Pass-Through Business Alternative Income Tax Act

New Jersey may be getting a lot tax friendlier for small business owners.  I hesitate to even write this blog post, as I generally prefer to wait until legislation is actually passed before I write on a topic (mainly because it is a waste of everyone's time to read about something that may never come into law).  However, the NJ State Senate has already passed the "Pass-Through Business Alternative Income Tax Act" by vote of 40-0, so there's a good chance that this may become law, and very soon.

Here's the gist of how the new law is supposed to work:
1)  NJ will start implementing a new business tax, effective January 1, 2018, on pass through business entities (such as limited liability companies, S-Corporations, and Partnerships).
2) This new business tax will be roughly equal to the tax the owners of the business are already paying on their NJ income tax returns.
3) The owners of the business will receive a dollar for dollar credit on their personal NJ income tax returns for any business taxes paid.  

The legislature was effectively trying to make this a wash from a NJ revenue standpoint, but let's be clear, this will raise significant revenue for New Jersey because the tax rates don't align perfectly with the income tax rates for either individuals or married couples.  

For example, under the new business tax law, there is a:
1) 5.525% tax on the distributive proceeds less than $250,000 (per owner);
2) 6.37% tax on distributive proceeds between $250,000 and $1M (per owner);
3) 8.97% tax on distributive proceeds between $1M and $3M (per owner); and
4) 10.75% tax on distributive proceeds over $3M.

For a single person, the NJ income tax rates are as follows:

NJ Tax Bracket - Single Person	NJ Tax Rate
$0.00 - $19,999	1.4%
$20,000.00 - $34,999	1.75%
$35,000.00 - $39,999	3.5%
$40,000.00 - $74,999	5.53%
$75,000.00 - $499,999	6.37%
$500,000.00 - $4,999,999	8.97%
$5,000,000 +	10.75%

For a married couple, the NJ income tax rates are as follows:

NJ Tax Bracket - Married Couple	NJ Tax Rate
$0 - $19,999	1.4%
$20,000 - $49,999	1.75%
$50,000 - $69,999	2.45%
$70,000 - $79,999	3.5%
$80,000 - $149,999	5.53%
$150,000 - $499,999	6.37%
$500,000 - $4,999,999	8.97%
$5,000,000.00 +	10.75%

However, if this new law goes into effect, it will be a significant net savings for NJ business owners because they will not be as badly impacted by the new federal law.   Remember, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed by President Trump stated that State income taxes and local property taxes are capped at $10,000 per year.  The reason that NJ business owners will not be adversely affected by this new (and usually higher) business tax is that NJ is converting a non-deductible state income tax (from your personal return) into a deductible business expense.

Let's run through an example.  Let's say that Joanne owns a nearby estate planning law firm structured as a limited liability company.  Joanne's net income after all expenses (except state income taxes) is $150,000.  (For purposes of this example, let's assume that she is single and has no other income and is not entitled to any other deductions other than a $10,000 property tax deduction for her primary residence.)  

If the New Jersey Pass-Through Business Alternative Income Tax Act does not come into law, then she would have a state income tax liability of approximately $7,365 and a federal income tax liability of $19,533 (after factoring in the 199A deduction of 20% and the $10,000 property tax deduction).  Total tax liability of approximately $26,898.  Joanne does not get to deduct the $7,365 from her federal income taxes.

If the New Jersey Pass-Through Business Alternative Income Tax Act does come into law, then there would be a NJ business tax of $7,875, no NJ personal income tax, and a federal income tax liability of approximately $18,118 after reducing the $150,000 of income by $7,875 and then factoring in the 20% 199A deduction.  Total tax liability of $25,993.  

As you can see, the big difference is that the $7,875 should be considered a deductible business expense for purposes of the federal tax law.  So even though there is an additional $510 of NJ state taxes, there is $1415 less of federal income taxes, for a total savings of $905.  

If and when the NJ law actually passes, I will provide another update.

* Note - all calculations for taxes done using free software with minimal assumptions, so please do not rely on them.  I am just trying to illustrate how the new tax law should work in theory.

Reasons to set up a Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust as an Accumulation IRA Stretch Trust

In a previous post, I described the Reasons to Set up a 3rd Party Supplemental Needs Trust as an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.  The same Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust can also be set up as an IRA Stretch Trust. 

 If a Special Needs person is named as beneficiary of an IRA, 401k, 403b or any other asset, that could ruin their ability to qualify as for SSI and Medicaid.  However, paying retirement money to a traditional Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust can cause income tax problems.  Accordingly, we usually recommend that the Supplemental Needs Trust be created with provisions that allow a slow withdrawal of the retirement account over the lifetime of the beneficiary into a trust for the following reasons:

• A traditional Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust can be named as a beneficiary of a retirement account, however, that is usually very tax inefficient from an income tax perspective as the IRS will require the retirement money to be paid to the trust within 5 years, and it will be taxed and the very high trust rates.  
• To minimize income tax consequences, the trust should be designed as a modified IRA Stretch Trust.
• An IRA Stretch Trust requires the Trustee to withdraw a certain amount each year from the retirement accounts which name the trust as the beneficiary.  The amount the Trustee is required to withdraw from the retirement account into the Supplemental Needs Trust is known as the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Amount.  The Required Minimum Distribution Amount is a based upon a formula set by the IRS that is tied to the life expectancy of the beneficiary of the trust (the Special Needs person). 
• By taking out only the RMD each year, the IRA can continue to grow tax deferred. After the trustee withdraws the RMD from the retirement account into the Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust, the trustee may leave the money in the trust or distribute it to the Special Needs person subject to the normal limits of Special Needs Trusts.  
• PLANNING NOTE: This should never be set up as a Conduit Stretch Trust as that will ruin the benefits of the Special Needs Person.  A Conduit Stretch Trust requires the RMD be distributed to the beneficiary every year.
• PLANNING NOTE: In order to establish the Special Needs Person's life as a measuring life for IRS tax purposes, and have the Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust be treated as an Accumulation Trust, upon the death of the Special Needs Person, the balance of the trust and the retirement money can ONLY be paid to a person who is younger than the Special Needs Person.  
• PLANNING NOTE: If you think that the client may wish to benefit an older sibling of Special Needs Person, consider making that older sibling the measuring life.

