The history of estate taxes in America has been a long and winding road. Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs. The Stamp Act of 1797 was the first federal estate tax in the United States and was passed to help fund […]
Effective estate planning should address wealth transfer from a practical and cost-effective approach. One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses should consider is the family limited partnership. What Is a Family Limited Partnership? A family limited partnership is a partnership agreement that exists between family members who are actively involved in a […]
Charitable giving can be a rewarding experience by allowing you to both give and receive. To enjoy the benefits of charitable giving, you can utilize a variety of strategies. The basics of charitable remainder trusts To establish a charitable remainder trust, you transfer appreciated property to an irrevocable trust and designate the charity of your […]
Sometimes it takes tough economic times and natural disasters to unite and bring out the best in people. Natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes have served to bring communities together and impact the nation as a whole. Americans have given generously to rebuild communities and help local residents through these difficult situations. Many people […]
Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later. You may have heard about some charitable trust strategies before but decided against them because you wanted to make an immediate gift to charity. With a charitable lead trust, your gift can have an immediate impact, and […]
There are a number of different gifting strategies available for planned giving. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Instead of making an outright gift, you could choose to use a charitable lead trust. With a charitable lead trust, your gift is placed in a trust. The recipient of the gift draws the income from this […]
Married couples have several ways to potentially avoid any estate tax liability when they leave assets to each other. Because of the unlimited marital deduction, no estate taxes are due when one spouse dies and leaves his or her assets to the survivor (as long as the surviving spouse is a U.S. citizen). However, this […]
Estate taxes. It’s not enough to simply know they exist and to know strategies to minimize them. When it comes down to it, you need to plan how you and your family will eventually pay them. The Estate Tax Dilemma Estate taxes are generally due nine months after the date of death. And they are […]
There are a number of ways your estate can be distributed to your heirs after your death. Each allows a different degree of control over distribution, and each poses different challenges and opportunities. If you haven’t taken steps already, it’s important to consider planning now for the distribution of your assets. Intestacy If you die […]