Estate Tax Archives - Lonich Patton Ehrlich Policastri

IRS Withdraws Its Support of The Proposed Change to The Estate Tax Valuation Rules

December 5, 2017/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

The US Treasury originally enacted IRC Section 2704 in 1990 to prevent people from taking advantage of the tax system. Specifically, IRC Section 2704(b) states that in valuing property for estate and gift tax purposes, some restrictions on the ability of an entity to liquidate would be disregarded. Currently, the regulation permits certain discounts for lack of control (minority interests) and lack of marketability that are commonly applied to lower the value of transferred interests for gift, estate, and generation-skipping tax purposes.

On August 3, 2016, The Treasury published proposed regulations under IRC Section 2704 that would have disallowed valuation discounts for interest in family controlled businesses that currently apply to gift and estate tax planning. By eliminating the valuation discounts, the proposed regulation would negatively impact succession planning for many small family owned businesses.

On October 4, 2017, the Treasury announced its withdrawal of the proposed regulations, explaining that they took an “unworkable” approach to the problem of artificial valuation discounts. In a press statement, the Treasury stated that the IRC Section 2704 proposed regulations: “would have hurt family-owned and operated businesses by limiting valuation discounts. The regulations would have made it difficult and costly for a family to transfer their businesses to the next generation.” Certainly, if passed, the proposed regulations would have disallowed discounts for lack of control and marketability commonly used by families in wealth transfer planning.

While the Treasury withdrew its proposed valuation regulations, it has released its annual inflation-indexed amounts for 2018:

1. The annual gift tax exclusion amount (i.e., the amount that can be given annually gift-tax-free to an unlimited number of donees) will increase to $15,000 per donee (or $30,000 for a married couple that elects to split gifts for the year), up from $14,000 in 2017.

2. The annual gift tax exclusion amount for gifts to a spouse who is not a United States citizen will increase to $152,000, up from $149,000.

3. The gift, estate, and GST tax exemption amount (i.e., the amount of taxable transfers that can be given transfer-tax-free in the aggregate during lifetime or at death) will increase to $5.6 million per person (or $11.2 million for a married couple), up from $5.49 million.

4. Recipients of gifts from foreign persons who are corporations or partnerships must report such gifts if the aggregate value of the gifts received in 2018 exceeds $16,111. The threshold for reporting gifts from a foreign person who is an individual will remain at $100,000.

Consulting with an attorney to learn about how valuation and taxation can impact your testamentary wishes is always wise. If you have any questions about your estate planning needs, please contact the experienced attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri—we offer free half-hour consultations.

Lastly, please remember that each individual situation is unique, and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Tax and Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples

August 1, 2014/in Estate Planning, In the Community, Probate /by David Patton

Earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit struck down Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban, saying that withholding the fundamental right to marry from same-sex couples is a form of segregation that the Constitution cannot tolerate.

In June 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States in United States v. Windsor, held that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages and that it is up to state Legislatures to define marriage within state boundaries. Since then, numerous law-suits challenging the constitutionality of state DOMAs on equal protection and due process grounds have prevailed in various federal and state courts. Currently, 19 states, including California, plus the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage (recognition states), while 40 states prohibit it (non-recognition states).

The prevailing prediction is that a Supreme Court guarantee of a right to marriage is on its way. American support for same-sex marriage is at a new high of 55 percent, and California support is at 61 percent and increasing, if the trends continue. It is important for all couples to create an estate plan. Additionally, it is important for same-sex couples to be aware of the potentially complicated issues that arise when they move across state lines.

Same-Sex Couples Living in California

Same-sex married couples now living in California enjoy the same benefits and burdens under state and federal law as married opposite-sex couples. Before Windsor and IRS Revenue Ruling 2013-17 (which extended federal tax benefits to married same-sex couples, regardless of their state of residency), many married opposite-sex couples likely took this preferential treatment for granted.