One downside to naming a properly designed Third Party Special Needs Trust with accumulation provisions as the beneficiary of a retirement account is that the income tax rates for trusts is higher than that of an individual.  However, if you wish to engage in special needs trust planning and provide a special needs person access to money from a retirement account, this appears to be one of the most tax efficient ways of doing so while also preserving the the government benefits of the special needs person.  

It should be noted that when doing Special Needs Trust Planning, sometimes, if parents have more than one child, they will name name a non Special Needs child as beneficiary of retirement money and a trust for the Special Needs Child as beneficiary of other assets. This is a completely viable alternate type of plan, but care should be considered regarding what happens if that other child predeceases the parents.

NJ Estate Tax Repeal: How Does This Affect You?

It's official.  According to NJ.com, Governor Christopher Christie has signed a a bill to repeal the New Jersey Estate Tax.  The new law is part of a larger package deal that increases the gas tax, reduces the sales tax slightly, gives the working poor a larger tax credit, gives a tax cut on retirement income and gives a tax exemption for veterans who have been honorably discharged.

Under prior New Jersey law, a person may leave an unlimited amount to a spouse or charity. However, any money going to anyone else above $675,000 (the "exemption amount") is subject to an estate tax. This rule will remain in effect for the rest of 2016.  

For calendar year 2017, the estate tax exemption amount for NJ will increase to $2,000,000.  The tax rate will generally start at about 7.2% and go up to 16% on estates over $10,000,000.

There will be a full repeal of the NJ Estate Tax starting January 1, 2018.  

We have confirmed that New Jersey will NOT be repealing its inheritance tax. Accordingly, money that is left to a non-class A beneficiary will still be subject to a tax.  In other words, there will still be a tax if you leave money to anyone other than a spouse, your descendants, your ancestors or a charity upon your death.

So the big question for many might be how does this affect you.  I will break this down into 5 categories:

1) People who have prepared existing estate planning documents;
2) People with assets between $675,000 to $5,450,000 (for individuals) and married couples with assets less than $10,900,000;
3) Married couples with assets in excess of $10,900,000; 
4) Snowbirds; 
5) Widows and widowers who are the beneficiary of a credit shelter trust; and
6) People who wish to consider Medicaid planning.

1) For people who have already prepared their estate plans, most likely this will not adversely affect your plans.  However, the modification of the tax law likely gives you the opportunity to simplify your documents.  In particular, it is common practice in New Jersey to create a trust for a surviving spouse (often referred to as a Family Trust, Bypass Trust, Credit Shelter Trust or A-B Trust) to double the $675,000 exemption among spouses.  

There still may be other reasons to have a trust for a surviving spouse (such as in second marriage situations), but starting 2018, doubling the NJ exemption amount will no longer be necessary.

2) For New Jersey domiciliaries who have assets above $675,000 (the NJ estate tax exemption limit in 2016) and below the federal estate tax exemption limit ($5,450,000 for individuals and $10,900,000 for married couples in 2016), it was a common part of estate planning for a person to make deathbed gifts to minimize the NJ estate tax liability.  Once the NJ estate tax gets repealed, it will generally be much more beneficial for a person to keep all of their assets until their death rather making substantial gifts during lifetime.

Until 2018, deathbed gifting can be very tax efficient because New Jersey has an estate tax but it does not have a gift tax.  Accordingly, there is the opportunity to substantially minimize the estate tax.  The problem however, is that many people make the mistake of gifting substantially appreciated assets such as stock or real estate. You often want to keep appreciated assets until death to obtain a step-up in basis.   

So before you make a gift, you would need to weigh the potential NJ estate tax consequence of keeping an asset versus the potential capital gains tax if an asset is sold after the gift is made.

Now with the repeal of the NJ estate tax, unless a person is likely to die prior to 2018, you don't need to worry about making the calculation as to whether the NJ estate tax or the capital gains tax will be higher.  It will almost always be better to keep the asset.

3) For married couples with assets in excess of the federal estate tax exemption amount, I have read a number of studies that indicate that a couple can usually transfer wealth in a more tax efficient manner by establishing a credit shelter trust for the surviving spouse rather than relying on portability.  

There are few reasons why wealthier clients may want to continue to use traditional credit shelter trust planning.  The first is that while the estate tax exemption is portable, the generation skipping transfer tax (GST Tax) is NOT portable to a surviving spouse.  Many wealthy clients often wish to make sure the money goes not just to their children, but also to more remote descendants.

Another benefit to traditional credit shelter trust planning is that it acts as freeze for the assets inside the trust.  Specifically, let's assume that we have a married couple with exactly $10,900,000.  If we put half of those assets in trust on the first to die, then regardless of how much that goes up or down, it passes tax free on the surviving spouse's death.  So if the value of the trust goes up at faster rate than the inflation adjustment on the exemption amount, the beneficiaries are basically saving about $0.23 on the dollar because the estate tax is a 40% tax and the capital gains on the appreciation is only taxed at 23%.

While none of this planning will be different after the NJ Estate gets repealed compared to now, it makes the planning much easier to justify because right now we have a dilemma as to "HOW MUCH" we fund the credit shelter trust with.  To avoid any tax on the first to die, a credit shelter trust can only be funded with $675,000.  For some, this hardly makes it worth setting up. However, as the estate tax in NJ goes away, we no longer have this concern.

4) For snowbirds and other people who wish to avoid a "death tax", very simply, starting 2018 the tax incentive to move will be dramatically reduced.  Back in 2009, I wrote a post discussing the tax benefit of relocating to Florida.  Once the NJ estate tax gets repealed, for many it will make little difference from a tax perspective where their domicile is.

That being said, there are still significant differences between being domiciled in New Jersey vs. Florida.  After all, if you own real estate in both places, you still will need to pay property tax in both locations.  The biggest differences that people should be aware of are:

• Florida does not have a state income tax, whereas NJ does.  (Note NJ will start exempting a substantial portion of retirement income from the state income tax); 
• Florida property has homestead protection only if you are a domiciliary of Florida.  This can provide asset protection and it usually stops the property tax from increasing; and
• NJ is keeping its inheritance tax.  So if you plan to leave your assets to nieces, nephews, friends or other non-class A beneficiaries, there could be a substantial tax savings upon your death.

