Estate Flashcards
Trust: 2503(c) Trust (Grantor)
Enables grantor to make a gift to a minor in the trust AND still obtain the annual gift tax exclusion. It’s a gift to a minor of a present interest
-Income - no requirement for current income distributions
But principal and interest must be available to the beneficiary
-Principal - must be distributed, along with current income, no later than ben age 21
- Exclusion = entire gift to the trust
Trust 2503b
Qualifying Minor’s Trust or
Mandatory Income Trust
Irrevocable
-Income must be distributed at least annually
-Principal can be w/h from beneficiary until death (need not be distributed even when reaches age of majority)
- Annual exclusion = actuarial value of income interest
Excluded from donor’s estate if donor is not the trustee
Excluded from beneficiary’s estate if income interest terminates at beneficiary’s death
3 year rule - IMPORTANT
appendix
Can get clawed back into gross estate
-Life estate
-Reversionary interest in property or trust corpus
-Right to revoke, alter or amend a transfer within 3 years of death
*A TRANSFER of a life insurance policy if owner =insured
But remember when a NEW policy purchase within the ILIT,
DB is removed from estate..not claws back in
*Any gift tax liability paid within three years of the decedent’s death.
For example, B makes a taxable gift of $1 million after using his $12,920,000 (2023) lifetime gift exemption, pays a gift tax of $400,000, and dies 2 years later. Although the $1 million gift is excluded from B’s gross estate, the $400,000 gift tax liability, which was paid, would be included in the gross estate.
Trusts 5 elements of trusts
GRANTOR: person who transfers property to and dictates terms off
= settlor, trustmaker, trustor
TRUSTEE: fiduciary, receives legal title
manages distribution and accum of princ and income
-65day rule. can make dist w/i 65 days of new tax year
-S645 election - can treat estate and trust as one for tax purposes
CORPUS. amount of principal
TERMS of TRUST - document outlines
BENEFICIARIES - remaindermen
Gift Tax: 529 superfunding for gift tax annual exclusion
Exception to 18k/year
529s can be superfunded 5 years forward for g/t (can fund as much as you want but for g/t 18000*5 = 90,000 per donor per beneficiary)
As annual exclusion increases, opp to fund ad’l amounts
Spousal Trusts. 5x5 power of appointment
SS can withdraw the greater of
$5,000 or
5% of the fair market value
In addition to the regular income payout benefit
Surviving spouse in a B trust can be given this power
Spousal Trust: A Trust aka Power of Appointment Trust
- Marital deduction
- SS has power of appointment
and therefore assets are included in SS estate
-SS has income AND ability to invade corpus
A = above ground. That is where power of appt is and where it’s taxed (to SS, 2nd to die)
AAA.
All income
at least
Annually
Appointment powers (General)
Probate: Adv and Disadv
Adv
Court supervised distribution of assets
Protects creditors
Bars future creditor claims on estate
Documents title and transfers
Disadv
Costly (attorney, court, executor)
Time (9 mos - 2 years)
Public
Estate Tax: Alternate Valuation Date
Form 706 feet under
Make w/i one year of estate tax filing deadline which is 9 mos after DOD
Irrevocable on form 706
Applies to ALL assets even if increase in value
EXCEPT
“depreciating” assets such as cars, patents, life estates, copyrights, remainder interests
“Collectible” cars would NOT be a dep asset. Use common sense
If AVD, then anything sold or dist w/i 6 months is valued at date of sale/dist but anything after is valued at AVD
Gift Tax. Annual gift exclusion
Taxable gift - amount over 18k/person
Annual exclusion applies to present interest only
LIFETIME GIFT EXEMPTION can be used to offset “taxable” gifts
Trusts. Ascertainable standard HEMS
Health, Education, Maintenance, Support
Added to trusts to give the trustee guidance on distributions
Asset transfers at Death
Per Stirpes
Per Capita
Per capita by generation
Per capita- by the head, equally amount survivors
per stirpes - by the trunk/roots
per cap by gen - 1st gen = % but next (grandkids) equal (per capita)
Spousal Trusts. B trusts (bypass trusts)
Does not qualify for marital deduction. Instead uses 13.610 lifetime limit/unified credit (watch wording doesn’t use “annual exclusion!)
$ Included in the decedent estate
Bypasses surviving spouse estate
Income interest is TIP
Surviving spouse can be given income for life (from trustee)
The general power of appointment is with the decedent. (Decedent sets the terms of the trust including the beneficiaries)
More detail
Property CAN APPRECIATE in the trust and passes to beneficiaries tax free
- First to die transfers an amount of lifetime exemption 13.61 into it
- Taxed to decedent’s estate when it’s moved into the trust
BUT
- Zero tax due because of using the unified credit !
SS is taxed on the income
Surviving spouse can be given
- a limited power of appointment with ascertainable standard (HEMS)
- a limited power of appointment to distribute assets to the beneficiaries
- a 5x5 power of appointment over trust corpus
Charitable Trusts. Basics
LEAD - as in the charity leads in receiving. -Beneficiary gets the remainder…so….
