,000 home, for instance. For each 0.25% increase in the interest rates on a $300,000 loan, that’s an extra $43.56 a month. So, over the next year, if you are buying a $300,000 home, and the interest rates go up by 1%, that’s an extra $174.24 a month in interest you’ll be paying. That’s easily a student loan payment, a car payment, or a nice dinner out. If you look at it on an annual basis, it’s over $2,090 a year in additional interest costs, which is over $10,400 over the next five years!

Now, you may think, “Well, that’s more of a tax deduction for me since it’s interest,” but be sure to check with your CPA to see how that change will really impact your bottom line. I say a penny earned is a penny saved, and even more important, $2,000 saved by buying now is free money! So if you are considering buying a home, do it now! Get pre-approved and start planning now.

These interest rates are for the purposes of example only. You are not guaranteed those rates; you may or may not qualify for a loan.

For more information, pick up Elysia’s number one best-selling book at www.elysiastobbebooks.com.

Richard Connolly’s World
Gun Trust is a ‘Trust’ for Federal Tax Purposes

Insurance advisor Richard Connolly of Ward & Connolly in Columbus, Ohio often shares with us pertinent articles found in well-known publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and The New York Times. Each week, we will feature some of Richard’s recommendations with links to the articles.

This week, the article of interest is “Gun Trust is a ‘Trust’ for Federal Tax Purposes” by Dawn S. Markowitz. This article was featured on WealthManagement.com on January 8, 2016.

Richard’s description is as follows:

In Internal Revenue Service Information Letter 2015-0039 (released December 24, 2015), the IRS analyzed the provisions of a gun trust, which is a legal trust used to register firearms with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The IRS concluded that even though the gun trust purportedly didn’t have ascertainable beneficiaries, it was still a “trust” for federal tax purposes of Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-4. Even without ascertainable beneficiaries in the agreement, this non-charitable purpose vehicle satisfied the definition in Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-4.

Please click here to read this article in its entirety.

David Bowie Trivia

1. Which famous rocker’s father was David Bowie’s music teacher in grade school?
2. Which famous rocker was a recovering addict who accompanied Bowie for the entire Glass Spider Tour in 1987 and thereafter regained his reputation to become reliable and able to resume touring?
3. Which Beatle showed up at the studio and helped develop what became the song “Fame”?
4. What character did David Bowie play and publicize with an album, tour, and unique videos?
5. Which highly acclaimed 1976 science fiction movie did David Bowie star in but not contribute any music to?
6. In what year did David Bowie sell the majority of his musical rights to a syndicate made up of various investment groups who paid over $55 million dollars in the first music rights offering of its kind?
7. What are notable David Bowie multiple musician videos on YouTube that you could watch now instead of getting your work done?
8. What was so special about the Bowie knife, which was invented by 19^th century American pioneer Jim Bowie, making him one of the wealthiest weapons investors in history?
9. Where, when, and how did Jim Bowie die?
10. What year did David Bowie meet Colonel Sanders at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opening in Essex, England?
11. What song did David Bowie perform sitting alone on stage cross-legged with a small organ at The Concert for New York City on October 20, 2001? (Alan Gassman was there to see this!)

DAVID BOWIE TRIVIA ANSWERS

1. Peter Frampton
2. Peter Frampton
3. John Lennon
4. Ziggy Stardust
5. The Man Who Fell to Earth
6. 1997
7. “Modern Love” with Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Lust for Life” with Iggy Pop, “Little Drummer Boy” with Bing Crosby, and “Dancing in the Streets” with Mick Jagger
8. The knife had a handle so that when you stabbed someone or something, your hand did not run down the blade and get cut (yes, it apparently took until 1830 to figure that out, at least in the American wilderness!)
9. Jim Bowie died in 1836 along with the other 188 defenders at The Battle of the Alamo. The “most popular and probably most accurate” accounts maintain that he died in his bed after emptying his pistols into several Mexican soldiers.
10. Gotcha! This, unfortunately, never happened. What’s a quiz without a trick question?
11. Simon & Garfunkel’s “America,” written by Paul Simon. Click here to see this performance.

Humor! (or Lack Thereof!)

Sign Saying of the Week

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Alan Gassman has headed down to Key West for the MER Internal Medicine Program this weekend. If you try to email him while he’s gone, you may get the following message:

I am in Key West
Having the best
Time of my life
With my amazing wife.

