Estate Tax
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New 2014 Estate, Income Tax Levels for Estate Planning
Most of the inflation-indexing adjustments that will affect Estate Planning for 2014 were announced in November 2013. The estate tax exemption for 2014 is $5,340,000 per person. This applies to a combination of lifetime gifts and the estate value. It is an increase from $5,250,000 in 2013. 2014 Gift Tax Exclusion Affecting Estate Planning The […]
When a Gift Tax Return is Required for Estate Planning
Don’t think making a tax free gift means a gift tax return isn’t due. The general Estate Planning rule is you need to file a gift tax return for any gift that exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion ($14,000 per recipient in 2013). A gift that exceeds the annual exclusion either reduces your lifetime estate […]
Estate Planning Tax Law Changes Investors Must Understand
A revolution is underway in Estate Planning. You know about the 2012 changes to the law (see our February 2013 issue). They require fresh approaches and strategies. Many believe the new law means estate planning is unimportant. That’s a mistake. A result of the 2012 law is that for most people income taxes are a […]
Stepping Up Estate Planning Tax Reduction Plans
Well-off readers and those on the path to wealth should step up their Estate Planning tax reduction plans. You have some breathing room since Congress passed the ?permanent? estate tax in January. But a number of tax reduction strategies still are at risk. Most people won’t be subject to the estate tax. But estate taxes […]
Ensuring the Estate Planning Tax Exemption is Portable
Since 2010, it’s been easier for married couples to maximize the use of each spouse’s Estate Planning tax exemption. Estate planning professionals call this portability, though the word isn’t used in the tax law. It works like this. The estate of the first spouse to pass away is exempt from estate taxes up to $5.25 […]
Estate Planning for Married Couples and the New Estate Tax
Uncertainty about the estate tax is resolved. You don’t have to worry about frequent shifts anymore. Now, it’s time to consider how the new rules affect your Estate Planning and revise your plan. You know that the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption is set at $5 million per person, indexed for inflation. For 2013 […]
Don’t Overlook Filing Gift Tax Returns for Your Estate Planning
You might need to file a gift tax return for your Estate Planning, even when no taxes are due. It might seem like a technicality, but the IRS penalizes people for not filing returns even when no tax was due. It’s been searching public records in some states, such as real estate title records, and […]
Estate Planning Shrewd Gift-Giving Strategies
Regular people have been left out of most Estate Planning discussions this year. Estate planners and financial media are pounding the table for people to give away a lot of money by Dec. 31 because of the scheduled end of the $5.12 million estate and gift tax exemption on Jan. 1, 2013. If the expiration […]
