In May, I sat down with Jason Howell to discuss the process of estate planning and why it is important that families “begin the begin”. Check out the podcast/video recording of our time together. #estateplanning #incapacityplanning #beginthebegin
I recently spent time with two friends, who happen to be financial advisors, where we discussed the proposed tax reform legislation and what it means for estate planning now and in the future. A link to the podcast is here. Enjoy listening! #estateplanning #legacyplanning #taxplanning #taxreform
In case you missed the virtual seminar this week on “Navigating Private Philanthropy During a Pandemic”, the recording can be found HERE and ask yourself, what will you do with your charitable dollars this year?
If you are looking to learn more about charitable giving and the options to engage in 2020, then please join me for a panel discussion on July 15, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. More information can be found here and below.
Businesses and individuals now will have until July 15th to file and pay their Federal income taxes. This means that you have an additional three months to plan and prepare your returns without having incurring penalties on up to $1 million in tax owed. Businesses will have the same period to pay amounts due on up to $10 million in tax owed. Learn more from attorney Catherine Schott Murray.
On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law and will become effective not later than 15 days later, April 2, 2020. There are some differences between what was ultimately passed and what was summarized in our early article from March 16, 2020. Learn more from attorney Marina Blickley.
Construction and many other contractors who cannot telework may be receiving stop-work orders or facing other unique challenges on their government contracts in the face of COVID-19. Impacts may be exacerbated for personnel working in the field who may not be receiving guidance from the government due to unavailability of their Contracting Officers (CO) or Contracting Officer Representatives (COR). Learn more from attorney Shiva Hamidinia.
As the coronavirus shifts the way the world works, businesses should take this break in normal operating procedure to re-evaluate their finances. Learn more from attorney Brad Jones.
Out of an abundance of caution and with the utmost respect for our seniors and their caregivers, we have postponed the launch of our upcoming series, Real Talk: The Essentials of Aging with Confidence, until further notice.
We hope to proceed with our April session if it is prudent to do so. Be sure to watch for more information in the coming weeks.
This month we begin the first of a 3-part series in which we tackle topics involving The Essentials of Aging with Confidence. Details below including where to register. We look forward to seeing you there!
March 18th – Part 1: Getting Your Estate in Order
April 22nd – Part 2: Aging in Place or Assisted Living? Which option works for your lifestyle?
May 13th – Part 3: The Essential Guide to Aging and Caregiving.
@bgnthebgn @ofplaw @sandyspringbank #shepherdscenter #agingwithconfidence
The end of the year is always a busy time of the year particularly in estate and tax planning. 2019 was no exception as on December 20th, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (“the SECURE Act”) was signed into law. The SECURE Act took effect on January 1, 2020 and makes significant changes to qualified individual retirement account (“IRA”) planning, including the elimination of the stretch IRA for inherited IRAs, among other changes. Treasury Regulations have not yet been issued, so some of the details in the SECURE Act are still unknown and the gaps are not yet filled.
Before summarizing the elimination of the stretch IRA provisions, a few of the other key changes under the SECURE Act included the following:
As mentioned, the most significant change under the SECURE Act is the elimination of the ability to stretch an inherited IRA (or 401(k) or 403(b)) with certain exceptions. The default rule now is that inherited IRAs must be fully distributed by the end of the 10th year following the death of the account owner. For example, if an account owner dies in 2020, leaving his or her IRA to a named beneficiary (who is not one of the defined exceptions), all monies from that IRA must be distributed by the end of 2030. The prior rule allowed beneficiaries to use their life expectancy to determine any required payout.
There are a few exceptions to this new default rule. Individuals who are permitted to stretch the inherited retirement account over their lifetime include:
The result of the new default rule for those who do not fall into an exempt category is that there will be less tax-deferred growth in the retirement account and an increase in income taxes because the rate of withdrawal has been accelerated.
There are some strategies available, which will be explained in more detail in later articles, that could help mitigate the increased tax liability. Those strategies include:
These strategies are heavily dependent on the specific circumstances faced by each IRA account holder and should be reviewed carefully.
Lastly, for many who have had their estate planning prepared, that plan may be structured around a revocable living trust with the revocable living trust being designated as the beneficiary of the IRA. As a result, those beneficiary designations and the terms of the trust need to be revisited as unintended income tax consequences may result because of the new 10 year default payout rule.