Tax deduction is the PV of income interest b/c that’s what the CHARITY is receiving
REMAINDER - as in the charity gets the remainder… so……the tax deduction is the PV of the remainder
Donor (or ben) receives income stream
Annuity (as in CRAT, GRAT)
A is for ANCHORED, stAys the sAme
Assets valued at creation only
NO additional assets allowed
Best when interest rates are lower as less goes to charity and MORE to REMAINDERMEN/BENEFICIARIES
UNITRUST (ans in CRUT, GRUT)
U is for Up and down
Income goes up and down
Revalued annually
Ad’l assets ARE allowed
Charitable trusts: Client suitability
CLAT/CRAT
risk averse
tax deduction
CLAT
fixed pmts to charity (ch income leads)
CRAT
Predictable fixed pmts for donor
CLUT/CRUT
mod to aggressive risk tolerance
Tax ded
income stream keeps pace with inflation
CRUT
Inflation hedge for donor
Charitiable Gift Annuities
Donor transfers $ or property to a charity and the charity pays the donor an annuity pmt
-Gift tax char ded = PV charity’s remainder interest
-Gift annuity pmts to SPOUSE - unlimited marital ded avail IF spouse receives all annuity pmts AND has general powers of appt over pmts after donor’s death
-Gift Annuity pmts to OTHERS - gift tax = PV of annuity pmts
Charitable Trusts:
CLAT and CLUT similarities
Charitable LEAD trusts
Assume grantor trusts???
Qualify for income tax, gift tax and estate tax deduction
Flexibility - intervivos or testamentary
Means to support charity and beneficiaries
DISADVANTAGES of Charitable Lead trusts
-Lead trusts are “nontaxexempt” entities = INCOME EARNED BY THE TRUST IS TAXED TO THE GRANTOR (if it’s a grantor trust)
- Trust principal invaded if income insufficient to make pmts to the charity = less to beneficiaries
-Income tax deduction only for grantor CLTs
Titling. Common law vs community property
COMMON LAW (assume unless told community)
Assets acquired by one member of a married couple are deemed to belong to that person UNLESS put in the names of both
COMMUNITY
assets acquired DURING a MARRIAGE are treated as belonging to both
In CP states, ALL property intestacy passes to SS
Estate planning objectives
Will “substitutes” address all of these when properly executed
tax reduction
tax avoidance
protection
support
control
philanthropy
care
privacy
Crummey Powers
- right to withdraw some or all of a grantor’s contribution to the trust.
Gift Tax. Direct transfers GIFT TAX EXEMPT and do not count toward annual exclusion
2 types of DIRECT TRANSFERS are GIFT TAX EXEMPT
1. Directly to ED inst for TUITION
2. Directly to MED provider for MED EXP
Spousal Trusts: Dislaimer trust
For spouses
A wait and see approach
If SS does not want/need, then limits estate taxes by
1. disclaim assets
2. by will the deceased spouse directs into disclaimer trust
therefore avoids estate taxes for SS
Risky for remarried couples with kids from prior marriages - see
Trusts. DNI Distributable net income of trust
Allocates taxable income between trust and beneficiaries
Benef taxed on lesser of:
DNI or amount required to be distributed
Excess is nontaxable (to ben) transfer of corpus
Gift/Estate. DSUE election
Deceased Spousal Unused Exclusion
Election form 709 Us gift tax return
Estate Tax Formula
MEMORIZE at least to TTT
form 706 feet under
Gross Estate
less Deductions (Exp, debts, taxes)
=Adjusted Gross Estate
less Charitable
less Marital deduction
=Taxable Estate
+ taxable gifts after 1976
= TTT (Total taxable transfers)
* tax rate
=TENTATIVE estate tax (TET)
less gift taxes paid on post 1976
=Gross estate tax
less applicable credit amount
less other credits
=Estate tax liability
Estate tax is tax on property transferred @ death
Estate: Charitable deduction
Pooled Income Funds
POOLED INCOME FUNDS
Donor gifts and receives annual pro-rata share of income from the charity’s COMINGLED funds, for life.
-Ad’l gifts can be made to the fund to increase the income stream
-Charity manages the fund which CANNOT invest in tax exempt securities
-Charity receives the remained when the donor’s income interest ends
-Donor’s income tax ded = PV of charity’s remainder interest
- Donor pays income taxes on income rec’d from the fund
Estate: Charitable deduction
Private foundation
PRIVATE FOUNDATION
-Separate legal entity.
-Expensive to set up and maintain
-NFP or tax exempt trust
-Fund must distribute 5% assets to charities each year
-Family members who make gifts may take income tax deduction limited to 30% cash, 20% LTCG property
Estate: Charitable vehicles
Charitable Lead Trusts
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Charitable gift annuities
Pooled income funds
Private foundation
Donor advised funds
A. Every client should have
Durable POA
Living Will
Will with guardianship for minors
and some
Revocable living trust and if so FUNDED
Estate. Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs)
What does it accomplish?
