Qualified charitable distributions are a tool

It is not Wise to Leave your IRA to your Estate

March 25, 2021

It is not wise to leave your IRA to your estate. The named beneficiary of an IRA can have important tax consequences, says nj.com’s recent article entitled “How is tax paid when an estate is the beneficiary of an IRA?”

If an estate is named the beneficiary of an IRA, or if there’s no designated beneficiary, the estate is usually designated beneficiary by default. In that case, the IRA must be paid to the estate. As a result, the account owner’s will or the state law (if there was no will and the owner died intestate) would determine who’d inherit the IRA.

An individual retirement account or “IRA” is a tax-advantaged account that people can use to save and invest for retirement.

There are several types of IRAs—Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs. Each one of these has its own distinct rules regarding eligibility, taxation and withdrawals. However, with any, if you withdraw money from an IRA before age 59½, you’re usually subject to an early-withdrawal penalty of 10%.

A designated beneficiary is an individual who inherits the balance of an individual retirement account (IRA) or after the death of the asset’s owner.

However, if a “non-individual”, such as an estate, is the beneficiary of an IRA, the funds must be distributed within five years, if the account owner died before his/her required beginning date for distributions, which was changed to age 72 last year when Congress passed the SECURE Act.

If the owner dies after his/her required beginning date, the account must then be distributed over his/her remaining single life expectancy.

The income tax on these distributions is payable by the estate. A compressed tax bracket is used.

As such, the highest tax rate of 37% is paid on this income when total income of the estate reaches $12,950.

For individuals, the 37% tax bracket isn’t reached until income is above $518,400 or $622,050 if filing as married.

Therefore, you can see why it’s not wise to leave your IRA to your estate. It’s not tax-efficient and generally should be avoided.

If you would like to learn more about how to incorporate IRA distributions within your estate planning, please visit our post on Charitable Remainder Trusts.

Reference: nj.com (Feb. 26, 2021) “How is tax paid when an estate is the beneficiary of an IRA?”

Is it Better to Have a Living Will or a Living Trust?

March 24, 2021

A living will and a living trust are part of an estate plan that achieves the goals of protecting you while you are living and your loved ones when you have passed. Is it better to have a Living Will or a Living Trust? You may need both, but before you make any decision, first know what they are, says the article “Living Will vs. Living Trust” from Yahoo! Finance.

A living will is a legal document used in healthcare decision making. It offers a way for you to provide in exact terms what kind of medical care and treatment you want to receive in end-of-life situations. They are not fun to contemplate, but the alternative is leaving your spouse or children guessing what you would want and living with the consequences. By having a living will prepared properly with your estate planning attorney (to ensure that it is valid), you tell your loved ones what you want. They will not be left guessing or fighting among each other. The treating physicians will also know what you want.

This is different from an advance healthcare directive, which also deals with medical situation but from a different angle. The advance healthcare directive is used to name an agent who will act on your behalf to make medical decisions. It is used in situations other than end-of-life care. Let’s say you are incapacitated by an illness. That person is authorized to make medical care decisions on your behalf.

A trust is a legal entity that lets you transfer assets to the ownership of a trustee and has little to do with your healthcare. The trustee is a person named to be in charge of the trust. He is considered a fiduciary, a legal standard requiring him to put the interest of the trust above his own. A living trust is one of many different kinds of trusts.

Living trusts are also known as “inter vivos” trusts and take effect while you are alive. You (the grantor) are permitted to serve as your own trustee. You should name one or more successor trustees, who can take over just in case something happens to you. You can also name someone else to be the trustee. That is usually a trusted person or a financial institution.

Living trusts may be revocable or irrevocable. When they are revocable, assets transferred to the trust can be moved in and out of the trust as you like, as long as you are alive. You can add assets, remove assets, change the named beneficiaries, or even change the terms of how the assets are managed.

An irrevocable trust is just as it sounds—once it’s created and funded, those assets are permanently inside the trust. There are some states that permit “decanting” of a trust, that is, moving the assets inside a trust to another trust. Your estate planning attorney will know if that is an option for you.

