If you possess paintings, sculptures or other art pieces, they may represent a significant portion of your estate. Thus, these assets must be properly accounted for in your estate plan....more
Even with a comprehensive estate plan, it’s likely you’ll have some assets in a residuary estate. Like the sediment at the bottom of your glass after you finish a fine wine, an estate plan may also leave some residue....more
If you’re like most people, an important goal of estate planning is to provide financial assistance to your children or other loved ones, ideally at the lowest possible tax cost. There are many strategies for achieving this...more
Spoiler alert: In the acclaimed HBO series “Succession,” the patriarch of a family run business, Logan Roy, fails to name a clear successor. After his sudden death, the family is ripped apart. Eventually the business is sold...more
11/7/2024
/ Business Assets ,
Business Succession ,
Business Valuations ,
Connelly v United States ,
Estate Planning ,
Estate Tax ,
Family Businesses ,
Gift Tax ,
Life Insurance ,
Succession Planning ,
Tax Exemptions
The year 2017, when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law, seems like a long time ago. As you may be aware, many of the tax provisions of that law are set to expire in a relatively short amount of time — on January 1,...more
According to some people, the bypass trust (sometimes referred to as a credit shelter trust) has gone the way of the dodo bird in the current estate tax environment. However, this “dinosaur” of a technique for married couples...more
Thanks to a generous federal gift and estate tax exemption amount ($13.61 million for 2024), only the wealthiest of families are exposed to estate tax liability. For many, this means that estate planning now has a stronger...more
There are numerous benefits of using trusts in your estate plan. For example, trusts can maximize the tax code provisions shielding assets from gift and estate taxes, protect assets from the clutches of creditors or...more
When it comes to estate planning, consider taking a page out of the Boy Scouts Handbook: Be prepared. The last thing you want is for your family to be scrambling to pick up the pieces after your death. Of course, you’ll need...more
12/19/2023
/ Advance Health Care Directive ,
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) ,
Estate Planning ,
Estate Tax ,
Estate-Tax Exemption ,
Executors ,
Financial Power of Attorney ,
Gift Tax ,
Gift-Tax Exemption ,
Living Will ,
Power of Attorney
If you’re in line to receive a significant inheritance, your feelings may range from exhilaration to relief, not to mention a great deal of sadness for the loved one who has passed. Indeed, a large infusion of cash or assets...more
If you own your principal residence, you may be able to benefit from its build-up in equity, realize current tax breaks and pocket a sizeable tax-exempt gain when you sell it. What’s more, from an estate planning perspective,...more
10/6/2023
/ Beneficiaries ,
Equity ,
Estate Tax ,
Fair Market Value ,
Gift Tax ,
Income Taxes ,
Irrevocable Trusts ,
IRS ,
Qualified Personal Residence Trust ,
Tax Exemptions ,
Tax Incentives ,
Trustees
When working with an estate planning advisor, it’s critical to disclose all your assets. Importantly, any foreign assets you might have must be included. Often, people assume that these assets aren’t relevant to their “U.S.”...more
Do you want to leave a legacy for your family? Besides passing along prized heirlooms, you can arrange a long-lasting transfer of wealth through multiple generations by using a dynasty trust. Not only can such a trust avoid...more
Under current estate tax law, taxpayers benefit from the most generous gift and estate tax regime in history. Indeed, in 2023, an individual can shield assets worth up to $12.92 million from federal gift and estate tax....more
Are you thinking about moving abroad after you retire? If so, don’t forget to consider your destination country’s estate tax laws. ...more
Does your estate plan call for making gifts to your grandchildren or other loved ones more than one generation below you? Or, perhaps to nonrelatives more than 37½ years younger than you?...more
When you first dipped your toes into estate planning, you were probably told to start with a legally valid will, above everything else. Check. Next, you may have been advised to create an estate plan that incorporates your...more
It’s true that because of the current record-high gift and estate tax exemption amount, most families don’t have to worry about transfer taxes. However, there are high net worth individuals who must continue to work to reduce...more
You’ve likely spent most of your adult life accumulating wealth that you intend to eventually pass on to your loved ones. But are you concerned that the beneficiaries of your estate might squander their inheritance?...more
Granted, a QTIP trust is an odd sounding name for an estate planning technique. Nevertheless, it can be a valuable strategy, especially if you’re currently in a second marriage. The QTIP moniker is an acronym for the...more
Lifetime giving is a smart strategy to reduce your taxable estate. However, if you’ve exhausted your $12.06 million federal gift and estate tax exemption, your gifts may be fully taxable at the 40% rate. In this case,...more
Executing a codicil may be the answer -
For most people, the first step in estate planning is to create a legally enforceable will. If you already have a will in place, consider yourself ahead of the game, but you’re far...more
The need for estate planning is essential for small business owners who have most of their personal fortune tied up in the operation. This is compounded by the looming reduction of the federal gift and estate tax exemption...more
A critical estate planning decision is whether to transfer wealth during your lifetime or keep your assets in your estate and transfer your wealth to loved ones after your death. Some say it would be wise to make gifts now to...more
You may have already recognized the benefits of using a living trust. Typically, this trust type makes sense if you’re looking to preserve assets for other family members without dire tax consequences or to avoid probate. But...more