5) If you have a husband or wife who passed away leaving money to you in trust, come 2018 it may be beneficial to consider options for terminating the trust.  Imagine a scenario where husband dies in in 2004 leaving $675,000 in a credit shelter trust (often called a Family Trust or Bypass Trust) for his surviving spouse.  It is likely that these assets in trust have appreciated to over $1,000,000.  If these assets stay in trust until the surviving spouse's death, it will not receive another step-up in basis.  However, if the trust is terminated and assets are distributed to the surviving spouse after 2018, it could be very beneficial from a tax perspective.  

There are many caveats to this plan.  First, you would not want to terminate the trust if the first spouse to die wanted to protect the money in trust for his/her surviving children - so you would not want to terminate the trust in second marriage situations.  Second, you may not want to terminate the trust if the surviving spouse has substantial assets or debts.  It may also not be beneficial to terminate a trust if the value of the trust assets have gone down in value.  

Nevertheless, it would be advisable to consider terminating a trust to make life easier for the surviving spouse and avoid the hassle of having to file an extra income tax return for the trust. 

Please note that a trust can only be terminated if the trust allows it, so you should have the trust looked at to see if the document allows the trust to be terminated.  If the trust does not allow for termination, consider whether it should be modified under the New Jersey Uniform Trust Act.

6) While I don't do Medicaid planning, I do engage in tax planning, and tax planning just got much easier.  The problem with Medicaid planning is that there is so much bad information out in the public sphere.  

I frequently get clients with millions of dollars who want to do Medicaid planning.  They don't realize that to do this type of planning, they actually need to give away most of their assets.  This might work well with someone who has a few hundred thousand dollars.  However, the more money you have, the less sense it usually makes to do this type of planning.

For example, if you have a $500,000 IRA, stock with a basis of $100,000 and worth $400,000, and a house with a basis of $50,000 and now worth $600,000, let's talk about the tax impact of most Medicaid planning.  In order to "give away" everything to qualify for Medicaid (a total of $1.5M here), the person would have to withdraw their entire IRA, causing a federal and state income tax of over $175,000.  Additionally, the transfer of the stock and real estate now would be subject to a built in capital gains of $850,000, resulting in about another $175,000 in capital gains taxes when sold.  

All told, this planning will likely cause about $350,000 in taxes.  This does not even factor in the planning fees and the loss of opportunity to grow the IRA in a tax deferred form.  At $10,000/month in a nursing home, that is about 3 years in a nursing home.  According to the non-profit Life Happens, the average stay in a nursing home is almost 2 and half years and about 70% of the population winds up spending some time in a nursing home.  A $350,000 tax could have paid for 3 years of nursing care home... and in a non-Medicaid facility.  

Prior to the change in the estate tax law, an argument could be made that the increase in income taxes was somewhat offset by a decrease in estate taxes. Until the end of 2016, with an estate of $1.5 million, there was the potential estate tax of over $60,000.  Repeal of the estate tax obviously changes the equation.  Under the new tax law, it is generally more prudent to keep assets in your name rather than giving them away ahead of time.  So while Medicaid planning can certainly be appropriate for some, the larger your estate, the less financial sense it makes to engage in this type of planning.  

Income Taxation of Trusts - Determining Which State Can Tax the Trust

Determining the situs of a trust (i.e. the residence of a trust) is not always an easy matter.  Each state has its own rules regarding whether a trust is a "Resident Trust", and often these rules are different from the tax rules, and in some states these rules have been challenged in Court as unconstitutional, where the taxpayer has prevailed, but yet the "unconstitutional rule" is still on the books.

This brings us to the wonderful worlds of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  (Although I am sure a challenge is coming to New York soon.)

Let's take four different situations:
1) A NJ Resident Trust;
2) A Non-Resident NJ Trust;
3) A PA Resident Trust; and
4) A Non-Resident PA Trust.

In situation 1, a Trust is considered a NJ Resident Trust for state income tax purposes, and must file Form NJ-1041, if:
a) The Trust consists of property transferred by a NJ decedent via his/her Will;
b) If a NJ person gifts property to an irrevocable trust; or
c) If a NJ person owns assets in a revocable trust dies and now the trust is irrevocable.

It is important to note that an irrevocable trust is NOT considered a NJ Resident Trust if it was created in another jurisdiction even if all the trustees and beneficiaries are now NJ residents unless the trust situs is changed to New Jersey.

Moreover, even if the trust is considered a NJ Resident Trust, it is NOT subject to New Jersey income tax if:
a) It does not have any tangible assets in NJ;
b) It does not have any income from NJ sources; AND
c) It does not have any trustees who are NJ residents.

It is probably worth creating a separate post on what it means for a person to be domiciled in a particular state, but for now, let's say that it is clear that a person has fixed, permanent home in New Jersey.

All of the above can be gathered simply by looking at the instructions for NJ Form-1041.  However, what happens if the Trustees and beneficiaries move out of state?  Can NJ still tax the entire trust if only a portion of the income is attributable to NJ?  In 2013, the Tax Court of New Jersey decided in Residuary Trust A under the Will of Fred E. Kassner, Michele Kassner, Trustee v. Director, Division of Taxation, that New Jersey could not impose a tax on undistributed income generated by the trust simply because the Trust owned an S-Corporation created in New Jersey when the Decedent was a New Jersey domiciliary, but the Trustee was located outside of NJ and all of the other assets of the trust were located outside of NJ.

Specifically, the Court stated that the due process clause bars NJ from taxing undistributed income of a trust to the extent the trustee, assets and beneficiaries are outside of New Jersey, citing Pennoyer v. Taxation Division and Potter v. Taxation Division.

So, even if a trust is considered a NJ Resident Trust, it does NOT mean it will actually be subject to NJ income tax.

In situation 2, a Non-Resident NJ Trust, which can best be described as any trust that is not a NJ resident Trust, is only subject to NJ income tax to the extent the trust has income from NJ sources, such as a NJ business, real estate or gambling winnings.  (Although hopefully your trustee is not actually gambling!)

With respect to Situation 3, the rules for determining whether a Trust is a PA Resident Trust are almost identical to New Jersey.  However, where NJ had some clear exclusions whereby a trust was not subject to the NJ income tax, PA tries to tax all income if there was a resident trust.  This can be a big problem if you have a PA grantor of a Trust or a PA decedent where following the creation of the trust, the Trustees and the beneficiaries are all out of state.

Now, all is not lost as there was very recently an important case, McNeil vs. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in which the Court decided that Pennsylvania did NOT have the right to tax the income of a trust, which was created by a PA Grantor, when the trust was created in another jurisdiction, the Grantor had died, the Trustees where located outside of PA, and the only connection to PA where some discretionary beneficiaries that had not in fact received any income.

