Estates Flashcards
Estate Planning Goals
effective & efficient transfer of property during life or at death, maximizing net to heirs & minimizing taxes
Legal Documents & Powers
- the will
- a durable power of attorney for healthcare &/or property
- an advance medical directive or living will
- a power of attorney is the power to act
- a durable power of attorney (usually for health care) survives incapacity & disability but not death
- a power of appointment is the power of an agent to appoint the assets of a principal (can cause inclusion in gross estate)
- an advance medical directive (living will) provides direction regarding the artificial sustainment of life
powers, if durable, survive incapacity & disability but not death; must be in writing & are always revocable
Types of Wills
- Statutory
- Holographic - handwritten, must be handwritten; dated & signed by a testator
- Nuncuputive - dying declaration only covering tangible personal property
Legal Capacity
necessary to make a will
generally 18 years of age but less capacity than to make a contract
Will Provisions
Residuary clause
Guardianship clause
Survivorship Clause or Simultaneous Death Clause = a survivorship clause is superior to a simultaneous death clause, but should not exceed 6 months in the case of a spouse or it will be considered a terminable interest & will not qualify for the unlimited marital deduction for a citizen spouse
Contingent Legatee Clause = Per Stirpes (by the root); Per Capita (by the head)
Codicil = an amendment
In Terrorem Clause = no contest; will only be effective if the decedent has left the legatee in question enough of a legacy so as to not risk losing the contest
Per Stirpes vs Per Capita
Per Stirpes = by the root
Per Capita = count the people
the # of heirs per stirpes is less than or equal to the # of heirs per capita
Property Titling
there exists real property, tangible & intangible personalty (moveables)
legal ownership is title (could be a trustee)
Equitable ownership is the economic right to enjoy the benefits of the property (beneficiary)
property titling w/ a survivorship clause will automatically (by law) pass to the survivor joint tenant & may not be best from the decedent’s perspective; if you don’t trust them put it in a trust
Community property does not have a survivorship right & therefore 1/2 of community property will pass either testate or intestate; however the surviving spouse may have a legal usufruct (right to use assets) over the decedent’s half of community property if the decedent dies intestate
there are no split gifts (only joint gifts) of community property
9 states have community property regimes = Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, & Wisconsin
Sole Ownership
100% value included in gross estate of decedent
100% included in probate estate
no automatic survivorship feature
qualifies for unlimited marital deduction IF spouse is heir/legatee
Tenancy in Common TIC
no deemed contribution rule for spouse
% owned value included in gross estate of decedent
% owned value included in probate estate
NO automatic survivorship feature
qualifies for unlimited marital deduction IF spouse is the heir/legatee
property partitionable w/out consent of joint owner
Joint Tenancy With Rights of Survivorship JTWROS
actual contribution rule % owned value included in gross estate of decedent (follow the actual contribution rule EXCEPT when property is jointly owned w/ a spouse who is always deemed to have contributed 50% of the property’s purchase price)
NOT included in probate estate
automatic survivorship feature included
qualifies for unlimited marital deduction IF spouse is the joint owner
property partitionable w/out consent of joint owner
Tenancy by the Entirety TIE
50% deemed contribution rule value included in gross estate of decedent
NOT included in probate estate
automatic survivorship feature included
qualifies for unlimited marital deduction
property NOT partitionable w/out consent of joint owner
Community Property
50% deemed contribution rule value included in gross estate of decedent
50% of value included in probate estate
NO automatic survivorship feature
qualifies for unlimited marital deduction if spouse is the heir/legatee
property NOT partitionable w/out consent of joint owner
1/2 of community property passes through probate, but both halves receive a step to FMV at the death of the first spouse
Probate
the legal process of retitling otherwise non-retitled assets
Probate - Advantages
implements dispositive objectives of testator
provides for the orderly administration of assets
provides clean title to heirs or legatees
parties in interest have notice & a right to be heard
insures debts of deceased are paid
Probate - Disadvantages
delays
costs
publicity
Non-Traditional Relationships (non-married couples)
should avoid probate & use alternative methods of passing assets to partners
Contracts w/ Named Beneficiaries
transfers to named beneficiaries via “State Contract Law”
Life Insurance Policies, Annuities, PODs, TODs, Qualified Retirement Plans, IRAs/SEPs
Property Titled w/ Survivorship Features
transfers to survivor via “State Titling Law”
JTWROS, Tenancy by the Entirety
Property Already Retitled into Trusts
transfers according to trust provisions via “State Trust Law”
all trust assets
All Other Property
to probate for retitling (testate & intestate assets) then transfers to legatees & heirs via “State Probate Law”
Sole Ownership, Tenants in Common, 1/2 Community Property, Automobiles, Household Goods
Gifts
Gift = a voluntary transfer w/out full consideration; the value for gift tax purposes is the FMV at the date of the gift
the annual exclusion for 2024 is $18,000 per donee per donor w/ $13,610,000 lifetime exemption per donor for taxable gifts; taxable gifts are net of annual exclusion
