Estate Tax Update

Words: Jeff BuczkiewiczThe Treasury Department has formally recommended withdrawing the Section 2704 regulations on family business valuation. These regulations would have increased the death tax burden on family businesses.

Treasury's final report issued today in accordance with the President's Executive Order 13789 lists Sec 2704 under proposed regulations to be withdrawn entirely:
After reviewing these comments, Treasury and the IRS now believe that the proposed regulations’ approach to the problem of artificial valuation discounts is unworkable. In particular, Treasury and the IRS currently agree with commenters that taxpayers, their advisors, the IRS, and the courts would not, as a practical matter, be able to determine the value of an entity interest based on the fanciful assumption of a world where no legal authority exists.

In light of these concerns, Treasury and the IRS currently believe that these proposed regulations should be withdrawn in their entirety. Treasury and the IRS plan to publish a withdrawal of the proposed regulations shortly in the Federal Register.
Withdrawal of these regulations is a significant victory for small businesses ($18 Billion according to President Obama's FY13 Budget) as we continue to push for repeal the death tax. Thanks to all the groups that helped push back.

Please visit www.masoncontractors.org/positions/estate-tax-rule-change for additional information.
A Practical Guide to Modern Masonry Restoration
February 2026

THE MYTH: Masonry Lasts Forever It’s strong, yes, but movement, moisture, and time still take their toll. Common Causes Why Masonry Fails: - Differential movement - Thermal expansion & contraction - Moisture intrusion & freeze–thaw - Corrosion of steel

The 2026 MCAA Annual Online Auction
February 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America is thrilled to announce the 2026 Annual Online Auction, the masonry industry’s premier event for scoring the best equipment at a fraction of costs. Whether you are looking to expand your equipment stockpile or

CMU Partitions: How Much Reinforcement Is Actually Required?
February 2026

Walk onto almost any job site and you’ll find masons laying out interior partitions much the same way they did decades ago. The work looks straightforward: stack the units, strike clean joints, and keep the wall plumb. And the function of these partitions

MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 37 Recap: Starling Johnson, VP of Sales at STALITE Lightweight Aggregate
February 2026

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Starling Johnson joins the set in Indianapolis to talk about her path within masonry, sales in this industry, and life outside of work.