Pennsylvania seems to have acquiesced considerably in this decision.  While they still say "Resident Trusts" are subject to PA income tax and must file the PA Form 41, the instructions on that form, Pennsylvania allows a Resident Trust to be converted to a Non-Resident Trust by change the trust situs if it lacks sufficient nexus to PA.  It appears that the Trustees must follow certain steps to do this, but once done, the trust will no longer be subject to PA income tax.  (See page 3 of the form and 20 PA Code Section 7708.)

With respect to Situation 4, if there is a PA Non-Resident Trust (basically a trust that was not created by a PA resident), PA generally takes the position that the Trustee must only file a tax return in PA if the trust has PA source income or if there is a resident beneficiary.  The requirement to file the return when there is a resident beneficiary is new and particularly problematic because the requirement to file is true EVEN IF THE TRUST MAKES NO DISTRIBUTION TO THAT BENEFICIARY.

Importantly, the failure to file the PA-41 (Income tax return for a PA Trust) can trigger interest and penalties as high as 50%.
 

Dynasty Trusts Explained

I am frequently asked about the best way to transfer wealth to younger generations.  Sometimes people feel that absent having a minor child, a problem child or a special needs child, there is no reason to set up a trust.  Often times they are correct and there is no reason create a trust because the client has very responsible children.

Sometimes though, even if the children are quite responsible, if the client has a lot of money, it may be worthwhile to set up a dynasty trust.  Most trusts are designed so that the trust assets will be distributed to the beneficiaries at staggered ages (e.g., one-half at age 25 and the balance at age 30). On the other hand, a dynasty trust is a trust designed to hold assets for many generations usually without any requirement that the principal ever be distributed. 

Keeping assets in trust has many benefits.  If money is in trust it can be protected from creditors, including an ex-wife or an ex-husband.  Additionally, keeping assets in trust will protect it from estate taxes.  (If you give money to a child upon death, it is taxed, when they die, it is taxed again, and so forth...)  

The grantors of the trust can also control the flow of money out of the trust.  For example, they can allow for an income stream, they can allow for small percentage distributions when their heirs reach certain ages or graduate from college, they can allow invasion for certain expenses or they can simply let the trustee decide when and how to give their heirs money based upon whatever criteria they think is important.  The most common standard is for the health, education, maintenance and support of their heirs.

Another beneficial feature of a dynasty trust is that it can be located anywhere.  Typically, wealthy parents have provided for their children and already have good careers and plenty of their own assets.  If parents simply give more money to their children outright, it will be taxed in the jurisdiction where the children live.  If that state has a high income tax, it could be a drain on the funds.  If trust were created in a place that doesn't have a state income tax, that can save significant assets for future generations.

Almost anyone can be trustee of the dynasty trust other than the Grantor.  The Trustee is the party that manages the money and makes distribution from the trust.  Common choices of trustee include the heirs of the Grantor, a friend or an attorney or a corporate trustee.  If the Trustee is also a beneficiary of the trust, there will have to be restrictions on what the Trustee gives himself (otherwise you lose the tax and asset protection benefits).  Often times a trust is created with substantial flexibility so that an heir can act as trustee with limited invasion, but that heir also can be given the power to hire and fire additional trustees who have much broader discretion to distribute funds.  

A dynasty trust can go on for as long as the Grantor has heirs.  In case something happens to the entire family, most people usually name a charitable remainder beneficiary.  Other features that most good dynasty trusts include are the ability to relocate the trust to another jurisdiction (usually to obtain a more favorable tax rate), the ability to have a separate investment advisor, and the creation of a trust protector to modify terms of the trust in the events facts or circumstances change. 

A dynasty trust can be created during the lifetime of the Grantor (an intervivos trust) or upon his death (as a testamentary trust).  Usually it is better to create the trust during the lifetime of the Grantor because it will offer more flexibility in terms of jurisdiction (where the trust is located).  Jurisdiction is important because some states do not allow a perpetual trust, there is a state income tax in some states, and some states offer better creditor protection than others.  Another benefit to creating a dynasty trust during the lifetime of the Grantor is because the trust can be set up as an Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust (IDGT).

An IDGT is an irrevocable trust created during the Grantor's life that is not includible in the gross estate of the Grantor at the time of his death, but while the Grantor is alive, the income is taxable to the Grantor.  The benefit to this is that the Grantor can pay the taxes on the trust with his own money, allowing the trust to grow at a faster rate.  Essentially, it is like making a tax free gift to the trust in the amount of the tax.

Even if a trust is created during a Grantor's lifetime, it does not have to be funded until the Grantor passes away.  Sometimes a Grantor will want to or need to maintain control over certain assets.  Often, it is best to partially fund the dynasty trust with assets that the Grantor thinks will appreciate substantially in the future and transfer low basis assets that have already highly appreciated to the dynasty trust on death.

Because of the potential that these trusts can go on forever, it should not be set up unless the individuals involved have a fair amount of assets.  Normally I would not recommend it unless the Grantor is planning to fund it with several million dollars.  However, each client's situation is unique. Please contact our attorneys if you think a dynasty trust might be right for you.

Change in New York Estate Tax Law

Effective April 1, 2014, the State of New York made numerous changes to its tax law.  Most dramatically, New York is increasing its estate tax exemption amount from $1,000,000 to match the federal estate tax exemption amount.

New York's New Estate Tax Exemption Amount
Until March 31, 2015, the new estate tax amount will be $2,062,500.
From April 1, 2015-March 31, 2016, the exemption amount will be $3,125,000.
From April 1, 2016-March 31, 2017, the exemption amount will be $4,187,500.
From April 1, 2017-December 31, 2018, the exemption amount will be $5,250,000.
From January 1, 2019 on, the exemption amount will be indexed to the federal estate tax exemption amount.

However, New York has created a devastating Estate Tax "Cliff" by phasing out the benefit of the New York Exclusion Amount for estates that exceed 100% - 105% of the exclusion amount.

The practical implication of the "Cliff" is that for estates under the NY estate tax exemption amount, there will be no tax.  For estates just above the threshhold, there will be an effect tax rate of as high as 252% (Source www.jdsupra.com).  For estates above 105%, there is a flat 16% tax on all assets owned by the decedent, not just the amount above the exemption limit.