Gift Tax Return (Form 709) required for all taxable gifts (over $18,000) & split gifts; file by April 15 or w/ extensions to October 15
Community property gifts are not split but rather joint gifts
a gift must be of a present interest for the annual exclusion
best to gift property w/ the greatest potential for appreciation to the youngest donee
2503(b) & 2503(c) trusts for minors are deemed gifts of a present interest; otherwise use a Crummey provision
Transfers NOT subject to gift tax = legal support, qualified transfers paid directly to educational or medical provider, transfers to political organizations, payments to divorced spouses, transfers in business setting, gifts to a spouse (citizen: unlimited; non-citizen: $185,000 for 2024)
Imputed Interest on Gift & Below Market Loan:
- From $0 - $10,000 = none
- From $10,001 - $100,000 = lesser of net investment income of borrower (if < $1,000 then 0) or Federal rate times loan
- Over $100,000 = Federal rate times loan principal
Gift Basis
gift basis for income tax is the carryover basis of the donor unless FMV < donor’s basis at the time of gift in which case double basis rule (FMV for losses, donor’s basis for gains)
if gift tax is paid by donor on appreciated property the pro rata share of the tax associated w/ the appreciation is added to the donor’s original basis to determine the donee’s basis
do NOT make gifts of property where FMV < Basis (loss property); if so, double basis rule applies
Gross Estate (think balance sheet)
the gross estate includes the FMV of all assets owned by the decedent at death or the value using the alternate valuation date (6 months later) if properly elected (gross estate down, tax liability down); $13,610,000 lifetime exemption 2024
added to the gross estate is any life insurance in which the decedent had incidents of ownership w/in 3 years of death, any gift tax paid on gifts made w/in 3 years of death, & any assets over which decedent had a general power of appointment
if properly elected, the alternate valuation date (AVD) values all assets 6 months from DOD except those distributed (date of distribution) & wasting assets (patents, copyrights - valued at date of death)
Form 706 due 9 months from the DOD; can get 6 months automatic extension, does NOT apply to payment of tax
exemption portability for deceased spouse = any unused exemption by decedent spouse may be carried forward by surviving spouse filing a timely election to do so
To value equity securities for Form 706:
take the average of the high & low for the date of death
Transfers During Life - Arms Length Transactions
sales, installment sales, & exchanges
NO impact on gross estate of transferor
Transfers During Life - Special Sales
to loved ones, private annuities & SCINs
(possible transfers w/out transfer taxes)
Transfers During Life - Partial Gifts
GRATs, QPRTs, TPPTs
Transfers During Life - Outright Gifts & Gifts in Trusts
annual exclusion gifts & 529 plans
Transfers During Life - Gifts of Minority Interests
Family Limited Partnerships (FLP)
Transfers During Life - Transfers NOT Subject to Gift Tax
Qualified transfers, legal support, transfers to spouse pursuant of divorce
Transfers During Life - Private Annuity (PA)
b/t loved ones/transferor in ill-health based on table life expectancy
exchange at FMV for life annuity
transferor has investment risk similar to bond
transferee has business risk
annuity is taxable (3 tiers) - ordinary income, then capital gains, then basis
Per IRS regulations after 2006, gain is recognized at exchange
Transfers During Life - Self-Cancelling Installment Note (SCIN)
similar to PA except term certain & premium must be paid for right to cancel at transferor’s death
serial payment is taxable (3 tiers) - transferee’s basis equal to sale price unlike PA
Transfers During Life - Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)
a gift equal to the FMV of property placed in irrevocable trust less the PV of the annuity stream retained
transferor must outlive trust term to remove asset from gross estate
Transfers During Life - Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT)
same as a GRAT except used w/ personal residence - the gift equals FMV minus PV of use
Transfers During Life - Tangible Personal Property Trust (TPPT)
same as QPRT but used w/ tangible personalty (usually art)
Transfers During Life - Family Limited Partnership (FLP)
transfers to FLP for 1% general partner interest & 99% limited partner interests then making use of marketability/liquidity discounts & annual exclusions - transfers of LP interests to family members while retaining total control & w/ no or limited transfer tax
Transfers at Death
by will, by intestacy, by operation of law (contract, titling, or trust) - no annual exclusion
results in no asset or appreciation out of the gross estate
no charitable income tax deduction available for bequests
Trust
a legal entity created & funded by grantor
legal title to property is in name of the trustee who manages property for the benefit of the beneficiary
The Principal Benefits of a Trust (2)
- management of assets
- creditor protection
A Trust is Often Used To: (3)
- divide an asset into income & remainder interests (split interests)
- to avoid probate
- if irrevocable, to reduce taxes on appreciation, taxes on income, & transfer taxes
Taxation of Trusts
taxed at 37% above $15,200 (2024)
Types of Trusts
Simple = must pay out all income annually
Complex = may accumulate income
Tax Filing
Form 1041 due April 15 or w/ extension
if simple, all income is distributed to beneficiaries annually
Grantor
person who creates & initially funds the trust
Trustee
the individual or entity responsible for managing the trust assets & fulfilling the directions of the grantor as expressed in the trust instrument