Some of these benefits include:

Property transferred between spouses incident to a divorce is not subject to income or gift tax;
Spousal support (alimony) payments are tax deductible to the paying spouse;
Child support payments are not subject to income tax;
Spouses receive a community interest in 401(k) accounts and other retirement plans; and
Spouses receive all community property and anywhere from one-third to all of the deceased spouse’s separate property for intestate (when a person dies without a will or other non-probate instrument) inheritance purposes.

All couples should be aware of their legal rights at marriage, divorce, and death. It is important for both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples to consider pre-marital agreements, estate plans, and any tax consequences that arise from marriage or divorce.

The Marital Status of Migrating Same-Sex Couples

When a same-sex couple moves out of California, their marital status will depend on the other state’s law with regards to various issues including, state tax filing status, intestate succession, guardianship and conservatorship appointments, and adoption and artificial reproductive technologies. In other words, a non-recognition state may not recognize the otherwise valid same-sex marriage.

If and when the Supreme Court guarantees a right to marriage, moving across state lines will no longer be an issue for same-sex couples. However, in the interim, it is important to be aware of the possible legal consequences.

For example, under Florida law, the definition of “heir” does not include same-sex spouses for intestate inheritance purposes. This means that a same-sex couple that was married in California, but permanently living in Florida, will not inherit from each other under the Florida intestate system. Some courts in non-recognition states are willing to recognize same-sex marriage in certain contexts through the doctrine of comity, which is where a court gives deference to another state’s laws. However, most surviving spouses want to avoid litigation because it can be a headache, requiring time, money, and mental energy.

In some cases, it might be worthwhile for same-sex spouses to opt out of the intestate system with non-probate instruments, such as estate plans. A same-sex couple’s estate plan needs to be drafted with precision, specifically naming beneficiaries, rather than using general terms such as “spouse.” This becomes especially important if a same-sex couple moves to a non-recognition state, where the court may not interpret a same-sex spouse to qualify as a spouse or heir. If any other blood related heirs of the deceased spouse were to contest the non-probate instrument, they could end up inheriting property that would have gone to the same-sex spouse in California or another recognition state.

If you are a same-sex couple and are considering marriage, or need to create or update an estate plan, please contact our California Certified Family Law Specialists. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling complex family law and estate planning matters and offer a free consultation.

Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Your Business Exit strategy should start today

July 15, 2014/in Business Law, Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

If you draft a will in order to ensure that your heirs are taken care, developing a business succession plan will ensure your company continues to thrive after you are gone.

As the economy slowly emerges from the shadow of The Great Recession of 2009, businesses are also starting to thrive again. While storefront businesses are still a staple of the American dream, use of the internet and the relatively low cost of creating a website and selling a unique product or idea has lowered the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs who wish to start a family business.

If you own or are starting a family business, you are in good company: Forbes estimates that family businesses account for 50 percent of the current Gross Domestic Product in the U.S. This includes 35 percent of Fortune 500 companies (the top 500 U.S. publicly and privately held companies ranked by their gross revenue and published by Fortune magazine) that are controlled exclusively by families.

However, there is a problem with the family business model. According to a Pricewaterhouse Coopers survey, only 52 percent of family businesses expect members of the next generation to be able to run their business. Junior members lack of experience for running a company coupled with poor succession planning are the main culprits.

Get a Prenup for Your Business

If a premarital agreement can reduce headache and anxiety in the event of a divorce, then a similar mechanism for a family business – labeled a Shareholder’s Agreement* – will reduce anxiety and hard feelings when it becomes necessary to distribute assets or make tough decisions regarding the family business.

