If you are a Pennsylvania resident, there are many different taxes and tax systems that have to be considered in creating any truly effective plan. In addition to the federal estate taxes, you should also consider the effect of gift taxes, state and federal income taxes, the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax, and in many cases, the generation skipping tax.
Why? These taxes often make one planning technique just the thing for one client and a terrible mistake for another. Consideration of these taxes is usually time very well spent. For more see my article here.