Addition of a Three Year Look Back Provision
New York has also added a three year look back provision for gifts made within three years of death.  This provision only applies for gifts made between April 1, 2014 and January 1, 2019.  The lookback will not apply if the gifts were made when the decedent wasn't a New York resident or if the gift is otherwise includible in the decedent's taxable estate.

Other Important Changes to NY Estate Tax
Other major changes made by the new law are to:
1)  repeal New York's generations skipping transfer tax; and
2)  allow a marital deduction for non-citizen spouses.

New Law Regarding Income Taxation of NY Resident Trusts
Finally, the new law aggressively pursues an income tax on trusts for the benefit of New York residents.  The bill is going after two types of trusts.  The first one being one that a wealthy New York resident sets up for his own benefit, retaining a discretionary interest in the trust.  The second one being any trust for the benefit of a New York resident.

With respect to the first type of trust, for years, wealthy individuals have set up "incomplete gift non-grantor trusts" to avoid the New York income tax.  The idea was that if you created a trust in another jurisdiction (with the assets and trustees outside of NY) then New York would not have the right to tax the income earned in that trust to the extent income was retained in the trust.

With respect to all other trusts, New York will now tax the distributions of accumulated income to New York residents.  However, the State will offer a credit to the extent a tax is paid to another jurisdiction.

Important Items That Were Considered But Not Changed
1)  New York has not adopted the concept of portability of the estate tax exemption; and
2)  New York had considered a maximum 10% tax rate, but decided to keep it at 16%.

Choosing an Executor, Trustee and Guardian

Clients frequently ask me for advice on who they should name as Executor, Trustee or Guardian when creating their Last Will and Testament.  First, let me explain the difference between the three roles.

The Executor is the person who probates your Will, goes into your house and looks through all your things, safeguards your assets, gathers up your money, pays your bills, files any income tax, estate tax or inheritance tax returns that need to be filed, and then distributes the balance of your money according to the instructions in your Will.  One or more individuals or corporate fiduciaries can serve as Executor.

The Trustee is the person who takes the assets that the Executor (or Grantor) gives him, invests the money in a prudent fashion, and distributes the money to the beneficiary of the trust in accordance with its terms.  One or more individuals or corporate fiduciaries can serve as Trustee. 

The Guardian is the person who will raise your minor children until they are 18 (or longer for an incapicitated individual). 

The three main qualities that you want to look for in an Executor and Trustee are:

1. Someone that is trustworthy and won't steal the money;
2. Someone that will not be overwhelmed by the role, there is a lot of work involved; and
3. Someone that does not have a bad relationship with the beneficiaries and will be able to communicate with them.

You will notice that I did not say that the exeuctor or trustee must be good at investing money.  That is because I believe the other characteristics are much more important.  An honest person who is diligent can always hire an investment manager. They just need to keep an eye on the investment manager.

The three main qualities that you want to look for in a Guardian are:

1. Someone that will love and care for your children;
2. Someone that will raise your children in a manner that you wish (including religion, education, diet, etc.); and
3. Someone that will have a stable family household.

Frequently, clients will name one party as executor or trustee and another person as guardian.  Sometimes this can be a good idea as the two parties can then monitor each other.  Additionally, this is a way to get two parts of the family to interact.  However, if there is someone that you truly trust to serve in all three roles, it is usually best to name them and not divide the roles just for the sake of dividing the roles.

For all of these positions, age may be a factor as well as you may not want to name someone too young or too old.  It is a heavy burden to put on people.  I never, ever recommend naming people just so they won't feel excluded. 

Finally, an attorney can serve as an Executor or Trustee, but you can name whomever you wish.

Same Sex Marriage Now Legal In New Jersey

Effective today, same sex marriage is now legal in New Jersey after Governor Chris Christie dropped his plans to appeal the ruling of Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson.  On September 27, 2013, Judge Jacobson had ruled that New Jersey must allow same sex marriages in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor.

Previously, New Jersey had only allowed Civil Unions and it recognized same sex marriages from other jurisdictions as Civil Unions.  The Governor elected to drop his appeal after receiving very clear signals from the New Jersey Supreme Court that his appeal would not be successful. 

Remaining at issue is whether or not all Civil Unions in New Jersey would automatically be treated as same sex marriages.  The New Jersey legislature had sought to pass a bill to that affect several months ago, but it was vetoed by the Governor.  (The bill included a provision that couples could opt out of the automatic conversion to marriage if they did so within 30 days.)  As it stands, if a couple wishes to be recognized as a married couple, they should not rely on this automatic conversion, but should instead proceed with a marriage ceremony.

I would like to remind individuals who were married in another state that they should consider refiling their income tax returns for the past few years if there is a tax benefit to do so.

IRS Issues Ruling on Tax Filings for Same Sex Couples

Yesterday the Internal Revenue Service issued an important ruling in the wake of the Windsor case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional.  Specifically the IRS stated that it will recognize all same sex marriages regardless of where the couple was married. 

The Supreme Court did not specifically address what would happen if a same sex couple got married in one state and then moved to another state that did not recognize the union.  Now it is clear that the IRS will respect the marriage regardless of where the couple moves afterwards.

The IRS also stated that starting with the 2013 tax year, all married couples (same sex or opposite sex) must either file as married or married filing separately.  Additionally, same sex married couples may elect to file an amended income tax return for the 2010, 2011, or 2012 calendar years.  You should seriously consider amending the return if one spouse worked and the other didn't or if there are other significant tax advantages. 

It should be noted that the IRS rules only applies to married couples, not civil unions.  New Jersey and two other states currently allow only civil unions.  The most likely outcome of this is that the civil union laws will eventually fall by the wayside in favor of same sex marriages as separate is once again inherently unequal.

Summary of Tax Law Changes 2013 (Fiscal Cliff Deal)

As you know by know, the Congress and the President have finally agreed to a fiscal cliff deal.  While I haven't had a chance to read all 157 pages of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 yet, here is what I can gather from most major news sources:

1) The federal estate tax, gift tax and the federal generations skipping transfer (GST) tax will continue to have $5,000,000 exemptions, indexed for inflation.  The estate tax, gift tax and GST tax exemption amounts were $5,120,000 for 2012.  It will be $5,250,000 for 2013 after the most recent inflation adjustment.  The highest rate will go up from 35% to 40%.  This is a permanent change to the law.