An agreement among shareholders or family owners lays the ground rules of a family business in terms of important topics such as governance, succession, transfer of assets, liquidity and taxes among others. A Shareholder’s Agreement may address such questions as:

Board composition:
- Will each sibling be represented?
- Will there be a board of directors?
- Will executives from outside the family be allowed?
- What training experience will be required?
Decision-making process:
- What is the number of votes needed to approve key issues?
- What is the method for dispute resolution?
- What are the rights of family members?
- Family members not involved in the business?
- Non-family involved in the business?
Business and Owner Estate Plan:
- Who are the business successors (both managers and owners of the business)?
- What is the compensation for owners?
- What is the remaining profit distribution?
- What are the taxation implications upon sale or transfer of ownership?
- Is there an estate plan? Is it in writing? Is there a timeline for implementation?

Although many small businesses fail, by addressing these issues a small business owner takes steps towards ensuring his or her family’s interests while saving money, and avoiding conflict.

Careful estate planning can ensure that a family business continues to benefit family members and that ownership of the business is not diluted until the business is ready to accept outside investors. Owners’ estate plans should use trusts or other mechanisms to restrict the ability of their heirs to transfer shares. A successful family business is an excellent means to provide financial security for the small business owner and his or her loved ones as well as employment opportunities for interested family members.

Estate planning is a complex field. Whether you are concerned with devising a plan for either a family estate or that of a business, it is important to get good advice. The attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri have decades of experience handling complex estate planning matters including business succession plans, wills, and living trusts. If you are interested in developing an estate plan or reviewing your current estate plan, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information as we are happy to offer you a free consultation.

Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

*Source

Estate Tax Portability: A Valuable Asset You May Not Know You Had

March 27, 2014/in Estate Planning, Probate /by Michael Lonich

Have you heard about the “portability provision?” Believe it or not, your estate (or your spouse’s estate, if you were to pass first) could benefit tremendously if the executor of your estate elects this provision. In short, the portability election allows the transfer of any unused estate tax exclusion amount of the first spouse to die (commonly referred to as the “deceased spouse’s unused exemption” or “DSUE”) to the surviving spouse, who can then utilize the remaining amount to benefit his or her gift or estate tax purposes. Essentially, this provision operates as a safety net for couples with joint assets exceeding the exemption amount for the estate of the first spouse to die because the surviving spouse can reduce his or her estate or gift tax liability. Depending on the size of the estate, electing this provision can mean saving a significant amount on estate taxes.

Although this portability provision technically expired after 2012, Congress passed the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 (“ATRA”), which made the “portability” of the applicable exclusion amount between spouses permanent. This favorable estate tax rule should be incorporated into estate plans because as previously mentioned, the potential impact of the portability provision can be quite substantial.

For example, suppose the following: A husband and wife each own $2 million individually and $3 million jointly with rights of survivorship, bringing their estate to a total of $7 million in assets. Suppose their wills instruct that all assets pass first to the surviving spouse and then to the couple’s children. If the husband dies in 2014, his $2 million in assets is covered by the unlimited marital deduction. His $5.34 million exemption remains unused (his DSUE). When the wife dies, her estate can use that leftover DSUE amount, in addition to the exemption for the year in which she dies, to shelter the remaining $7 million of assets from tax. ATRA has permanently set the top estate tax rate at 40 percent. As such, if the wife died later in 2014, $1.66 million in assets would have been subject to estate tax without the portability provision. Therefore, the family saves $664,000 in federal estate tax (40% of $1.66 million).

Not only is the portability provision an excellent tool to use for estate and gift planning considerations, the provision can also be used as a negotiation tool during marital agreement negotiations. The portability provision can be viewed as a highly valuable asset that attorneys and their clients should consider when drafting marital agreements. However, there are also certain limitations to be aware of. For example, the executor of a deceased spouse’s estate must elect portability for the provision to take effect, and the election must be made on an estate tax return filed within nine months of death.*

If you or your loved ones are in the planning stages of creating an estate plan, take the necessary steps to ensure that you and your family members are maximizing the benefits available to you by an experienced, knowledgeable estate planning attorney guide you through the process. Estate planning laws are constantly evolving and having a trusted estate planning attorney by your side can prove to be invaluable. The attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri have decades of experience handling complex estate planning matters, including wills and living trusts, and we are happy to offer you a free consultation.

Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Sources: http://www.bizactions.com/n.cfm/page/e120/key/259853661G1005J3585631N0P0P2268T2/;http://www.forbes.com/sites/lewissaret/2014/02/25/estate-tax-portability-and-marital-agreements-a-new-consideration/

The Disclaimer: An Arrow in the Savvy Planner’s Quiver

March 21, 2014/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

We won’t all be lucky enough to inherit a large sum of money upon the death of a loved one. But, if you do, you may want to consider disclaiming that inheritance under special circumstances. When you disclaim an inheritance, you are refusing to accept it.

Some of you reading this are probably thinking, “You’ve got to be crazy if you think I am ever going to flat out refuse any money that I have coming to me.” Nevertheless, for others who already own plenty of property or are looking to reduce gift or estate or gift taxes, disclaiming an inherited gift could be in the best interests of you and your family.

Let’s say you already have a healthy estate of several million dollars when your father dies, leaving $400,000 to be split evenly between you and your sister. You know that your sister, a single mother, could really use the money and you would like to help her out. In this situation, disclaiming could be beneficial for in two ways.

First, by disclaiming your half of the gift, the entire $400,000 can be transferred directly to your sister. This kind gesture ensures that the person who really needs the property can have it with little difficulty or complications, since a disclaimant never truly owns the property. Furthermore, disclaiming a large gift could help minimize the size of your estate for the benefit of your family at the time of your death. Estates beyond a certain size have to pay steep estate taxes* before your money can go to your beneficiaries. By disclaiming gifts you don’t need, your family can avoid those taxes and enjoy more your hard-earned wealth.

Second, by disclaiming your half of the gift, you will not have to pay gift taxes on any amount you want to give to your sister. In 2014, the IRS limits the amount of cash that can be given tax-free to a particular individual. In this situation, if you were to accept the $200,000 and then try to give it to your sister as a cash gift, any amount over $14,000 given to your sister in a given year would count towards your lifetime gift limit.** Any amount of cash gifts which exceed that limit—$5.34million in a lifetime—will be subject to a gift tax of up to 40 percent. Ouch. To keep things simple and tax-free, disclaiming the inheritance is your best bet.

Deciding whether or not to disclaim is a big decision that can have serious benefits or consequences. In order to make the decision that is best for you and your family, speak with an experienced estate planning attorney before you act. If you need estate planning advice, call Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri to schedule a free half-hour consultation. Our attorneys are passionate about estate planning and have decades of experience handling complex estate planning matters, including wills and living trusts. If you are interested in developing an estate plan or reviewing your current estate plan, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information.

Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

*To learn more about estate taxes, click here: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Estate-Tax

**This is known as the “annual gift exclusion.” For those who are interested in learning more about the exclusion, click here: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Gift-Tax

Transfers from Parents & Grandparents to Children: Avoid an Increase in Property Tax

June 4, 2012/1 Comment/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

Do you know how to shield your intra-family property transfers from being reassessed for property tax purposes? Understanding the law about exclusions from reappraisal is the first step towards avoiding an increase in property tax.

In California, real property is reassessed at the market value if it is sold or transferred, and property taxes can sometimes increase dramatically as a result. However, if the sale or transfer is between parents and their children, or from grandparents to their grandchildren, the property will not be reassessed if certain conditions are met and the proper application is timely filed.

Transfers of real property are excluded from reassessment if either (1) the transfer is a primary residence (no value limit); or (2) the transfer is of the first $1 million of real property other than the primary residence. The $1 million exclusion applies separately to each eligible transferor. For example, a grandchild may exclude $1 million of property transferred from her father and his parents (paternal grandparents); and $1 million of property transferred from her mother and her parents (maternal grandparents) for a total of $2 million.

