CSP Legal & Regulatory Compliance 3

Question 1

Which provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 most directly expanded the lifetime federal estate and gift tax exemption, affecting long-term succession planning calculations?

Accepted Answer

Doubled the basic exclusion amount to approximately $11 million per person

Answer

The TCJA temporarily doubled the basic exclusion amount through 2025, significantly raising the threshold before federal estate and gift taxes apply.

Question 2

A corporation seeking to redeem shares from a retiring owner must consider IRC Section 302 to determine whether the redemption is taxed as a dividend or capital gain. Which test allows capital gain treatment when the redemption is 'not essentially equivalent to a dividend'?

Accepted Answer

Both A and B are safe harbors; C is a facts-and-circumstances test

Answer

Section 302 provides two bright-line safe harbors (complete termination and substantially disproportionate) and a facts-and-circumstances test for redemptions not essentially equivalent to a dividend.

Question 3

When a closely held business owner signs a shareholders' agreement that restricts the transferability of shares, which estate tax valuation rule under IRC Section 2703 may cause the IRS to disregard the restriction for estate tax purposes?

Accepted Answer

All three conditions, if present together, allow the IRS to disregard the restriction

Answer

Under IRC Section 2703(b), a restriction is respected for estate tax purposes only if it satisfies all three requirements: bona fide business arrangement, comparable to arm's length terms, and not primarily a tax-motivated transfer to family.

Question 4

Which legal structure allows a business owner to transfer an interest to heirs while retaining management control, commonly used in succession plans to reduce estate taxes through valuation discounts?

Accepted Answer

Family limited partnership (FLP) or family limited liability company (FLLC)

Answer

FLPs and FLLCs allow owners to retain general partner or managing member control while gifting limited interests at discounted values for lack of control and marketability.

Question 5

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which obligation does a business owner have when identifying a successor who may have a disability?

Accepted Answer

The owner must provide reasonable accommodations if the successor is an employee being promoted

Answer

When a succession plan involves promoting an employee, the ADA requires reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in the promotion process.

(CSP) Certified Succession Planner Practice Test

(CSP) Certified Succession Planner Practice Test

CSP Legal & Regulatory Compliance 3