  Note: Technically there are mulitiple rates for estates under $5,250,000.  This will not affect most people, but it can affect non-resident aliens with significant assets in the US or people who are otherwise not entitled to the full estate tax exemption.

2)  The income tax rates for 2013 are:
                              Married Filing Jointly        Single
     10% Bracket    $0 - 17,850                       $0 - 8,925
     15% Bracket    $17,850 - 72,500              $8,925 - 36,250
     25% Bracket    $72,500 - 146,400            $36,250 - 87,850
     28% Bracket    $146,400 - 233,050          $87,850 - 183,250
     33% Bracket    $233,050 - 398,350          $183,250 - 398,350
     35% Bracket    $398,350 - 450,000          $398,350 - 400,000
     39.6% Bracket $450,000 and up              $400,000 and up

    The change here was an increase in the top rate for married couples earning $450,000 or more and individuals earning $400,000.  For Head of Household, I believe it is $425,000.  The amounts here have been indexed for inflation for 2013.

3) Payroll taxes will increase to 6.2%, reverting back to the levels of 2010.

4) There will also be a phaseout of personal exemptions for individuals earning more than $250,000 and couples earning more than $300,000.  Head of Household limit is $275,000.  These appear to be indexed for inflation.

5)  Permanently indexes Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) for inflation.

6)  Capital Gains Tax Rates for 2013 go from 15% to 20% for individuals earning $400,000 or more and couples earning $450,000 or more.  It will stay at 15% for everyone else.  (Caveat:  It is unclear to me at this stage whether the $400,000 & $450,000 threshhold refers to all earnings or simply earnings from dividends and capital gains.)

7) Extenstion for 5 years of the child tax credit and $2,500 tax credit for college tuition.

8) Extension for 1 year of the accelerated "bonus" depreciation on business investments.

9) Extension of tax free distributions from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes.

In other news, the 2503(b) annual exclusion amount was will increase from $13,000 to $14,000 as it was indexed for inflation.  This is not as part of the Fiscal Cliff deal.

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Revised on January 11, 2013. Indexing brackets for inflation.

Same Sex Couple Entitled to Federal Estate Tax Marital Deduction?

There was a significant court decision back in June of this year regarding the rights of same sex married couples.  The New York Federal Court concluded that the surviving spouse of a same sex married couple is entitled to an unlimited marital deduction for purposes of federal estate taxes.  Windsor v. U.S., 109 AFTR 2d ¶ 2012-870 (DC N.Y. 6/6/2012)

Prior to this case being decided (and still the law for most of the rest of the country), when one same sex married partner dies leaving assets to the surviving spouse, only the estate tax exemption amount can pass free of estate taxes.  Anything over that would be subject to the federal estate tax.  For a heterosexual couple, when one partner dies, everything that passes to the surviving spouse can go tax free.  (Although there are some limitations if the surviving spouse is not a citizen.)

The Court in the Winsdor case ruled that the so called "Defense of Marriage Act" (or DOMA) effectively allows for a same sex married couple to be taxed when a traditional married couple would not.  They declared that there was no rational basis for this outcome and therefore the law violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.  It should also be noted that the Obama administration flatly refused to support the DOMA.  The Attorney General's office usually makes an appearance to support all laws that are being challenged.

While the New York Federal Court made an important ruling, one ruling does NOT make it the law of the land.  You should note:
1)  The DOMA is still on the books and stands in the way of allowing the marital deduction for people not living in New York.
2)  The IRS will continue to challenge these rulings and it will likely go to the Supreme Court before it is finally resolved. In fact, there was an article online on CNN about this very topic today.
3)  Not all states allow same sex couples to be married, but if the couple marries in a state that allows it, the couple would then have an excellent argument to try and qualify for this important tax deduction.

While the ruling itself focused on the federal estate tax marital deduction, it can be taken much further.  Other potential benefits include the ability to roll over the surviving spouses IRA or 401(k), portability of the unified credit, the ability to file joint income tax returns and the ability to collect Social Security.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding these matters, it will always be best to pay your taxes and request a refund from the government to avoid any penalties.  When the IRS denies such payment, which they assuredly will, you will then need to make a decision as to whether you want to take further steps to get legally involved in this fight.  For those of you who don't have the inclination to spend a lot of time and money fighting, you should engage in proper estate planning for non-traditional couples.

Who exactly is a Covered Expatriate?

In 2008, President Bush signed the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act. One of the major provisions of the Heart Act was to collect substantial taxes from certain United States taxpayers (whether a citizen or a permanent resident alien) who expatriated from the United States after June 16, 2008. The individuals that this law applies to are known as "Covered Expatriates."

There can be harsh federal income tax and federal inheritance tax consequences if you are deemed to be a Covered Expatriate.

A person is considered a Covered Expatriate if he or she:
1) is a US citizen who renounced his or her citizenship OR a permanent resident alien who relinquishes his or her status after being a permanent resident alien for 8 of the last 15 years; AND
2) has had an average annual net income tax of more than $124,000 ($136,000 adjusted for inflation) in the preceding five years OR has a net worth equal to or more than $2,000,000 OR such person fails to certify, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has met the income and asset requirements.

Additionally, this statute does not apply to dual citizens who became a citizen of the United States by birth, but have never had substantial contacts with the United States. A person is considered to have substantial contact with the United States if he or she was ever a resident of the United States, ever held a passport OR was present in the United States for more than 30 days during any calendar year 10 years prior to the person giving up their United States citizenship. There is a slight variation on this rule for dual citizens who give up their US citizenship prior to age 18 and 1/2.

To learn more about who is a Covered Expatriate, wee Internal Revenue Code Section 2801 and Section 877A(g)(1).

Income Tax Consequences of Expatration

In this down economy, many companies are laying off employees. While this could be deeply troubling for those who get laid off, imagine if you were also subject to a huge income tax penalty as a result. This could be happening to you now if you are a permanent resident alien who decides to leave America after losing your job.

In 2008, President Bush signed the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act. This ironically named Act was designed to prevent wealthy people from leaving the United States before paying what Uncle Sam thinks they owed.

The Heart Act applies to citizens and permanent resident aliens who meet certain income and asset requirements. These individuals are known as "Covered Expatriates". To see who exactly Covered Expatriates are, read here.