It is important to note that claiming this exclusion is not always beneficial. The attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri have decades of experience handling complex property matters. If you are interested in developing a property transfer strategy tailored to your family’s needs or learning more about estate planning, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information. Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Partnering Your Prenups and Estate Plans

February 9, 2012/in Estate Planning, Family Law /by Michael Lonich

Premarital, or prenuptial, agreements are usually associated with pre-marriage planning and divorce. However, they also provide several benefits for estate planning. Premarital agreements can protect one spouse from liability for the other spouse’s separate debts and help to implement other estate planning strategies. When premarital agreements and estate plans are considered in concert, couples can maximize financial planning and estate planning goals and avoid potentially triggering unintended tax consequences or inconsistent estate planning.

In California, a community property state, a surviving spouse has a 50% interest in all community property. This right supersedes the terms of a will but may be waived in a premarital agreement, which does not necessarily equate with disinheritance. Waiving community property rights allows spouses to specify the manner in which their assets will be distributed and helps to ensure that estate plans will be carried out as intended. This may be helpful, for example, in a family business setting. If one spouse runs a family business with his or her children, a waiver of community property rights will allow the business to pass more easily to the children without the other spouse acquiring an interest in the business, through divorce or inheritance.

There are several other scenarios in which a premarital agreement may affect an estate plan. Premarital transfers may trigger income and gift taxes; estate tax exemption opportunities for surviving spouses may be missed; and premarital agreements may not comport with estate plans for a family home. Premarital agreements often provide for the disposition of the family home or give the surviving spouse a right to continue living there. However, these provisions in a premarital agreement should be drafted such that they will not impede an estate plan’s ability to execute home-related strategies such as transferring the home to a qualified personal residence trust.

If you are interested in learning more about premarital agreements and estate plans, please contact the experienced family law and estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information. Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

2011 Tax Laws Affecting the Inheritance of Real Property

November 11, 2011/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

In 2010, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act (Tax Relief Act) of 2010 extended the sunset of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) for two years through 2012. For those who may be inheriting real property in 2011, it is important to note that the “step up in basis” rules will remain through 2012.

In order to adequately explain what this concept entails, here is an example from the Wall Street Journal:

Suppose your Uncle Joe died earlier this year and left you some valuable stocks, bonds and other items. Those assets have risen in value over the years. You’re thinking of selling them to buy a new home or to invest in something else. How would you figure out your tax cost for capital-gains tax purposes?

Typically, your tax cost is the fair market value of the assets on the date your uncle died — or, in certain cases, their value six months later. That means you don’t have to worry about figuring out what Uncle Joe originally paid for them. You don’t have to rummage through his old records or search the Web.

All that should matter is their fair market value on the date he died (or, in certain cases, six months later). This is known as “step up in basis” because your tax basis on those appreciated assets typically gets stepped up to the date-of-death value.

The General Basis Increase (the sum of the aggregate basis increases) is the maximum allotted amount the Tax Code will allow to be “stepped up.” The EGTRRA of 2001 preserved the step up in basis for up to $1.3 million dollars (plus an additional $3 million for assets given to a spouse) through 2010. Then the Tax Relief Act of 2010 extended the EGTRRA to 2012. Thus, the General Basis Increase for 2011 will remain at $1.3 million, and if assets are given to a spouse, up to $4.3 million. Therefore, if the value of assets inherited totals more than $1.3 million, assets beyond that sum will not be “stepped up.”

While creating an estate plan, it is always important to consider tax consequences on the estate, any named beneficiaries, and the planner himself. Any named beneficiaries who have an interest in real property should also be aware of the taxes they will be responsible for after inheriting real property. The Tax Code is intimidating and daunting; however, the Estate Planning Attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri can help clarify the process. If you are interested in learning more about taxes on your estate plan or how you may be affected by receiving an inheritance, please contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information. Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Tough Times Call for . . . More Estate Taxes?