Dinner reservations,
Music sensations,
Meeting new friends in bars,
And not driving any cars,
Talking to 100 doctors about planning,
While thinking about tanning!

So have a great day,
And I’m sorry for any delay.
It is a short stay,
I’ll see you on Monday!

I’ll give your regards to Hemingway,
And I wish I could see Jimmy Buffet play,
I love his stories on AIA
(Listen to the whole album, without delay!)

Tina and Maribeth had to stay
And are available to help you today.
Special thanks to Charlie T.
For loaning us your house key!
From Duval Street, it is not very far,
And now we won’t have to sleep in our car.

Upcoming Seminars and Webinars

Calendar of Events

LIVE KEY WEST PRESENTATION:

MER INTERNAL MEDICINE FOR PRIMARY CARE PROGRAM

Alan Gassman will present four, one-hour, Medical Education Resources, Inc. talks for cardiologists and other doctors who dare to attend this outstanding 4-day conference. Join us at Hemingway’s for a whiskey & soda and a ring of the bell. Beach Boys not invited.

Mr. Gassman’s topics will include:

• The 10 Biggest Mistakes that Physicians Make in Their Investment and Business Planning (January 30^th: 10:10 AM – 11:10 AM)
• Lawsuits 101: How They Work, What to Expect, and What Your Lawyer and Insurance Carrier May Not Tell You (January 30^th: 11:10 AM – 12:10 PM)
• 50 Ways to Leave Your Overhead (January 31^st: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM)
• Essential Creditor Protection and Retirement Planning Considerations (January 31^st: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM)

Date: January 28 – 31, 2016 | Mr. Gassman will speak on Saturday, January 30, from 10:10 AM to 12:10 PM and Sunday, January 31 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Location: Casa Marina Resort | 1500 Reynolds Street, Key West, FL, 33040

Additional Information: For more information, please email Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR:

David Finkel and Alan Gassman will present a free, one-hour webinar on the topic of THE SCALE FORMULA: 5 PROVEN PRINCIPLES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK.

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com or Stephanie Herndon at stephanie@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY MAUI MASTERMIND WEBINAR:

Alan Gassman will present a free, 45-minute webinar on the topic of ESTATE PLANNING BASICS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS.

This webinar will be specially made for and presented in partnership with Maui Mastermind. There will be two opportunities to attend this presentation.

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | 12:30 PM or 5 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE WEBINAR:

Alan Gassman will moderate a free Bloomberg BNA Essential Elements webinar with special guest Turney Berry on the topic of CHARITABLE PLANNING TECHNIQUES THAT ALLOW UNCLE SAM TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR FAMILY AND CHARITIES.

Date: February 18, 2016 | Replay on March 1, 2016

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this webinar, please click here. For more information, please email Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE WEBINAR:

Alan Gassman will moderate a Bloomberg BNA Practical & Creative Planning webinar with special guest Jonathan Blattmachr on the topic of FUNDAMENTALS, FINE POINTS, AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR LIFE INSURANCE AND USE THEREOF.

Bloomberg BNA will charge for this webinar and this series of webinars, but we believe it is well worth it! We will have the full schedule available in a future Thursday Report.

Date: February 25, 2016 | Replay on March 1, 2016

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: For more information or to register, please email Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY MAUI MASTERMIND WEBINAR:

David Finkel and Alan Gassman will present a free, one-hour webinar on the topic of THE SIX-STEP TIME VALUE MATRIX TO RECLAIM 4-8 HOURS A WEEK TO INVEST IN GROWING YOUR BUSINESS.

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2016 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com or Stephanie Herndon at stephanie@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY MAUI MASTERMIND WEBINAR:

Alan Gassman will present a free, 45-minute webinar on the topic of ASSET PROTECTION BASICS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS.

This webinar will be specially made for and presented in partnership with Maui Mastermind. There will be two opportunities to attend this presentation.

Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 | 12:30 PM or 5 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY MAUI MASTERMIND WEBINAR:

David Finkel and Alan Gassman will present a free, one-hour webinar on the topic of MORE WITH LESS: 5 SIMPLE STEPS TO ENJOY MORE BUSINESS GROWTH AND GREATER PERSONAL FREEDOM BY DOING LESS.

