Uncertainty Swirls Around Estate Tax

WSJ Article:  Uncertainty Swirls Around Estate Tax 

By LAURA SAUNDERS

The possible expiration of the federal-estate tax has sent the normally staid world of estate planning into a frenzy of activity, as taxpayers try to cope with uncertainty.

Without the old estate tax in place, some new rules will come into play, potentially forcing families to dig up decades-old records or face big tax penalties. Some other onerous taxes will lapse, potentially cutting bills by two-thirds on transfers to grandchildren. And a debate is raging about whether Congress can pass a bill next year that would be retroactive to Jan. 1.