As for next steps, if you haven’t reviewed your beneficiary designations and your estate plan recently, you should consult with your team of professional advisors who can help explore the options available to you based on your situation. #estateplanning #SECUREAct #taxplanning @bgnthebgn @OFPLAW
Here is a little humor to keep you going and is a gentle reminder of a situation you want to avoid. Plan your journey! #estateplanningmatters #planyourjourney @bgnthebgn
Currently there is a lot of focus on the Mega Millions that has a jackpot of $1.6 billion (and climbing) and many discussions are being had detailing what one would do if they won. Imagine the possibilities! Some of the considerations include making gifts and loans to friends and family members.
Although chances of winning are 1 in 302.5 million, if you do win and you are in a position to consider making gifts or loans to friends and family members, there are a few key points to remember to minimize any gift tax consequences. As highlighted in an earlier article, we each have the ability to gift during our lifetimes without incurring gift tax. The current exemption is $11.18 million per person above which a 40% flat tax is imposed. In order to utilize that exemption, a gift tax return is required.
Furthermore, each of us has the ability to gift up to $15,000 per person to an unlimited number of people each year. If you are married, a married couple can gift up to $30,000 per person each year. These annual gifts do not count against the lifetime exemption, and are therefore a separate method in which gifting can be made.
IRS regulations also permit you to pay the tuition expenses for a full-time or part-time student directly to the “qualifying educational organization” without having to claim an exemption from gift tax or incurring gift tax. Tuition expenses do not include books, supplies, dorm fees, board or other such expenses that are not direct tuition expenses.
In addition, you can pay for “qualifying medical expenses” that include expenses for diagnosis, cure, treatment, prevention as well as amounts paid for medical insurance. This exemption does not include any expenses that were reimbursed ultimately by medical insurance. Again, such expenses can be paid directly and you would not have to claim your lifetime exemption or incur gift tax.
And what about making loans to friends and family? Be sure that any loan you make is not deemed to be a gift. That is, the loan should impose interest at current fair market values. Applicable Federal Rates (AFR) for October range from 2.55% for short term loans (up to 3 years) to 2.99% for long term loans (over 9 years). Loans can be structured in myriad different ways.
Also, don’t forget about cash gifts to charity. The charitable deduction on your income tax returns was increased under last year’s tax reform act to 60% of your adjusted gross income for 2018, up from 50% of your AGI. The charities of your choice would also help facilitate a lifetime gift and/or planned gift depending your wishes.
So, while you are thinking about what you would do if you won a million dollars or more in the lottery, be sure to keep in mind a few gift or loan options that are available to you and good luck! #megamillions #winningthelottery #lottery #gifttax #estateplanning #taxplanning #planyourjourney
Documentation filed earlier this week in Oakland County probate court in Michigan by Aretha Franklin’s children indicates that she died without a will or a trust. On the forms, a box was checked signaling that “the decedent died intestate”. What does this all mean?
Dying without a Last Will and Testament or a revocable living trust means that a person is intestate and the laws of the state in which they resided at death will spell out who is to receive the assets of the estate. Under Michigan law, Ms. Franklin’s estate will pass equally to her children as she was unmarried at the time of her death. Ms. Franklin’s niece has also requested that she be appointed as the personal representative or executor of the estate. Thus, it appears that the law of unintended consequences may now apply as Ms. Franklin may not have wanted her children to become the beneficiaries. She may have wanted to include charity or friends perhaps even other relatives in her estate plan. She may not have wanted to have her niece serve as the personal representative, a role that presumably will be compensated. But, without a Last Will and Testament or revocable living trust, we will never know what her true wishes were.
It will also be interesting to see how the administration of Ms. Franklin’s estate unfolds now that the process will be a public one. A number of questions will have to be asked and answered, including, but not limited to: What debts does the singer have? Michigan may not have a state level estate tax or inheritance tax, but how will the Federal estate tax be paid? Exemptions from Federal estate tax are high ($11.18 million per person in 2018), and valuations of Ms. Franklin’s will have to be done to determine the total value of her estate. What assets will each beneficiary ultimately receive? Presumably some of the assets are not standard such as royalties from Ms. Franklin’s records. Will an agreement be reached amongst the beneficiaries regarding the management and distribution of the assets? Unfortunately, the process that has begun will be lengthy, likely expensive and could result in the dismantling of a legacy if the process devolves into an ugly court battle similar to what has happened with Prince’s estate when he died without a will. And in the end, all of this uncertainty could have been avoided or at least minimized had Ms. Franklin simply planned, which means “you better think” before you decide you do not need a plan. #QueenofSoulDiesWithoutWill #QueenofSoul #estateplanning #intestacy