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com or Stephanie Herndon at stephanie@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE NAPLES PRESENTATION:

3^RD ANNUAL AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW ESTATE PLANNING CONFERENCE

This one-day conference will take place in Naples, Florida on Friday, May 6, 2016.

On Thursday, May 5, there will be a special dinner with Jonathan Blattmachr. Jonathan will also present at the conference on Friday. Be sure to bring an extra pair of socks because the first pair will get knocked off by Jonathan’s talk!

Alan’s Friday morning presentation will be entitled COFFEE WITH ALAN: AN INTRODUCTION TO SELECT ESTATE PLANNING AND ASSET PROTECTION STRATEGIES. During this session, Alan will offer an overview of the topics that will be presented throughout the Estate Planning Conference. Attendees new to these specific estate planning areas will find the presentation useful and helpful.

Alan will also moderate the Luncheon Speaker Panel with Jonathan Blattmachr, Stacy Eastland, and Lee-ford Tritt. The panel will cover the topic of WHAT WE WISH WE KNEW WHEN WE STARTED PRACTICING LAW – NON-TAX AND PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR ESTATE PLANNERS YOUNG AND OLD.

Date: May 6, 2016

Location: Ritz Carlton Golf Resort | 2600 Tiburon Drive, Naples, FL, 34109

Additional Information: For more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

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LIVE COMPLIMENTARY MAUI MASTERMIND WEBINAR:

Alan Gassman will present a free, 45-minute webinar on the topic of EQUITY STRIPPING AND OTHER ADVANCED ASSET PROTECTION IDEAS.

This webinar will be specially made for and presented in partnership with Maui Mastermind. There will be two opportunities to attend this presentation.

Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 | 12:30 PM or 5 PM

Location: Online webinar

Additional Information: To register for this presentation or for more information, please contact Alan Gassman at agassman@gassmanpa.com.

Notable Events by Others

LIVE MIAMI EVENT:

4^TH ANNUAL ESTATE PLANNING SYMPOSIUM

The Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami (“EPCGM”) will be putting on its 4^th Annual Estate Planning Symposium on Tuesday, February 9, 2016.

Speakers include Howard Rosen, Suzanne Shier, Martin E. Basson, Charles D. (“Skip”) Fox, IV, R. Marshall Jones, Wayne Tonning, and Harold Evensky.

This conference has been approved for 7 hours of CLE (Certification: Elder Law – 7 hrs; Wills, Trusts & Estates – 7 hrs); 7 hours of CFP CE; and 7 hours of Florida Insurance. This event also qualifies for 7 hours of self-reported CPE for Florida CPAs and 7 hours of CIMA and CTFA CE.

Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2016 | 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Location: University of Miami BankUnited Center | 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL

Additional Information: To download the complete agenda and registration form, please click here.

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LIVE ST. PETERSBURG PRESENTATION:

ALL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION 18^TH ANNUAL ESTATE, TAX, LEGAL & FINANCIAL PLANNING SEMINAR

We are pleased to announce that Jonathan Blattmachr, Howard Zaritsky, Lee-Ford Tritt, Lauren Detzel, Michael Markham, and others will be speaking at the 2016 All Children’s Hospital Estate, Tax, Legal & Financial Planning Seminar.

Lauren Detzel will be speaking on Family Law and Tax Planning for Divorce, Michael Markham will be speaking on Bankruptcy and Creditor Protection/Fraudulent Transfers in the Context of Estate Planning, Howard Zaritsky will talk about Income and Estate Tax Planning Techniques in View of Recent Developments, and Lee-Ford Tritt will speak on Gun Trusts and Same Sex Marriage Consideration Highlights.  Do not miss this important conference.

We thank Lydia Bailey and Lori Johnson for their incredible dedication (and patience with certain members of the Board of Advisors.) All Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Johns Hopkins.

Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Location: Live Event at the All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg Campus; Live webcasts in Tampa, Fort Myers, Belleair, New Port Richey, Lakeland, and Sarasota

Additional Information: Please contact Lydia Bennett Bailey at lydia.bailey@allkids.org for more information.

Applicable Federal Rates

Below we have this month, last month’s, and the preceding month’s Applicable Federal Rates, because for a sale you can use the lowest of the 3.