Few estate planning subjects are as misunderstood as probate. Its biggest downside, and the one that grabs the most attention, is the fact that probate is public. Indeed, anyone who’s interested can find out what assets you owned and how they’re being distributed after your death.
Read MoreIf you hold an interest in a business that’s closely held or family owned, a buy-sell agreement should be a component of your estate plan. The agreement provides for the orderly disposition of each owner’s interest after a “triggering event,” such as death, disability, divorce, termination of employment or withdrawal from the business.
Read MoreOnce upon a time, life insurance played a much larger part in an estate plan than it does now. Why? Families would use life insurance payouts to pay estate taxes. But with the federal gift and estate tax exemption at $12.92 million for 2023, far fewer families currently are affected by estate tax.
Read MoreGenerally speaking, owning property jointly benefits an estate plan. Indeed, joint ownership offers several advantages for surviving family members. However, there are exceptions and it’s not the solution for all estate planning problems.
Read MoreIf you own an interest in a closely held business, a buy-sell agreement should be a critical component of your estate and succession plans. These agreements provide for the orderly disposition of each owner’s interest after a “triggering event,” such as death, disability, divorce or withdrawal from the business. This is accomplished by permitting or requiring the company or the remaining owners to purchase the departing owner’s interest. Often, life insurance is used to fund the buyout.
Read MoreAre you charitably inclined? If so, you probably know that donations of long-term appreciated assets, such as stocks, have an advantage over cash donations. But in some cases, selling appreciated assets and donating the proceeds may be a better strategy.
Read MoreIf you’re approaching retirement or have already retired, one of the biggest challenges is balancing the need to maintain your standard of living with your desire to preserve as much wealth as possible for your loved ones. This balance can be difficult to achieve, especially when retirement can last decades. One strategy to consider is the split annuity, which creates a current income stream while preserving wealth for the future.
Read MoreIf you’re approaching retirement or have already retired, one of the biggest challenges is balancing the need to maintain your standard of living with your desire to preserve as much wealth as possible for your loved ones. This balance can be difficult to achieve, especially when retirement can last decades. One strategy to consider is the split annuity, which creates a current income stream while preserving wealth for the future.
Read MoreFor many business owners, estate planning and succession planning go hand in hand. As the owner of a closely held business, you likely have a significant portion of your wealth tied up in the business. If you don’t take the proper estate planning steps to ensure that the business lives on after you’re gone, you may be placing your family at risk.
Read MoreA Health Savings Account (HSA) can be a powerful tool for financing health care expenses while supplementing your other retirement savings vehicles. And it offers estate planning benefits to boot.
Read MoreGift splitting can be a valuable estate planning tool, allowing you and your spouse to maximize the amount of wealth you can transfer tax-free. But in some cases, it can have undesirable consequences, so be sure that you understand the implications before making an election to split gifts.
Read MoreApril 18, 2022, is the deadline for filing your federal income tax return. Keep in mind that the gift tax return deadline is on the very same date. So, if you made large gifts to family members or heirs last year, it’s important to determine whether you’re required to file Form 709.
Read MoreIf you’re married and have children from a previous marriage plus children or stepchildren from your current marriage, your family is considered a blended family. And because you’ll likely wish to pass your wealth on to all of your biological children but also provide for your spouse and perhaps any stepchildren, estate planning can get tricky. Two estate planning strategies to consider involve a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust and an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT).
Read MoreThe IRS recently announced next year’s cost-of-living adjustment amounts. For 2022, the federal gift and estate tax exemption has cracked the $12 million mark: $12.06 million to be exact. Arguably more notable, the annual gift tax exemption has increased by $1,000 to $16,000 per recipient ($32,000 for married couples). It’s adjusted only in $1,000 increments, so it typically increases only every few years.
Read MoreThe need for a will as a key component of your estate plan may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of people — even affluent individuals — who don’t have one. A reason for this may be a common misconception that a revocable trust (sometimes called a “living trust”) obviates the need for a will.
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