Transfer of business interests, estate tax reduction, creditor protection
GP are the senior family members
LP are the junior family members (gifted or purchase shares)
-GPs retain control :-)
-GPs have unlimited liability :-(
-Shifts income to LPs in lower tax brackets
-LPs have protection from creditors. limited liability
-Valuation discounts for
- lack of marketability discount
- minority interest discount
-Gifting - easy of gifting assets that are difficult to distribute. Transfers qualify for annual exclusion
Disadvantages:
-Income shifting could result in kiddie tax
- ad’l filing fees and info tax returns
- gifts do NOT receive basis step up
-retained partnerships interests continue to appreciate in senior family member’s estate
Gift Tax. Form 709 gift splitting
> 36k. Each spouse files
18 but <36. Donor only but other spouse gives consent on 709
<18 no gift tax return. no need to split as neither would need to file
IGNORE b/w US CITIZEN spouses b/c of UNLIMITED MARITAL DEDUCTION
Gifts. Future interest gifts
No annual exclusion but can use unified credit for future interest gifts
-Remainder interest in property
-Trusts that accumulates income (Exc 2503c which is treated as present interest)
-Nonincome producing property unless trustee can sell and buy nonincome producing property ? did I write this wrong
-Trust has sprinkle or spray provision
Gift splitting
Married donor - with consent of nondonor spouse, can elect to treat as if each spouse gave half
-If elect G/S - applies to ALL gifts in that CALENDAR YEAR
-Does NOT decrease unified ex or credit amount if < 36k/person
Gifted property with gains
What is the recipient’s basis?
At date of gift, if FMV > donor’s basis, then the donee uses the donor’s adjusted basis and holding period
If donor paid gift taxes, donee can add portion to adj basis
Appreciation / taxable gift = % of gift tax to add to basis
Appreciation = FMV - basis
taxable gift = FMV - annual exclusion
Gifted property with loss
@ date of gift if FMV less than donor’s basis
Basis higher than FMV
If Donee sells above basis - use donor basis and holding period
Donee sells between - no gain or loss
Donee sells @ less than FMV, use FMV @ date of gift AND gift date starts the holding period
- Go probate free with TLC
Trusts
Operation of LAW (JtWROS, TBE, TOD etc)
Contracts (life insurance, annuities, beneficiaries
Grantor Trust
GRUT
GRAT
QPRT
If grantor dies w/i terms FMV goes in the gross estate
Revocable trust in which all INCOME will be taxed to the GRANTOR
No 1041, no trust taxes
Taxed at highest ordinary rate of grantor
Taxed as a grantor trust if trust allows:
- grantor, a spouse even a 3rd party w/o a beneficial interest in the trust…
any rights or powers as specified in grantor trust rules (sep card)
Grantor trust rules
What makes a grantor trust a grantor trust?
per lecture
Grantor may revoke or modify
Grantor retains
- beneficial enjoyment
- administrative powers
- control
Income is or can be used to pay premiums on life insurance policy for grantor or spouse
Income is or can be distributed to the grantor for the support of the grantor’s children
Grantor trust rules also state that a trust becomes a grantor trust if the creator of the trust has a reversionary interest greater than 5% of trust assets at the time the transfer of assets to the trust is made
GRAT
Grantor Retained ANNUITY Trust
IRREVOCABLE
Grantor places assets and right to a fixed pmt of income ANNUITY for chosen period
In order to…
-Reduce value of grantor’s estate b/c appreciation of property goes to beneficiaries w/o ad’l gift tax at death
-Transfer $ in @ reduced or 0 gift tax value
FMV assets - PV annuity stream = remainder interest = gift
Corpus is protected from creditors
Disadv
If die b4 term - assets go into gross estate
NO ad’l assets can go in
Ben rec c/o basis
Income subj to creditor claims
No ad’l assets allowed
Corpus protected from creditors but NOT income
GRAT vs GRUT
Grantor receives
Taxable gift
Valuation frequency
Ad’l assets permitted
Inflation hedge
Suitability
see picture
GRUT
Grantor Retained UNITRUSTS
U is for up and down (pmts)
Assets valued annually. This amount determines income b/c it is a %
IRREVOCABLE
-Grantor places assets and right to a fixed pmt of % assets …for chosen period
-Can be used as inflation hedge
In order to…
-Reduce value of grantor’s estate b/c appreciation of property goes to beneficiaries w/o ad’l gift tax at death
-Transfer $ in @ reduced gift tax value (FMV - PV annuity)
If grantor outlives term, no estate tax but if dies before, pulled into gross estate
Ad’l assets ARE permitted
therefore valued annually
GSTT p 192
Skip person = the “skip TO person” - the one who is 2 or more generations below
GST is in ADDITION to the gift/estate tax
For unrelated the skip person is 37.5-62.5 years younger
A gift made to a skip person is both a gift AND a GST
Holographic will
H is for Handwritten will