So, Is it better to have a Living Will or a Living Trust? You probably need both. The living will deals with your healthcare, while the living trust is all about your assets. Do you need a trust? Most estates will benefit from some kind of a trust. Depending on the type of trust, it may let you protect assets against creditors, give you control postmortem of how and when (or if!) your beneficiaries receive their inheritance, and removes the assets from your taxable estate. Both are important tools in a comprehensive estate plan.

If you would like to learn more about Living Wills and Living Trusts, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Yahoo! Finance (Feb. 18, 2021) “Living Will vs. Living Trust”

take care when transferring house to children

You have Options when Inheriting a House

March 23, 2021

You have options when inheriting a house. If you inherit a house, there are tax and financial issues. Yahoo Finance’s recent article from (December 21, 2020) entitled “What to Do When You Inherit a House” gives us some topics to keep in mind.

Inheritance and Estate Taxes. Inheriting a house doesn’t usually mean any taxes because there’s no federal inheritance tax. But some larger estates may have to pay federal estate taxes. There are also six states that have an inheritance tax: Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The spouse is exempt from paying inheritance tax, and children and grandchildren are exempt from inheritance tax in four states (not PA or NE).

Capital Gains Taxes. This may be a concern if the heir decides to sell the house. Capital gains taxes are federal taxes on the profits on the sale of assets. Short-term capital gains taxes apply on sale of assets owned for a year or less, and long-term capital gains taxes are for the sale of assets owned for longer. However, when a house is transferred by inheritance, the value of the house is stepped up to its fair market value at the time it was transferred, so that a home purchased many years ago is valued at current market value for capital gains.

Exclusion. Also, if the heir occupies the home as his or her primary residence for at least two out of five years, the IRS may grant an exclusion of up to $500,000 on capital gains taxes for a couple filing jointly or $250,000 for a single filer.

Mortgage. If the home has a mortgage, there will be monthly payments to make.

Reverse Mortgage. If there is a reverse mortgage, a type of home loan available to seniors age 62 and older, the ownership of the home will transfer to the mortgage company when the owner dies.

Short Sale. If the house is underwater, with a mortgage balance more than the home’s value, the new owners may ask the lender to do a short sale, selling the property for less than the loan balance and accepting that amount to settle the debt.

Other Expenses. If the home is paid off, there still could be major repairs to be made before it can be sold or occupied. There are also ongoing costs for property taxes, utilities, residential insurance and maintenance costs, as well as possible home owner association fees.

The Heir’s Options. Three options when a home is inherited are for the heir to occupy it, sell, or rent it. Occupying the home means it will stay in the family, which can be nice if there are memories connected with the property. If there is no mortgage, this can also be an economical option. Selling it provides cash if it’s worth more than the mortgage after any necessary repairs. This is a quick and easy way to make the most of a home inheritance without adding any future risks. Finally, renting it can provide passive income and some tax advantages. However, being a landlord involves costs and dealing with tenants can require a lot of time and attention.

Emotional and Relationship Issues. Inheriting a home that’s been in the family for decades can bring up a lot of feelings for the heirs. If multiple heirs were each bequeathed part ownership, it can be difficult to determine what everyone wants and choose a mutually acceptable course of action.

Heirs can ask for the help of an experienced estate planning attorney to facilitate discussions and to make sure that everyone understands the agreement.

You have options when inheriting a house. There are tax, financial and emotional considerations, and a lot is dependent on the size of the mortgage, the home’s value and the costs of upkeep.

If you are interested in learning more about protecting the family home, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Yahoo Finance (Dec. 21, 2020) “What to Do When You Inherit a House”

Preparing to meet with an Estate Planning Attorney

March 22, 2021

Preparing to meet with an estate planning attorney for the first time is an opportunity to get organized and think about your wishes for the future. If you meet with your accountant every year to prepare tax returns, this may be a familiar process. It’s a chance to step away from day-to-day activities and focus on your life, as described in a recent article “10 Items to Consider Before Meeting Your Attorney” from The National Law Journal.