September 9, 2011/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

It is no secret that, in the present economy, states are looking to increase revenue any way they can. A report published earlier this year showed that total state tax revenue decreased by more than $14 billion from 2009 to 2010, a two-percent drop. So, not surprisingly, while fewer members of the wealthier class will owe an estate tax to the federal government, they may find that they owe it to the state.

Though the trend is not widespread, many states are looking to increase their receipt of estate taxes. Connecticut collects on estates of more than $3.5 million but wants to lower the exemption to $2 million; the state’s legislature is currently taking this proposal into consideration. Illinois reinstated its estate tax in 2011 with a $2 million exemption. And in 2010, Hawaii imposed an estate tax on residents and Hawaiian assets of non-resident, non-U.S. citizens.

Estate tax rules vary greatly across the country. A few states assess an inheritance tax and others an estate tax. Inheritance tax, now uncommon, is levied on assets a beneficiary gets; estate tax is collected based on the whole estate. About half of the states have an estate tax, with rates that range from 1% to 16%. It is worthwhile to note that some states are moving to reduce or eliminate the estate tax where estate taxes are not a huge source of revenue. In California, for example, decedents who passed away after January 1, 2005, are not subject to a California estate tax.

If you are interested in learning more about estate planning, contact the San Jose estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri, LLP. Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Estate and Tax Planning for Married Couples

May 6, 2011/in Estate Planning /by Michael Lonich

With the recent changes to the tax law for 2011, there is now a $5M unified tax exemption for individuals who pass away in 2011 or 2012. This has created an opportunity to avoid the payment of Federal estate taxes over the next few years.

If you and your spouse are U.S. citizens, you can leave each other any amount with no Federal estate tax exposure. This is referred to as the unlimited marital deduction privilege and provides a significant Federal estate tax shelter. It is especially advantageous with the current high unified credit over the next two years.

However, if you have a large estate, leaving everything to your spouse may result in your spouse having an estate that exceeds the Federal estate tax exemption when he or she dies. In that case, there are a number of other estate tax saving strategies you should consider, some of which are set forth below.

Giving money to charities is always an approach to lower or reduce your taxable estate.

A frequently used approach is to utilize the annual Federal gift tax exclusion ($13,000 per person) by making yearly gifts up to the exclusion amount which will reduce the taxable value of your estate without reducing your lifetime Federal gift tax exemption. Both you and your spouse can make an annual gift of $13,000 per person.

You can contribute to the education of your children or grandchildren by making payments directly to a school as a method to reduce your estate. Direct payments to the school will not impact your unified estate and gift tax exemption.

Appreciating assets are always a little tricky but with the relatively significant unified estate and gift tax exemption, you can give away up to $5M worth of appreciating assets (stocks, real estate, etc.) without triggering any Federal gift tax. Your spouse can do likewise. Although this reduces your unified exemption and is taken against your lifetime exemption, the gifts are valued on the date of the gift and if they continue to appreciate for years while you are still alive you have avoided that additional appreciation being captured in your estate for estate tax purposes. There are other important considerations when contemplating gifting versus passing assets on your death such as utilizing stepped up basis.

An irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) can be an important estate planning tool and assist in paying estate taxes. An ILIT is not in your control and thus not a part of your estate and thus is not taxable upon your death. With a typical life insurance policy, although perhaps income tax free, the proceeds are included in your estate for Federal estate tax purposes.

If you have questions regarding estate and tax planning, please contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information. Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results. While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship

Posts

IRS Withdraws Its Support of The Proposed Change to The Estate Tax Valuation Rules

Tax and Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples

Your Business Exit strategy should start today

Estate Tax Portability: A Valuable Asset You May Not Know You Had

The Disclaimer: An Arrow in the Savvy Planner’s Quiver

Transfers from Parents & Grandparents to Children: Avoid an Increase in Property Tax

Partnering Your Prenups and Estate Plans

2011 Tax Laws Affecting the Inheritance of Real Property

Tough Times Call for . . . More Estate Taxes?

Estate and Tax Planning for Married Couples

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