Make a Gift Before 2021
I try very hard not to be political in these blog posts. I also try not to speculate on what the government may or may not do as they frequently compromise in an unpredicted manner. However, I would be remise if I didn’t talk about the fact that Joseph Biden is ahead in most of […]
What is a Disclaimer Trust?
A Disclaimer Trust is a special type of trust often created under a Will (or as a sub-trust of a revocable living trust). In order to understand Disclaimer Trusts, you first need to understand what a disclaimer is and what happens when you make a disclaimer so that you can understand the purpose and mechanics of Disclaimer Trusts. […]
2015 Update to Federal Estate Tax Exemption
Starting January 1, 2015, the federal estate and gift tax exemption will increase from $5,340,000 per person to $5,430,000. That is an increase of $90,000. If you are married, that amount will be doubled. In addition to the lifetime estate and gift amounts, a person can also give away up to $14,000 per year. This […]
Japanese Inheritance Tax vs. US Estate Tax (2014 Update)
BRIEF OVERVIEW OFJAPANESE INHERITANCE AND GIFT TAXESvs.AMERICAN ESTATE AND GIFT TAXES (2014 Update) I. Estate Taxes A. America 1. If the Decedent is a Citizen or Permanent Resident Tax on Worldwide property (credit for taxes paid to foreign countries) Exemption of $5,340,000 in 2014 (indexed for inflation). For married couples, the exemption amount is $10,680,000 […]
Gifting to Parents to Save on Capital Gains Taxes
As I gaze outside at yet another major snowstorm here in Mercer County, NJ and contemplate how nice it would be if I were visiting my folks near my Boca Raton, Florida office, I am reminded of a tax savings idea that I heard was gaining traction amongst wealthy children whose parents are still living. […]
Making a Year End Gift Before Going Over the Fiscal Cliff
Just a reminder, for the rest of this year, every US citizen and permanent resident alien has a $5,120,000 gift tax exemption. On January 1, 2013, regardless of who the president is, if Congress does nothing, then the gift tax exemption drops down to about $1,000,000. (Technically I think it is $1,000,000 indexed for inflation […]
The Future of Estate Tax: Will “13” Prove To Be A Lucky Number?
In my blog post of November 12, 2010, I made reference to a dinner bet I made with my father as to when a decision would be made on the federal estate tax issue. (Yes, Dad, I haven’t forgotten you were right and I still owe you dinner.) At that point, we were nearing the […]
Federal Estate and Gift Taxation of Deathbed Gifts
Often times, a person who is on his or her deathbed will wish to make gifts to family members. Gifts are usually considered deathbed gifts if they are made within three years of a person’s death. However, except for certain transfers discussed below, when a gift is made is often irrelevent for federal estate tax […]
Deathbed Transfers in New Jersey
Often times, a person who is on his or her deathbed will make gifts to family members in an effort to reduce the potential taxes owed. For transfers to anyone other than a charity, making gifts in a way that minimizes taxes is actually a very complex process. In deciding whether to make a gift, […]