Minor Children Need Guardians and Conservators. In most states, families with minor children need a last will to designate one or more guardians to raise the children in the event both parents die. A successor should be named in case the first named guardian is unable or unwilling to serve. Discuss your decision with the people you are naming; don’t leave this as a surprise. Choosing these people is a hard decision. However, don’t let it be a reason to delay creating your estate plan. It’s better that you name a guardian, rather than let the court make that decision. Your estate planning attorney will be able to guide you through this decision.

Agents, Trustees, and Power of Attorney. With a Durable Power of Attorney, your assets can be managed by a named agent, if you become incapacitated. The person who manages your estate after death is the executor. They are named in your last will. If you have trusts, the documents that create the trust also name the trustees. It is possible for one person to act as a fiduciary for all of these roles, although the tasks can be divided.

Living Will and Patient Advocate Designation. If you are incapacitated, a Patient Advocate can make medical decisions on your behalf, including following the instructions of your Living Will.

Personal Property. Any items of personal property, whether their value is sentimental or monetary, should be specified in the will. A list of items and who you want to receive what, may spare your heirs from squabbles over your personal effects, large or small. If you own a business or real estate, they also need to be addressed in your will.

Charitable Donations. If you are charitably minded, your will is one way to make bequests and build a lasting legacy. Charitable donations can also be made to gain tax benefits for heirs.

Beneficiary Distributions. The beneficiary designation is the unsung hero of the estate plan. By managing beneficiary designations while you are living—updating beneficiary designations, assigning beneficiary designations to all accounts possible—you take assets out of your probate estate and smooth the asset distribution process. However, there are some wrinkles to consider.

Minor children may not receive assets until they become of age—18 in most cases. Do you want your children (or nieces or grandchildren) to receive an inheritance, while they are still in their teens? Proper estate planning includes trusts created, so a responsible adult can manage the trust on their behalf. Your trust can also be structured so the money may only be used for college expenses, or when the children reach certain ages. An estate planning attorney will assist you in how best to structure a trust.

Surviving Pets. You can plan for your pet’s care, if you pass away or become incapacitated before they die. Most states permit the creation of a pet trust, an enforceable means of providing assets to be used for the care and well-being of your pet.

Preparing to meet with an estate planning attorney can be a daunting task, but addressing these issues will give you a head start. Your estate planning attorney will be able to provide you with a list of the documents she will need to get started on your estate plan, but these are the major issues that you will be discussing at your first meeting.

If you would like to learn more about preparing for estate planning, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: The National Law Journal (Feb. 23, 2021) “10 Items to Consider Before Meeting Your Attorney”

Welcome Marc Limsiaco to the Firm

March 19, 2021

Texas Trust Law is pleased to welcome Marc Limsiaco to the Firm as an associate attorney. Marc joined the Firm in January of this year. A graduate of Texas Tech University, Marc earned his Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctorate, summa cum laude. Limsiaco will join the firm to practice in estate planning, probate, and trust administration

“I am happy to welcome Marc to the Firm,” said Brad Wiewel, Founder of Wiewel Law Firm. “He will be a real asset to our Firm and clients, aiding our Firm in providing peace of mind to Texans seeking to protect their assets. We are looking forward to his many contributions.”

As a law student, Limsiaco was a member of the Civil Clinical Program, assisting clients in a variety of civil legal issues, including divorces, social security claims, and wills; served as a Research Assistant to Professor Sally Henry; received the Distinguished Award in Commercial Law and was the top grade recipient in Legal Practice I. During his summers at law school, Limsiaco interned for the Honorable Judge Dustin Howell at the 200th Civil District Court of Travis County Courthouse and served as an Associate at Christian, Smith & Jewell. Limsiaco also served on the Texas Tech Law School Board of Barristers and served as Treasurer for the Longhorn Bar Association and Business Law Association.

