Category Archives: Law

Update on estate planning – what should you gift now?

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Estate planning remains stuck in limbo. That is, after 2012, the $5 million credit for gift and estate taxes goes away and we could be back at a $1 million credit. Also, the generation skipping tax limit now at $5 million would decrease. Finally, the portability of estate tax exemptions between spouses expires, meaning that the survivor can no longer use any credit amount not used by the first spouse, which would allow more to pass on estate tax free.
So far, Congress has taken no action. Many expect the 35% rate and a credit of at least $3 million to be the law for 2013 on. However, Congress failed to fix the estate tax for 2010 so nothing is certain.

Planning: This means you need to review your estate plan, especially your gifting strategies, and act now to take advantage of the higher gift tax credit. You can gift up to $5 million of assets free of gift tax now, or $10 million for married couples. The benefit is that all future income and appreciation on these gifts is removed from your estate. The downside is that the gifts are irrevocable, so you must be certain that what you pass on now you will not need later.
You always want to select assets that you expect will grow in value. If the assets decline, the strategy is frustrated. An example of what could go wrong is gift of a home at peak values that is now worth far less.

Remember that you have the annual gift tax exclusion allowing you and your spouse can each give $13,000 per year to any individual without eating away at your gift and estate tax credit. And note: any payments made to colleges or hospitals for the benefit of another person are not counted at all. (No gift tax return is required for these excluded amounts.)

How do you effectively structure the gift? Here are some examples:
• Family limited liability company (FLLC): With real estate or business assets, you can transfer minority interests in the FLLC to children or grandchildren. You retain control and the amount you gift is discounted because the minority interests lack control and lack marketability. You will need an appraisal for the value and the discount.
• Dynasty trust: This type of trust is designed to pass assets on multiple generations. Distributions can be made to the first generations, but they never actually receive a final amount – they rely on the trustee for any amounts to be distributed to them.
• Grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT): This trust transfers assets to children after a specified term while retaining a fixed annuity. The amount you gift is discounted, because children do not receive it until the end of the term. If the amount transfers, you succeed in transferring a discounted amount that becomes worth much more to the next generation.
• Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT) Like the GRAT, your children receive your house in the future, so the value of the gift made now is discounted. You can even stay in the house after that term, but you have to pay rent, which is in effect another gift.

One note of caution: some have expressed the concern that if Congress does not act, the IRS could try to take back the excess in some fashion. Be sure to consult with your estate tax advisor before taking any moves.
We added gifting as a “to do” on the Finance Health Day page .

Financial impact of the budget plan and planning for tax reform

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First, the on-going budget battle in Washington, or “the debt ceiling crisis,” should be kept in perspective. The battle is more a game of chicken, where one side will eventually blink and the ceiling increased. This political battle is not likely to have an impact on investments, as the markets have already accounted for the outcome, as usually happens well before the event. In fact, by way of example, this is much like 1989 when the municipal bonds of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts we downgraded to a rating just above that for Louisiana. Many investors panicked. However, the underlying economy had not changed. Therefore, the smart investment strategy at the time was to buy Massachusetts bonds. After Governor Weld came to office, the rating went back up and investors who held or bought the bonds had a nice profit. The equivalent today would be to buy treasuries.

Second, as it is shaping up, the deficit reduction package contains major tax reform provisions as well as huge spending cuts. This could ultimately be good for the economy and our markets, as it would bring corporate tax rates in line with other countries, falling in the 23 to 29% range. However, the base would be broadened, possibly including depreciation over longer periods, eliminating deductions for domestic production and trimming or dropping the R&D credit.
The tax overhaul raises substantial revenue, $1 trillion over 10 years. However, this less than half the amount that would have been raised by simply letting the Bush tax expire as scheduled.

New Tax Law: Many specifics will not be known until a new tax law is enacted, which is not likely to occur this year. What Kiplinger’s Tax Letter and others are predicting the following: Instead of six tax rates or brackets, with the highest at 35%, three are expected: one in the 8 to 12% range, the next in the 14 to 22% range, and the in the last in the 23 to 29% range. The Alternative Minimum Tax (“AMT”) would be repealed. The earned income credit and child credit would remain.

