Nevertheless, estate lawyers tell CNNMoney that they've seen a huge transfer in wealth this year by folks hoping to beat a potentially higher gift and estate tax.

Doctors' facing pay cut: Medicare doctors have been put on notice: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will have to process payment claims according to current law, which means a 27% cut in pay starting in January.

Never mind that most in Congress want to avert the scheduled cut. They have done so regularly in the past.

Once physicians submit a claim, it takes at least two weeks before the claim is paid. So if Congress passes a so-called "doc fix" quickly next year, that could potentially prevent pay cuts from occurring.

Or not. It's impossible to say.

"With a full year to stop this drastic cut, it is absolutely inexcusable that Congress has failed to act, leaving Medicare patients and physicians to deal with the consequences," said Dr. Jeremy Lazarus, president of the American Medical Association.