Limsiaco is licensed to practice in Texas.

We encourage you to visit our website, www.TexasTrustLaw.com to learn more about our attorneys and staff. Please help us welcome Marc Limsiaco to the Wiewel Law Firm!

Update Your Estate Plan If You Move to a New State

March 18, 2021

You should update your estate plan if you move to a new state. The U.S. Constitution requires states to give “full faith and credit” to the laws of other states. As a result, your will, trust, power of attorney, and health care proxy executed in one state should be honored in every other state.

Although that’s the way it should work, the practical realities are different and depend on the document, says Wealth Advisor’s recent article entitled “Moving to a New State?

Your last will should still be legally valid in the new state. However, the new state may have different probate laws that make certain provisions of the will invalid. This can also happen with revocable trusts.

However, it’s not as common with powers of attorney and health care directives. These estate planning documents should be honored from state to state, but sometimes banks, medical professionals, and financial and health care institutions will refuse to accept the documents and forms. They may have their own, as is the case frequently with banks.

You should also know that the execution requirements of your estate planning documents may be different, depending on the state.

For example, there are some states that require witnesses on durable powers of attorney, and others that do not. A state that requires witnesses may not allow a power of attorney without witnesses to be used to convey real estate, even though the document is perfectly valid in the state where it was drafted and signed.

With health care proxies, other states may use different terms for the document, such as “durable power of attorney for health care” or “advance directive.”

When you move to a different state, it’s also a smart move to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney to make certain that your estate plan in general is up to date. There are also other changes in circumstances—like a change in income or marital status—that can also have an impact on your estate plan. Moreover, there may be practical changes you may want to make. For example, you may want to change your trustee or agent under a power of attorney based on which family members will be closer in proximity.

For all these reasons, it’s wise to update your estate plan if you move to a new state. You have an experienced estate planning attorney in your new home state review your estate planning documents. If you would like to learn more about updating your plans to fit new life situations, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Wealth Advisor (Jan. 26, 2021) “Moving to a New State?

Do You Have to Probate an Estate when Someone Dies?

Living Will is an Important part of an Estate Plan

March 17, 2021

A living will is an important part of an estate plan. Living wills can be used to detail the type of healthcare you do or don’t want to receive in end-of-life situations, or if you become permanently incapacitated or unconscious. A living will tells your healthcare providers and your family what type of care you prefer in these situations, explains Yahoo Finance’s recent article entitled “How to Make a Living Will.” These instructions may address topics, such as resuscitation, life support and pain management. If you don’t want to be on life support in a vegetative state, you can state that in your living will.

A living will can be part of an advance healthcare directive that also includes a healthcare power of attorney. This lets your chosen healthcare proxy make medical decisions on your behalf, when you’re unable. A living will typically only applies to situations where you’re close to death or you’re permanently incapacitated; an advance directive can cover temporary incapacitation.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney or elder care lawyer about the technical aspects of how to make a living will and include it in your estate plan. You should consider what to include. Every state is different, so your attorney will help you with the specifics. However, you’ll generally need to leave instructions on the following:

Life-prolonging care, like blood transfusions, resuscitation, or use of a respirator;
Intravenous feeding if you are incapacitated and cannot feed yourself; and
Palliative care can be used to manage pain, if you decide to stop other treatments.

You will want to be as thorough and specific as possible with your wishes, so there is no confusion or stress for your family when or if the day arrives. You next want to communicate these wishes to your loved ones. You should also give copies of your living will to your doctor. If you’re drafting a living will as part of an advance healthcare directive in your estate plan, be certain that you get a copy to your healthcare proxy.

Review your living well regularly to make sure it’s still accurate because you may change your mind about the type of care you’d like to receive.

Ask your attorney to help you draft a living will along with a healthcare power of attorney, so all of the bases are covered as far as healthcare decision-making. When choosing a healthcare proxy, select a person on whom you can rely, to execute your wishes.