To do all this, there will be pain: itemized deductions would be significantly reformed, changing home interest and property tax deductions as well as charitable deductions. For example, deduction of interest might be limited to a mortgage of $500,000 used to purchase a home, but not any for a second home. In addition, the deduction of equity line of credit interest may be eliminated (no one knows what will be grandfathered, so better to have a line in place than to wait). Higher bracket taxpayers may see the deductions converted into a 12% credit.
Something of a surprise, given the push over the last ten years or more to increase personal savings, the deductions for retirement contributions may be cut back, lowering the ceiling and amount of the contributions that will be allowed for 401(k), IRA, Keogh, SEP-IRAs, profit-sharing plans and so on. Similarly, flex plan and health savings accounts may be curtailed or repealed.

We will continue to monitor the information on tax reform, and post updates when appropriate.

Any changes that are this sweeping will require serious tax planning, so that should be on your “to do” list for this fall!

New Estate Planning Pitfalls – Need for careful planning and follow-through

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The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 gives us a two year window for significant estate tax planning, ending December 31, 2012. However, this comes with some serious planning issues. Here are two:

One pitfall of the new law: The new portable credit requires a proactive election by the executor at the first death. Like the frequent failure to make proper QTIP and GST allocation elections, this is an area subject to risks. For example, if the assets are in trust, the survivors may choose not to appoint an executor, missing the opportunity to save the unused credit for the second death.

Also, the portable exemption amount only applies to the unused exemption from the last spouse. For multiple marriages, only the most recent spouse’s amount is available. In addition, an election must be made in the estate of the first spouse to die to preserve the unused exemption and allow for its use by the last deceased spouse.

Second, old trusts that had too much going to the credit portion, the beneficiaries of which are not your spouse, then he or she could be left with very little from your estate.

Please see Estate Planning Overview for definitions and tax impacts, and “to do” list.

Estate tax update

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As anticipated, Congress lifted the estate tax credit for 2011 from $1 million to $5 million, lowering the rate from 55% to 35%. Also, the date-of-death value again serves as the basis for estate assets. Also, the exemption is portable, viz. the un-used portion can be carried cover gifts by or the estate of the surviving spouse. Finally, the exemption will be indexed for inflation. (Estates can elect to use the 2010 rules for $1.3 million carry over basis for heirs).

There are some special rules: up to $1,020,000 of real property used for farming or business can get a discounted valuation; and when a closely held business comprises more than 35% of an estate, then as much as $476,000 of estate taxes can be deferred at a cost of 2% (charged by theirs).

In 2013, the exemption again falls back to $1 million and the rate goes back up to 55%, unless Congress again takes action.

For any 2010 estates, the retroactive action provides requires estates with a date-of-death valuation in excess of $1.3 million to file informational returns to report the carry over basis to the IRS and to heirs (as well as the $3 million for assets passing to a surviving spouse).

See more at Estate Planning.

(or contact us with your questions at Contact Us.)

Tax planning and 2011 estate tax law

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While we await more details, recent action by Congress has the Bush tax cuts continuing for two more years, making the 2010 to 2011 tax planning straight forward – much like past years.

The new law provides relief on the AMT, no reduction in deductions and other benefits, which we plan to review in greater detail.

Also, it appears that, rather than return to a $1 million unified credit for estate taxes, at least a $3.5 million, if not a $5 million, credit and perhaps as low as a 35% tax rate will be the law next year.

Until we have more, please consider this summary of Tax planning: 2010 tips and traps, and 2011 changes

For 2010, some old provisions return and some new changes require action now:

2010 conversion to a Roth IRA has no income limit and two years to pay the taxes (please see to convert or not to convert).

Certain advantages in 2009 are lost for 2010 (see tax planning 2009 tips and traps and 2010 changes):
• AMT patch falls back;
• Casualty and theft loss limits fall back;
• Educator and tuition and fees deductions against adjusted gross income are not available;
• Deduction of state and local sales taxes ends;
• Exclusion of $2,400 of unemployment income ends; and
• Exclusion of income from qualified distributions from IRAs to charities ends.

However, some still apply in 2010:
• New home buyer credit (through the extended date)
• Energy Credit for solar power, fuel cells and certain energy efficient improvements are Schedule A deductions. There are two types of credit depending on what improvements were made to your home and taking the deductions requires you to have documentation.
• A tax refund can be used to buy U.S. Series I bonds.
• Note that a dependent child’s income is taxed when it exceeds $1,900.
• Educator’s Expense

Note that not all states accept the IRS changes, so the information and outcome could be different.

As we said before, tax planning involves a multi-year view to optimize what you end up paying.

You should also review your mortgage when you review tax information.