Tennessee's Death Tax: What it Means for You

By John L. Kea, II, J.D., CTFA, Vice President and Trust Advisor, Pinnacle Financial Partners

If you thought death taxes were limited to Uncle Sam's pockets, you might be surprised to learn that Tennessee taxes people at death by applying an inheritance tax.

Click here for more.

Tennessee's Sales Tax Holiday Weekend April 27-29

Mark your calendars for April 27-29 -- a special one-time Tennessee sales tax holiday weekend when you don't have to pay sales tax on clothing or school supply purchases of $100 or less, or on computers up to $1,500. Click here for a list of exemptions.

Subprime Mortgage Woes May Spill Over Into
Broader Economy

In recent weeks, turmoil in the subprime lending sector made Wall Street volatile and helped push the Dow Jones average to its lowest levels in more than four years.

Economists fear the subprime storm could extend past the stock market, past the housing market and into the general economy. Find out more.

Note: Pinnacle is not a subprime lender. Our business model is fundamentally different from the lenders being scrutinized.

"Why do some of my checks seem to clear my
account faster now?"

The days of making a purchase on Monday by check and expecting that the check will not clear before Thursday are over.

On March 16, retailers and businesses received a new option to electronically clear checks. It's called "back-office conversion," or BOC, and it allows checks to be converted from paper to an electronic debit at a centralized location. The process can be as immediate as a debit card transaction, and you can count on the check clearing the next business day. Not all retailers or merchants will choose BOC, but the largest retailers have already adopted it.

The move to the BOC process is the latest change under the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, or Check 21, which first took effect in 2004. The law made the check-payment system more efficient by replacing paper checks with digital copies of the originals and making it so that physical checks did not have to be transported to the bank. Check 21 also allowed checks to be converted into electronic payments.

Before BOC, stores would accept checks, take them into the back office (hence the name), and make a daily trip to the bank to get them cleared. The latest change allows checks that are paid in person at a store to be turned into electronic payments. The result is that checks clear much more rapidly than most consumers expect.

Pinnacle Donelson Celebrates Grand Opening

Photo L to R: Spain, Terry Turner, Smith, Smotherman and Greer

Pinnacle Financial Partners celebrated the opening of its new office at 424 Donelson Pike on March 15. The office includes two drive-through lanes and an ATM, the signature Pinnacle Learning Center for use by clients and community groups and is designed with Pinnacle's unique, contemporary architectural style.

Mary Corbitt Smith, office manager, invites you to drop by to meet the Donelson team of Vonda Spain, Tami Smotherman and Vicki Greer.

New Faces at Pinnacle

Pinnacle welcomes five new associates to the team:
Susan Clinard, 10 years experience, systems business analyst
Karen DePriest, 30 years experience, service specialist
Pattie Jones, 12 years experience, financial advisor assistant
Linda Norton, 16 years experience, financial advisor assistant
Joanie Redman, 10 years experience, Treasury Management analyst

Senator Corker at April 4 Forum

U.S. Senator Bob Corker will speak at Pinnacle’s next Forum on Wednesday, April 4 at the Vanderbilt Marriott. Corker currently serves on the Foreign Relations, Energy and Natural Resources, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committees and the Special Committee on Aging.

Registration and breakfast begins at 7 a.m.; the program begins at 7:30 and will conclude by 9 a.m. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to Brenda Cameron at 744-3773 or via e-mail at LearningCenter@pnfp.com.

Upcoming Workshops

Your Financial Legacy
with Scott McPherson, investment consultant for Pinnacle Asset Management and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.

Pinnacle Donelson
Thursday, March 29, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)
Pinnacle Green Hills
Wednesday, April 4, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)

RSVP or questions: Mary Hall at 690-4061 or via e-mail at mary.hall@pnfp.com

Health Savings Accounts and Consumer Driven Healthcare
with Karl Welch, Bobby Mason and Susan McIndoo of Miller and Loughry Insurance and Services, Inc. (Pinnacle's insurance arm)

Pinnacle West End
Tuesday, April 3, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)
Pinnacle Rivergate
Tuesday, April 10, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)
Pinnacle Cool Springs
Thursday, April 19, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)

RSVP or questions: Mary Hall at 690-4061 or via e-mail at mary.hall@pnfp.com

Construct Your Incapacity Healthcare Plan
with John Kea and Charlotte Csabi, Pinnacle Trust Advisors

Pinnacle Murfreesboro (114 West College St.)
Tuesday, April 17, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (workshop and box lunch)

RSVP or questions: Bethany Cole at 849-3349 or via e-mail at bethany.cole@pnfp.com