A living will is an important part of an estate plan and prepares your family for your death. If you would like to learn more about end-of-life care, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Yahoo Finance (Feb. 18, 2021) “How to Make a Living Will”

revise your planning with a second marriage

Is a SLAT right for your Family?

March 16, 2021

A SLAT is a type of irrevocable trust that can only be used by married couples for the benefit of a spouse, children, or other beneficiaries. Is a SLAT right for your family? The recent article titled “Should a SLAT Be Part Of Your Estate Planning?” from Forbes examines when a SLAT works for a family, and when it doesn’t.

A SLAT works well while your spouse is alive. They have access to it and the assets it contains, since they are the beneficiary. As of this writing, up to $11,700,000 of assets can be removed from a taxable estate using your federal estate tax exemption, while your spouse continues to have access to the assets.

Sounds like a win-win, doesn’t it? However, there are drawbacks. If your spouse dies, you lose access to the assets. They will pass to the remainder beneficiaries in the trust, typically children, but they can be other beneficiaries of your choice.

If you and your spouse divorce, the spouse is still a beneficiary of the SLAT. Ask your estate planning attorney if this is something they can build into the SLAT for your family, but be mindful that if the attorney is representing both spouses for estate planning, there will be ethical considerations that could get tricky.

What about a SLAT for each spouse? If you and your spouse both establish SLATs to benefit each other, you run the risk of the “reciprocal trust doctrine.” The IRS could take the position that the trusts cancel each other out, and rule that the only reason for the SLAT was to remove taxable assets from your estate.

The SLATs need to be different from each other in more than a few ways. Your estate planning attorney will need to develop this with you. A few ways to structure two SLATs:

Create them at different times. The more time between their creation, the better.
Consider establishing the trusts in different states.
Have different trustees.
Vary the distribution rules for the surviving spouse and the distribution rules upon the death of the second spouse. For instance, one spouse’s trust could hold the assets in lifetime trusts for the children, while the other spouse’s trust could terminate, and assets be distributed to the children when they reach age 40.

So is a SLAT right for your family? The SLAT is an especially useful way to address tax liability. If you have not maxed out lifetime gifts in 2020, now is the time to start this process. December 2025, when the federal estate tax exemption reverts back to $5 million, will be here faster than you think. If the country needs to find revenue quickly, that change may come even sooner. Tax reform that occurs in 2021 is not likely to be retroactive to January 1, 2021, but there are no guarantees.

If you would like to learn more about estate strategies such as a SLAT, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Forbes (Feb. 16, 2021) “Should a SLAT Be Part Of Your Estate Planning?”

Talk to Your Children about Your Estate Planning

March 15, 2021

It is important to talk to your children about your estate planning. Some $68 trillion will move between generations in the next two decades, reports U.S. News & World Report in the article “Discuss Your Estate Plan With Your Children.” Having this conversation with your adult children, especially if they are members of Generation X, could have a profound impact on the quality of your relationship and your legacy.

Staying on top of your estate plan and having candid discussions with your children will also have an impact on how much of your estate is consumed by estate taxes. The historically high federal exemptions are not going to last forever—even without any federal legislation, they sunset in 2025, which isn’t far away.

One of the purposes of your estate plan is to transfer money as you wish. What most people do is talk with an estate planning attorney to create an estate plan. They create trusts, naming their child as the trustee, or simple wills naming their child as the executor. Then, the parents drop the ball.

Talk with your children about the role of trustee and/or executor. Help them understand the responsibilities that these roles require and ask if they will be comfortable handling the decision making, as well as the money. Include the Power of Attorney role in your discussion.

What most parents refuse to discuss with their children is money, plain and simple. Children will be better equipped, if they know what financial institutions hold your accounts and are introduced to your estate planning attorney, CPA and financial advisor.

You might at some point forget about some investments, or the location of some accounts as you age. If your children have a working understanding of your finances, estate plan and your wishes, they will be able to get going and you will have spared them an estate scavenger hunt.

