When someone passes on, his or her assets are typically left behind to a beneficiary. If you find yourself the recipient of money, you may have a big question on your mind: will I have to pay taxes? Before we go any further, remember this: it is a good idea to speak with a qualified estate planning attorney to ensure that you are paying all necessary taxes. Whether or not you are required to pay inheritance tax depends on how much money you are receiving, the state in which you live, and … [Read more...]
Asset Protection Planning: Should You Be Worried?
Common goals of many folks is to build up their estate assets so that they can live comfortably during the Golden Years and – hopefully — have a nest egg left to pass down to their children, grandchildren, and/or other loved ones. These goals could be threatened, however, if the hard earned assets are put at risk – and they could be at risk without you even realizing it. The best way to protect your assets, your future, and your loved ones is to include asset protection planning as a component … [Read more...]
Understanding the Annual Gift Exclusion
One part of overall estate planning is considering how to minimize taxes as much as possible. This includes not only estate taxes but also gift taxes. When you transfer ownership of property, even as a gift, the IRS will impose a tax. There are some exceptions or exclusions to the gift tax that is typically imposed. Here is what you need to know. First, what is considered a gift? According to our federal government, a gift is “any transfer to an individual, either directly or indirectly, … [Read more...]
4 Myths About Wills and Trusts
Estate planning means preparing for possible incapacity and inevitable death. An estate plan can include many different types of documents, including wills and trusts. The variety of tools available will allow for a customized and comprehensive estate plan. There are many benefits to estate planning and there are some myths as well. Here we will dispel 4 common myths about wills and trusts. MYTH #1: Trusts are only for the rich and elderly One common misconception is that, if you are young … [Read more...]
Answers to Five Inheritance Tax Questions
You just found out that you will inherit from a loved one's estate. While this might be exciting news, it may also cause some concern. Most people know that estate taxes are typically imposed. Whether or not an heir has to pay any inheritance tax depends entirely on your state. Since state laws are constantly changing, it would be wise to consult with your estate planning attorney if you are receiving an inheritance. Here are the answers to five common inheritance tax questions. No. 1 – … [Read more...]
Trusts Can Satisfy Many Different Objectives
The importance of trusts in estate planning is seen in their ability to minimize estate taxes and hopefully avoid probate. A trust is basically a fiduciary agreement, one based on trust and confidence, between the person making the trust (grantor) and the trustee. This agreement gives the trustee the authority to manage the assets of the trust and distribute those assets to the beneficiaries as specified in the trust agreement. There are several different types of trusts with their own … [Read more...]
The History of the Federal Estate Tax
There are many people who have ideological difficulties with the fairness of the federal estate tax. Where does this idea come from? Throughout your life, you pay taxes on your income, and this includes investment income, even though you make investments with assets that you have left over after paying income taxes. Of course, there are also property taxes, sales tax on your purchases, and somewhat hidden taxes on things like energy, communication, hospitality, gasoline, alcohol, tobacco, … [Read more...]
Is There a Federal Inheritance Tax in the United States?
There are terms that are used in the field of estate planning that can sound interchangeable, and this can lead people to misguided beliefs. This dynamic enters the equation when it comes to death taxes. You may assume that an inheritance tax and an estate tax are identical. The idea is that these are just two different terms that can be used to describe the same thing. If you are not an estate planning professional, this assumption may make sense, because they do sound quite similar. In … [Read more...]
Isn’t a Trust Just a Glorified Will?
People sometimes assume that a trust is a somewhat glorified legal device that accomplishes the same thing that a will would accomplish. In fact, there are different types of trusts. Trusts can satisfy objectives that a will would not satisfy. Let's look at some of these scenarios. Estate Tax Exposure The federal estate tax is a legacy threat to high net worth families. This tax carries a 40 percent top rate, so we are talking about a very significant level of taxation. The good news is … [Read more...]
Estate Tax Strategy for Appreciable Assets
There are things that you can do to potentially transfer assets at a tax discount if your estate is going to be exposed to the federal estate tax. This tax is applicable on transfers that exceed the amount of the federal estate tax exclusion. For the rest of this year, the exclusion is $5.43 million, but it is going up to $5.45 million next year after an inflation adjustment is applied. If you are married, you can use the unlimited marital deduction to transfer unlimited assets to your spouse … [Read more...]
