Election Day has come and gone, but given the political divisions in this country, customers will likely continue to contribute to various political organizations. Unlike charitable gifts, gifts to political causes are subject to other restrictions and requirements. That's why it's important for estate planning attorneys and fiduciaries to be aware of how to meet these requirements when overseeing estates or trusts in which gifts are made to political organizations. In “Is Your Credential Agreement Politically Correct?” pp. 24, Allison K. Pfeifle, Craig Engle, and Melisa Seyhun set contribution limits for different types of political organizations and provide considerations for practitioners when drafting wills and trusts for clients who want to make political legacy gifts and for fiduciaries charged with making political contributions.

This month's issue also includes our Estate Litigation Committee Report. The articles in this Report address: the conflicts involved when a fiduciary serves both as trustee of a trust that owns a company and as the company's chief executive officer; the potential disagreement and conflict that can occur when the trustee and beneficiary do not engage with each other; and the circumstances in which it may be best to seek court intervention to resolve a matter during the administration of the client's estate.

With a new presidential administration in place, it remains to be seen what changes there will be to the estate and gift tax rules in 2025. We'll continue to provide coverage to help you stay up-to-date on any developments new.