Finding and Fixing Foreign Issues in a Domestic Trust

Ruth advises individuals and families on estate planning and business planning opportunities, concentrating on international plans.Ruth’s work includes advising U.S. persons who hold foreign assets, helping U.S. persons to receive gifts in a tax-efficient manner, advising non-U.S. persons regarding how to hold U.S. real property, and administering multinational estates and trusts. All of Ruth’s advice is focused on U.S. planning. This can include the creative use of domestic or foreign trusts and business entities to accomplish client goals. Ruth enjoys working with local families on purely domestic plans as well.Ruth frequently collaborates with other advisors to develop a plan that works in all relevant jurisdictions. They have advised U.S. beneficiaries of foreign trusts regarding their U.S. tax positions and reporting requirements. Ruth works with foreign counsel to resolve problems that arise for foreign beneficiaries of U.S. trusts. Ruth advises families regarding gifts from non-U.S. persons to U.S. beneficiaries. Ruth also advises U.S. persons and trustees worldwide regarding information reporting obligations including the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA), Forms 3520 and 3520-A, and the Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR). Ruth also advises local families and business owners regarding tax-efficient gifting strategies. Ruth is a lecturer at Boston University School of Law’s Graduate Tax Program and co-developed a new course on U.S. information reporting. Ruth frequently writes and speaks on topics related to international estate planning and U.S. taxation. In their spare time they enjoy travel, comedy, and learning foreign languages. Ruth has lived in Warsaw, Poland and in Oxford, England and has a working knowledge of Polish, Spanish, and German.