Seminars And Lectures
Upcoming Seminars
June:
June 4, 2026: Avidia Bank CPA Conference at Worcester Country Club
Speaker: Leo J Cushing and Todd Lutsky
Register here: If interested, please reach out to Avidia Bank directly for registration.
June 9, 2026: MAA – Demystifying Trusts
Speaker: Todd Lutsky
Description: In light of the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill Act understanding what trusts to use in doing your estate planning just became more important than ever. Should I use two revocable trusts for husband and wife or just one joint revocable trust. Learn how the joint revocable trust can be far superior when dealing with the more moderate estate. Should I consider gifting assets to an intentionally defective grantor irrevocable gifting trust or be more concerned about keeping the assets in light of the increased exemption and focus on the step up in cost basis? Since the exemptions appear to be staying high at least for the time being, am I less worried about federal estate taxes but more concerned about utilizing an irrevocable grantor income only trust and protecting assets from the nursing home while reducing MA estate tax at the same time? Finally, how do these trusts operate from an income tax perspective on an annual basis. Are they Grantor trusts and if so, how do the grantor trust rules operate, are there gift tax concerns, and how do the marital share, QTIP shares and by pass shares operate in these trusts to shelter the assts from estate taxes? We will also explore the language used in drafting these shares in both revocable and Medicaid irrevocable trusts. Finally, we will run thru the income tax returns for these various trusts and how they are done before the donor dies to how they change after the death of the donor. Join us for a walk thru of all the code sections associated with these issues, how to draft the trusts, how they operate on a daily basis, the income tax returns associated with them and learn how best to advise your client in this new estate tax environment.
Register here: https://maacct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-Spring-CPE-Registration-Form.1W.pdf
June 11, 2026 1-4:30pm: Boston Tax Institute: Estate Planning Essentials
Speakers: Todd Lutsky and Richard Woodwell
Description: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has passed and federal estate tax exemptions are headed to $15.0M each as of January 1 indexed for inflation and permanent at least for now. We will explore this act and its impact on estate planning. Certainly this will allow to a return to the focus of obtaining the step up in basis and its related benefits which can be explored through the power of the joint revocable trust. From a MA perspective, we will do a deep dive into the new MA estate tax legislation two years later increasing the exemption to $2,000,000 along with the most recent legislation of MA H 4799 finally settling how to handle out of state property for MA estate tax purposes for residents of the state once and for all effective 9-16-24. Finally, MA has amended its legislation on the calculation of the MA estate tax following the Schaffer decision eliminating the MA only QTIP. We will explore this new legislation along with the potential planning benefits that still exist for previously made MA only QTIPs when a surviving spouse dies under the currently law.
Register here: https://bostontaxinstitute.com/event/estate-planning-essentials-federal-ma-issues-706-709-m-706-workshop/
June 11, 2026 6pm: MassNAELA Program at Brightview Canton
Speaker: Todd Lutsky
Description: IRA assets and how to deal with them in estate planning and Medicaid planning.
Is it best to name the surviving spouse or a revocable trust as the beneficiary of the IRA? When does it make sense to name the revocable trust the Contingent beneficiary verses the kids? If doing Medicaid planning when is it best to name the surviving spouse the beneficiary vs the irrevocable trust? If single should you name the irrevocable trust the beneficiary or the kids? Finally when could it make sense to name the estate of the participant the primary beneficiary of the IRA? If so make sure you are using a testamentary trust with your planning and understand how they work. Come to this seminar and learn all you need to know about IRA beneficiary planning.
Register here: To register, please reach out to Mass NAELA.
June19, 2026 1-3pm: Boston Tax Institute: A Deep Dive into the “New” MA Estate Tax
Speaker: Richard Woodwell
Description: On October 4, 2023, Massachusetts increased its $1,000,000 estate tax exemption to $2,000,000 per decedent. The new law was retroactive for decedents who died on or after January 1, 2023. The new law, however, did not adopt portability nor did it address the constitutionality of Massachusetts seeking to impose an estate tax on non-Massachusetts real estate.
The new law ignored the case of F. Davis Dassori v. Commissioner of Revenue, Docket No. MI-14E00-42GC (Middlesex Probate & Family Court June 30, 2016) where the Commonwealth conceded that taxing non-Massachusetts real estate was unconstitutional. On September 19, 2024, the Massachusetts Legislature finally acknowledged the unconstitutionality of taxing non-Massachusetts real estate and amended G.L. c. 65C, S 2(a). The amendment was effective for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2023, but the statute itself has been unconstitutional forever. Notwithstanding these unconstitutional infirmities, the Department of Revenue has chosen not to update its Form M-706, the instructions online, nor frequently asked questions.
In May 2025, the Massachusetts Legislature introduced another proposed amendment to G.L. c. 65C, S 2(a) to close a “loophole” dealing with Massachusetts-only QTIPS.
We explore in detail the computation of the Massachusetts estate tax under the new law, the benefits of gifting, the elimination of the “cliff effect”, and the treatment of Massachusetts real estate for non-residents using LLCs.
Register here: https://bostontaxinstitute.com/event/a-deep-dive-into-the-new-ma-2m-estate-tax-exemption/
June 24, 2026 9am-12pm: Types of Trusts & Their Income Tax Treatment
Speaker: Richard Woodwell
Description: Identifying a specific trust by type is critical in order to report, administer, and tax the trust and its beneficiaries properly. All trusts have common attributes. Each has a grantor, a trustee, and beneficiaries. The taxation of and reporting responsibilities vary significantly depending on how a trust is structured.
Trusts have the steepest graduated tax table reaching a maximum tax rate of 37 percent at over $15,650 of taxable income (2025). This low threshold makes it crucial that trust advisers understand the tax attributes of a particular trust. Specific provisions in a trust document are key to identifying a trust’s classification and ultimate tax consequences. Trust advisers must be able to recognize and interpret these relative provisions.
Register here: https://bostontaxinstitute.com/event/types-of-trusts-their-income-tax-treatment/
October:
October 8, 2026 9:30-11am: MCLE – The What and How of Department Revenue Filing
Description: Understanding the DOR’s New Non-Resident Reporting and Withholding Requirements: Effective November 1, 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue implemented new non resident withholding and reporting requirements for real estate transfers with a gross sales price of $1,000,000 or more. These regulations have significant implications for sellers, closing attorneys, and transaction planning. This session will provide a practical, comprehensive and plain-English overview of the new regulations. Our panelists will cover key topics, including closing attorney and seller obligations, required forms, exemptions, filing and remittance logistics, Purchase and Sale provisions, frequently asked questions, and much, much more
Speaker: Leo J Cushing