Policy Makers

Thursday, November 15, 2018
IRS Announces Higher 2019 Estate And Gift Tax Limits

NEW YORK, NY -- The Internal Revenue Service announced today the official estate and gift tax limits for 2019: The estate and gift tax exemption is $11.4 million per individual, up from $11.18 million in 2018. That means an individual can leave $11.4 million to heirs and pay no federal estate or gift tax, while a married couple will be able to shield $22.8 million. The annual gift exclusion amount remains the same at $15,000. For the ultra rich, these numbers represent planning opportunities. For everybody else, they serve as a reminder: Even if you don’t have a taxable estate, you still need an estate plan.

Read @ Forbes.com >>
Monday, October 22, 2018
CT Philanthropy Digest - October 2018

The OCTOBER 2018 DIGEST includes feature headlines: Disaster Relief Resources for Florence and Michael; Could Connecticut Be the 1st State to End Youth Homelessness?; Sexual Violence Prevention Collaborative to Educate through Youth Sports; Report Shows ALICE Continues to Struggle; New Site Shares Stories of Everyday Good; Network Launched to Advance Women and Girls; ECFC Releases New Connecticut Family Engagement Paper; Transforming Youth Justice Leadership Development Program; Plus -- LEADERSHIP TRAINING; PHILANTHROPY NEWS LINKS; GRANTS & RFPS; EVENTS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES; PEOPLE and JOBS IN PHILANTHROPY!

Monday, October 8, 2018
What price do Connecticut residents pay for state and local government?

HARTFORD, CT -- Conventional wisdom is that the total price charged by the state and its local governments in Connecticut is one of the most burdensome in the country. A common measure upon which this conclusion is based is the total amount we residents pay in state and local taxes, relative to our aggregate personal income, i.e., our capacity to pay.  On this basis, the Tax Foundation tells us that Connecticut ranks either first or second highest in the nation, depending on which of two analytic models it uses. However, taxes are not the only price paid to governments. Residents also pay a number of fees and other charges, separate and distinct from taxes. By Bill Cibes

Read @ CT Mirror's CTViewpoints >>
Thursday, September 13, 2018
The Growth in Total Household Giving Is Camouflaging a Decline in Giving by Small and Medium Donors: What Can We Do about It?

BOSTON, MA -- Research on giving in the United States has now produced definitive empirical evidence to show a decline in the participation and amounts donated by “small” and “medium” (actually, median) donors and an increasing reliance on “large” donors. That lead sentence should make every reader stop and envision the future of philanthropy in our democracy. Nonprfit Quarterly's Patrick Rooney writes in support of a universal charitable deduction.

Read @ Nonprofit Quarterly >>
Monday, August 27, 2018
Vast Web Works to Meet Connecticut's Labor Challenges

HARTFORD, CT -- While experts say the Malloy administration has made progress on those workforce goals over the past eight years, challenges remain — a point the governor himself concedes as he enters his final four months in office. While Connecticut's workforce remains highly educated and productive, many industries report difficulties filling positions, including manufacturing, construction, transportation and logistics and health care, to name a few.

Read @ Hartford Business Journal >>

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