The Heart Act created Section 877A of the Code. Section 877A takes a snapshot of your assets the day before you expatriate. Then, on the day you expatriate, you are then immediately taxed on the net built in gain which is in excess of $600,000 (indexed for inflation - so this amount is $627,000 in 2010). So, if you are a Covered Expatriate and own several real estate properties with built in gain of $1,000,000, there would be a deemed gain of $363,000, and you would have to pay a tax on that gain.

In the case of an IRA, but not most other retirement accounts, expatriates are also deemed to have received a distribution equal to their entire interest. Luckily, there is no early distribution penalty unless you actually do take the money out early. For most qualified and non-qualified retirement accounts, the IRS will continue their existing practice of requiring the employer to withhold 30% when the money is actually distributed from the account.

Perhaps the only positive feature of this law for those affected is that it does allow certain taxpayers to defer making payments on their tax obligations.

Note: There is an open question about whether Section 121 of the Code, which allows a capital gains tax exclusion on sale of primary residence, still applies to Covered Expatriates. It would probably be advisable to sell your primary residence before expatriating to avoid this issue and also to avoid having to obtain a valuation report for the property.

Links to Important US-Japanese Tax Treaties

It is not always easy to find the treaties between America and Japan, so I have decided to post them here in case you would like to read them for yourself.

Here is the US-Japan Income TaxTreaty (2003) courtesy of the IRS.

This is an official version of the US-Japan Estate & Gift Tax Treaty (1954) thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japanese.

New Jersey Estate Administration Update

I just got back from an interesting lecture sponsored by the Mercer County Estate Planning Council. The keynote speaker was a representative from the New Jersey Department of Inheritance and Estate Taxation. Unfortunately I can't remember his name, but he mentioned a few things that I thought were important enough to highlight and share.

It turns out that approximately 50% of all estate and inheritance returns that get filed are audited. They are especially aggressive in auditing returns in which the decedent owned a business, if there are valuation discounts claimed, if a compromise tax is made, or if the numbers just don't add up. (Note: For more on the compromise tax, please see: Beware the compromise tax.)

The other noteworthy item the representative mentioned that they are more aggressively going after estates where no tax return is filed. They receive information about taxable estates from insurance companies who pay out death benefits and from the Surrogate when wills are probated.

'Tis the Season to be a Snowbird

Ah, the weather outside is frightful.
And Florida is so delightful.
You've packed up your things to go...
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Seriously, weather aside, have you ever wondered why so many older wealthy people retire to Florida. Well, maybe this answer will help - a relatively affluent person can buy a second house in Florida with the tax savings ALONE!

Let me give you an example: Let's assume that you have a couple in their 70's with about $4 Million in Assets. They have an IRA of $1 million, brokerage assets of $1,000,000, Life Insurance of $1,000,000, a house worth $600,000 and miscellaneous other assets of $400,000. They are leaving everything to their children.

If this couple died as residents of New Jersey, EVEN WITH adequate estate planning other than a life insurance trust, there would still be a NJ estate tax of about $210,000 on the second to die of the husband and wife.

If this couple died as residents of Pennsylvania, EVEN WITH adequate estate planning other than a life insurance trust, there would still be a PA inheritance tax of about $135,000 on the second to die of the husband and wife. (Note, with a $4 million dollar estate, a small state inheritance tax may be due on the first to die in order to avoid a much larger federal estate tax on the second to die.)

If this couple died as residents of New York, EVEN WITH adequate estate planning other than a life insurance trust, there would still be a NY inheritance tax of about $190,000 on the second to die of the husband and wife.

If this couple died as residents of Florida, then there is ZERO Florida estate or inheritance tax.

Now, factor in the additional benefits. In addition to lower property taxes in Florida, Florida is also the only one of these three states not to have an income tax. (It should be noted though that Pennsylvania does exempt IRA distributions from the state income tax.) So, let's make an additional assumption that this couple lives another 20 years and that they take out about $1 million dollars from the IRA during that time. (I'm not going to get into the time value of money.) This would produce an aggregate state income tax of approximately $70,000 for NY and $65,000 for NJ.

In total, moving to Florida would help save:

• $275,000 for a NJ resident;
• $260,000 for a NY resident; and
• $135,000 for a PA resident.

Now, these savings may not purchase a mansion, but you can certainly find a nice house (especially in this real estate market) with the tax savings from moving. Obviously, the wealthier you are, and the more you have in your IRA, the better the result.

An attorney licensed to practice in Florida plus your home state can help you move down to Florida in a way that will be most cost efficient. This includes preparing the appropriate estate planning documents in Florida, mitigating the necessity for ancillary probate in the your original home state, and properly setting up your other legal documentation to prove that you are a Florida domiciliary.

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DISCLAIMER: All the usual disclaimers found elsewhere on this Blog plus a disclaimer that all tax calculations are approximate and made for tax year 2009.

Taxing Politics

The 2008 political season officially began last night in Iowa. Accordingly, I thought it would be helpful to look at each candidate's tax policies, especially their estate tax policies. I've listed only those who I consider to be the viable candidates. For fun, I put them in order of how they finished in the Iowa caucuses.

The Democratic Candidates

1. Barack Obama
   Income Taxes
   --> Senator Obama appears to favor a reduction in income taxes for individuals making less than $50,000. This appears to be balanced by an increase on those whose income puts them in the top 1% of the country. He voted against a repeal of the alternative minimum tax.
   Estate Taxes
   --> It is clear that Senator Obama is in favor of keeping a federal estate tax, but it is unclear at what level. He voted againt raising the threshold to $5,000,000 per person.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> Senator Obama is in favor of closing tax loopholes for companies that move jobs abroad and in favor of rewarding companies that create jobs in America.
2. John Edwards
   Income Taxes
   --> Senator Edwards appears to favor using a combination of credits to reduce the taxes of those earning less than $75,000. The most notable credit is a large increase for Child Care. He voted against a repeal of the alternative minimum tax. He wants an increase in the capital gains tax rate to 28% for those earning over $250,000.
   Estate Taxes
   --> Senator Edwards is in favor of keeping the federal estate tax at the same levels as are currently in place, $2,000,000 per person.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> Senator Edwards is in favor of closing tax loopholes for hedge fund and private equity managers (meaning that they would be taxed at income tax rates, not capital gains tax rates). He also had a very interesting proposal that would require the IRS to prepare tax returns for those people who are simply W-2 workers or receive all income from 1099's.
3. Hillary Clinton (No real public plan yet)
   Income Taxes
   --> Senator Clinton wants to keep the AMT, but it is unclear at what level.
   Estate Taxes
   --> Senator Clinton is in favor of keeping the federal estate tax at the same levels that will be in place starting in 2009, $3,500,000 per person.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> Senator Clinton proposes increasing or removing the $95,000 cap from the payroll tax. Currently, only the first $95,000 of income is subject to payroll tax. Payroll taxes are for such things as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.

