Welcome to Our Resource Library

Portability of estate and gift tax enables a surviving spouse to inherit any unused portion of their deceased spouse’s federal estate and gift tax exemption. So, if one spouse doesn’t utilize their full exemption, the surviving spouse can effectively double their exemption amount with regard to estate tax liability. For married couples, portability offers a […]

When a client reveals a foreign account that has never been reported, the next conversation can carry serious consequences for both the client and the advisor. On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Scarinci Hollenbeck Partner Scott H. Novak will lead a two-hour CPE presentation built around exactly that scenario, addressing the front-line concerns accounting professionals face […]

For many of us, pets are more than companions—they are members of the family. Yet they are often overlooked or inadequately provided for when it comes to estate planning. A pet trust offers a legally enforceable way to ensure that your animal continues to receive proper care if you become incapacitated or pass away. As […]

For many New Jersey business owners, a closely held company represents decades of work, financial investment, and personal sacrifice. Trusts in business succession planning are one of the most effective tools for protecting that value, allowing founders to control how and when the business passes to the next generation while reducing the risk of disputes, […]

Firm Continues Investment in Business Law, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Litigation, and Real Estate to Meet Evolving Client Demands Scarinci Hollenbeck new partners John D. Giampolo and George A. McGowan, III are joining the firm, alongside Counsel Graham K. Staton and Senior Associate Amanda M. Kronemeyer. The four additions reflect Scarinci Hollenbeck’s continued investment in the […]

How Courts Evaluate Testamentary Capacity and Undue Influence Will contests in New Jersey are difficult to win, given the strong presumption that a properly executed will reflects the testator’s intent. However, challenges based on lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence remain common, particularly where there are concerns about mental capacity or the involvement of […]

How the Updated Law Shapes Retirement and Estate Planning The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 materially reshapes the required minimum distribution (RMD) landscape, extending tax deferral opportunities while accelerating distribution requirements for many beneficiaries. For high-net-worth individuals and families, these changes are not merely technical. They require a reassessment of retirement income strategies, beneficiary planning, […]

Scarinci Hollenbeck Partner Scott H. Novak will serve as a featured speaker at the South Florida Tax Litigation Association’s (SFTLA) January dinner, taking place on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Coral Gables, Florida. At the event, Scott will share practical insights drawn from his extensive tax controversy practice, including lessons learned from a multi-year audit […]

New Jersey recently made changes to what is known as the Mansion Tax. New Jersey imposes an additional tax on the transfer of certain types of real estate when the sales price exceeds $1 million. Until recently, that tax was 1%. Under new legislation, that tax is now between 1% and 3.5%, depending on the […]

States have a problem. As costs and expenses rise, they must find new ways to raise revenue that is politically palatable that the taxpayers can live with. What is a state like New Jersey to do when it is staring at a $1.2 billion budget deficit? It already has exceedingly high property taxes. The sales […]

In the interest of keeping our clients fully aware of their legal and tax obligations, information about the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has graced these pages before. At first, the effective date for compliance for pre-2024 companies was December 31, 2024. Newly formed companies were required to comply within 90 days of formation during 2024, […]

If you purchase real property from a foreign person or entity, you may be required to withhold taxes from your payment to the seller under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). The federal tax law is designed to ensure that foreign sellers pay any applicable capital gains tax on profits realized from […]