A Legal Moment
2025 Estate & Gift Tax Update
The year 2025 continues to offer historically high federal unified exemption amounts for bequests and lifetime gift-giving in effect since 2018. Because of this significant change from prior years, careful review of tax planning provisions in existing estate planning documents may be warranted ‒ as well as consideration of lifetime gift planning.
CTA Deadline for Community Associations Imminent
Lawsuit seeking to suspend filing deadline goes against community associations, leaving December 31, 2024 deadline in place.
Construction Loans 101
A Primer for Homeowners Looking to Build/Re-build in the Wake of Hurricane Helene
Court of Appeals Rejects Short-Term Rental Amendment - Again
Just months after rejecting an STR Amendment in another case, the Court of Appeals "doubled down" by ruling a planned community's amendment prohibiting short-term rentals was "unreasonable" and therefore void.
Court of Appeals Rejects HOA STR Amendment Based on "Character of the Community"
Court finds condo amendment "unreasonable" in light of language in original declaration coupled with fact that short-term renting was "commonplace" in the condominium prior to the amendment
Deadline for Community Association Reporting Under the Corporate Transparency Act Approaches
The Act, which applies to most incorporated community associations, requires initial and ongoing disclosure of "beneficial ownership.”
Corporate Transparency Act Launches January 1, 2024
CTA Requires Annual Report Intended to Enhance Transparency Regarding Corporate Ownership to Combat Money Laundering.
NC Shores Up Protection Afforded to Restrictive Covenants under the Marketable Title Act
Law clarifies that the exception for restrictive covenants under the MTA covers entire Declaration -- albeit only under certain circumstances.
Remote Electronic Notarization Inches Closer to Reality in North Carolina
July 1st Looms as Unlikely Start Date to RENs.
2023 Estate & Gift Tax Update
2023 continues the recent trend of an historically large federal unified exemption amount for bequests and lifetime gift-giving, and because of this significant change from earlier years, careful review of tax planning provisions in existing estate planning documents is warranted ‒ as well as consideration of lifetime gift planning.
NC Authorizes Virtual Meetings of Community Associations
While one will never be able to say that the pandemic has had a “silver lining,” it has at least inspired a profound ‒ and welcome ‒ change in the way community associations may hold and conduct meetings.
2021 Estate & Gift Tax Update
2021 continues to offer an historically large federal unified exemption amount for bequests and lifetime gift-giving in effect since 2018, and because of this significant change from earlier years, careful review of tax planning provisions in existing estate planning documents is warranted ‒ as well as consideration of lifetime gift planning.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised is, um, Newly Revised
This Venerated Authority on Parliamentary Procedure is Updated for the First Time in a Decade.
Changed Circumstances (or not) in a Subdivision
In a somewhat curious opinion recently handed down, the North Carolina Court of Appeals took a fresh look at what constitutes a “general plan of development” in a subdivision for purposes of evaluating whether that plan has changed, and potential “waivers” of covenant enforcement by adjoining landowners.
A Litigator's View of Social Media
While social media enables people to share their lives, those same images, posts and tweets can come back to bite them during litigation.
2020 Estate & Gift Tax Update
2020 continues the recent trend of an historically large federal unified exemption amount for bequests and lifetime gift-giving, and because of this significant change from earlier years, careful review of tax planning provisions in existing estate planning documents is warranted ‒ as well as consideration of lifetime gift planning.
IRS Steps Up Focus on Cryptocurrency
The Agency's recent flurry of letters to cryptocurrency owners, coupled with additional if overdue guidance, sheds light on its thinking.
What is Administrative Law?
Most of us interact with the law in a "branch" of government that is not even mentioned in the Constitution.
Harsh Sanctions for e-Discovery Shenanigans
Two recent opinions by the North Carolina Court of Appeals suggest that North Carolina trial court judges are getting comfortable with the idea of imposing severe sanctions on litigants who fail to abide by the rules regarding electronic discovery.