EST
Showing 385–392 of 392 results
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Your assets haven’t been valued by an independent appraiser
March / April 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 242
Abstract: The best way to substantiate asset values reported in gift and estate tax returns is with an independent valuation by a qualified appraiser. In numerous recent matters before the U.S. Tax Court and other federal courts, taxpayers won or lost their cases based on the qualifications, methods and testimony of their valuation experts. This short article explains the pitfalls of not having assets appraised by an independent valuator.
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Life insurance planning: Avoiding the 3-year rule
March / April 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 742
Abstract: Life insurance is a fundamental component of most estate plans. And with proper planning, the insurance proceeds can also be exempt from estate taxes. The key to keeping life insurance out of a person’s taxable estate is to make sure he or she doesn’t own the policy or possess any “incidents of ownership” in it, such as the right to change beneficiaries or borrow against its cash surrender value. This article details how to keep insurance proceeds out of an estate.
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Going offshore – Do your assets need an extra layer of protection?
March / April 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 862
Abstract: Offshore financial planning may evoke images of international spies wiring funds into secret, numbered bank accounts, but the reality is far more mundane. Still, if a person’s wealth is substantial and his or her business exposes him or her to the risk of frivolous lawsuits, an offshore trust can provide an extra layer of protection. This article explores how offshore trusts can protect assets.
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Cash flow control – Design a CRT as a “spigot trust” to manage income stream
March / April 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 1045
Abstract: A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is a flexible tool that can facilitate a variety of estate and financial planning strategies. If a person doesn’t need the income from a CRT right away, he or she can design it as a “spigot” trust, which allows the assets to grow tax-deferred until he or she is ready to turn on the income flow, such as at retirement. This article explains the ins and outs of spigot trusts.
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Estate Planning Red Flag – Your estate plan benefits your grandchildren or other “skip” persons
January / February 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 307
Abstract: The federal generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax is one of the harshest in the tax code: It’s a flat tax (currently 35%) — in addition to gift or estate taxes — on transfers to a “skip person.” This short article explains how to minimize or avoid triggering GST tax. (Updated 4/27/12)
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GRAT expectations – A zeroed-out GRAT can transfer wealth tax-free
January / February 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 562
Abstract: A zeroed-out grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) may be an attractive addition to an estate plan if a person has a large estate and has used up the $1 million lifetime gift tax exemption (or wishes to preserve the exemption for other purposes). This article details how a zeroed-out GRAT works.
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6 postmortem strategies for revitalizing an estate plan
January / February 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 920
Abstract: Estate planning is an inexact science. No matter how much time is put into a plan, changing tax laws and personal circumstances can hamper its ability to achieve an estate planner’s objectives. Fortunately, there are postmortem strategies a spouse, executor and beneficiaries can use to reduce estate taxes. This article explores six postmortem estate planning strategies.
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Pondering your policy – Watch out for a little-known tax trap – the transfer-for-value rule
January / February 2008
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 1141
Abstract: Life insurance is an essential building block in an estate plan. But it’s important to handle life insurance policies carefully. Beneficiaries typically are exempt from income taxes on death benefit proceeds. But if a policy is transferred for valuable consideration, the risk of triggering income taxes arises because of a little-known, yet lethal, provision of the Internal Revenue Code called the transfer-for-value rule. This article explains the transfer-for-value rule.