If possible, hold a family meeting with your advisors, so everyone is comfortable and up to speed.

Most adult children do not have the same experience with taxes as parents who have acquired wealth over their lifetimes. They may not understand the concepts of qualified and non-qualified accounts, step-up in cost basis, life insurance proceeds, or a probate asset versus a non-probate asset. It is critical that they understand how taxes impact estates and investments. By explaining things like tax-free distributions from a Roth IRA, for instance, you will increase the likelihood that your life savings aren’t battered by taxes.

Even if your adult children work in finance, do not assume they understand your investments, your tax-planning, or your estate. Even the smartest people make expensive mistakes, when handling family estates.

Having these discussions is another way to show your children that you care enough to set your own ego aside and are thinking about their future. It’s a way to connect not just about your money or your taxes, but about their futures. Knowing that you purchased a life insurance policy specifically to provide them with money for a home purchase, or to fund a grandchild’s college education, sends a clear message. So talk to your children about your estate planning. Don’t miss the opportunity to share that with them, while you are living.

If you would like to learn more about family communication and estate planning, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: U.S. News & World Report (Feb. 17, 2021) “Discuss Your Estate Plan With Your Children”

Planning is critical for unmarried couples

Unmarried Couples Should Have an Estate Plan

March 12, 2021

Unmarried couples should have an estate plan. Having an estate plan might be even more important than for married couples, especially if there are children in the family. The unmarried couple does not enjoy all of the legal protection afforded by marriage, but many of these protections can be had through a well-prepared estate plan.

A recent article “Planning for unmarried couples” from nwi.com explains that in states that do not recognize common law marriages, like Indiana, the state will not recognize the couple as being married. However, even if you learn that your state does recognize a common law marriage, you still want to have an estate plan.

A will is the starting point of an estate plan, and for an unmarried couple, having it professionally prepared by an experienced estate planning attorney is very important. An agreement between two people as to how they want their assets distributed after death sounds simple, but there are many laws. Each state has its own laws, and if the document is not prepared correctly, it could very easily be invalid. That would make the couple’s agreement useless.

There are also things that need to be prepared, so an unmarried couple can take care of each other while they are living, which they cannot legally do without being married.

A cohabitating couple has no right to direct medical care for each other, including speaking with the healthcare provider or even seeing their partner as a visitor in a healthcare facility. If a decision needs to be made by one partner because the other partner is incapacitated, their partner will not have the legal right to make any medical decisions or even speak with a healthcare provider.

If the couple owns vehicles separately, the vehicles have their own titles (i.e., the legal document establishing ownership). If they want to add their partner’s name to the vehicle, the title needs to be reissued by the state to reflect that change.

If the unmarried couple owns a home together, they need to confirm how the home is titled. If they are joint tenants with rights of survivorship or tenants in common, that might be appropriate for their circumstances. However, if one person bought the home before they lived together or was solely responsible for paying the mortgage and for upkeep, they will need to make sure the title and their will establishes ownership and what the owner wants to happen with they die.

If the wish is for the surviving partner to remain in the home, that needs to be properly and legally documented. An estate planning attorney will help the couple create a plan that addresses this large asset and reflect the couple’s wishes for the future.

Unmarried couples should have an estate plan to protect each other, while they are living and after they pass. A local estate planning attorney will be able to help accomplish this.

If you would like to learn more about estate planning for unmarried couples, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: nwi.com (Jan. 24, 2021) “Planning for unmarried couples”

Blog Articles

It is not Wise to Leave your IRA to your Estate

Is it Better to Have a Living Will or a Living Trust?

You have Options when Inheriting a House

Preparing to meet with an Estate Planning Attorney

Welcome Marc Limsiaco to the Firm

Update Your Estate Plan If You Move to a New State

Living Will is an Important part of an Estate Plan

Is a SLAT right for your Family?

Talk to Your Children about Your Estate Planning

Unmarried Couples Should Have an Estate Plan

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