The Republican Candidates

1. Mike Huckabee
   Governor Huckabee wants to eliminate ALL income, payaroll, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare and self employment taxes. He wants to replace these with a consumption tax (i.e. a tax on what we buy - similar to a sales tax). The consumption tax rate would be about 23% inclusive (or about 30-34% exclusive). For a view of the plan known as FairTax given by supporters, click here. For an opposing view, click here. The consumption tax would theoretically be on EVERYTHING, including new home purchases, rent, doctor's bills, and worst of all - LEGAL FEES. It would however exclude used items. (Hmm... I wonder if you can have used legal services...)
   Income Taxes
   --> See above
   Estate Taxes
   --> See above
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> See above
2. W. Mitt Romney
   Income Taxes
   --> Governor Romney generally wants to lower tax rates for everyone.
   Estate Taxes
   --> Governor Romney is in favor of permanently repealing the estate tax. It is unclear if he wishes to repeal the gift tax.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> Governor Romney wants to get rid of taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains for those with an adjusted gross income under $200,000.
3. Fred Thompson
   Income Taxes
   --> Former Senator Thompson plans to index the AMT for now and repeal it eventually. He believes in instituting a flat tax which would give much larger personal exemptions, but get rid of all deductions.
   Estate Taxes
   --> Former Senator Thompson wants to elimate the estate tax. It is unclear if he wishes to repeal the gift tax.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> He has an interesting proposal to let tax payers choose the current tax forms or a flat rate form with only 2 exemptions.
4. John McCain
   Income Taxes
   --> Senator McCain is in favor of permanently repealing the AMT. He would make the currently scheduled tax levels permanent.
   Estate Taxes
   --> It appears Senator McCain wants to elimate the estate tax. It is unclear if he wishes to repeal the gift tax.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> Would ban taxes on cell phone messages. (I don't think that there is one...)
5. Ron Paul
   Congressman Paul wants to get rid of the income tax completely (which would require severe spending cuts).
   Income Taxes
   --> See above
   Estate Taxes
   --> It appears that Congressman Paul wants to eliminate the gift, estate and GST tax.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> It appears he wants to fund the goverment with fees such as: tariffs, excise taxes, user fees and highway fees.
6. Rudy Giuliani
   Income Taxes
   --> Former Mayor Giuliani intends to permanently lower the marginal rates to what they will be under the Bush tax act, or lower. He intends to tie the AMT to inflation. He also proposes an income exclusion up to $15,000 for families without employer based health care.
   Estate Taxes
   --> Former Mayor Giuliani wants to eliminate the estate tax. It is unclear if he wishes to repeal the gift tax.
   Other Tax and Probate Related Issues
   --> He wants to drop the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%.

Sources include: www.ontheissues.org, the candidate's websites, and various news articles.

IRA Stretch Trusts

What is a Stretch IRA Trust?

Trusts in General - A trust is a legal relationship that exists when one person or an entity (the Trustee) holds title to money or property for the benefit of one or more people (the Beneficiaries). The terms of the relationship are decided by the person providing money to the trust (the Grantor), and are usually in writing.

Stretch IRA – The term Stretch IRA refers to a plan, following the death of the IRA holder, to withdraw only the minimum amount allowed by law. This amount is known as the required minimum distribution. The resulting benefit of this plan is that the assets inside the IRA can continue to grow tax-deferred over the lifetime of the named beneficiaries. Either a traditional IRA or a ROTH IRA may be stretched.

Design of a “Stretch IRA Trust” - A “Stretch IRA Trust” is a flow-through trust designed to guarantee the extension of payouts of your IRA for as long as possible after your death. This is accomplished by allowing the trustee of the Stretch IRA Trust to take out the required minimum distribution, absent emergency. The trust is specially created for the sole purpose of being named as the Designated Beneficiary of an IRA. The reason a special trust is needed is because the provisions of most trusts will not qualify as a flow-through trust. In contrast, should a non-qualified trust be named as the Designated Beneficiary, all the income tax would be due in year one and there would be no further opportunity for tax deferred growth – the worst outcome possible.

What are the Benefits of a Stretch IRA Trust?

Guarantees Deferred Payout of IRA – A plan to stretch out an IRA is merely a plan until the person you name as your beneficiary decides to withdraw the entire amount, creating a huge income tax. Naming a Stretch IRA Trust as the beneficiary of your IRA will ensure that your loved ones defer the built in tax for as long as possible. This is especially useful for young or irresponsible children/grandchildren.

Allows for Control of Assets After You Die – You can set the terms of an IRA Stretch Trust so that your heirs receive money over time, rather than in a lump sum. You can also control where the money goes at the death of the beneficiary if the beneficiary should die before all the money is distributed.

Asset Protection - A trust can protect your money from creditors and make it less likely your heirs will fritter away their inheritance.

Allows for Post-mortem Planning – It is difficult to do much planning with IRAs, but in the event your children do not need the money, creating a trust structure will permit your children to transfer the IRA to their heirs, via disclaimer, without fear that the money will be squandered.

Avoids Over-funding of Spouse for Estate Tax Purposes - A trust structure can both provide income for a surviving spouse and allow both spouses to make proper use of their tax exemptions, thereby minimizing federal and state estate taxes upon the second to die.

Who Should Consider an IRA Stretch Trust?

Individuals with Significant IRAs or ROTH IRAs - Individuals with substantial wealth trapped in their IRA or ROTH IRA may benefit from a Stretch IRA Trust as a way to guarantee that income taxes are reduced, the assets continue to grow on a tax deferred basis, the assets are protected from creditors, and your wealth is preserved. This is particularly helpful for individuals who have young or irresponsible children/grandchildren.

Couples in a Second Marriage – An IRA which names a second spouse as a beneficiary, rather than children of the first marriage, can frequently lead to unintended results - like the money going to the children of your spouse rather than to your children! Giving the money to your spouse in trust will ensure that the money is available for spouse, but also provide for any remainder to go to the people you truly wish to benefit.

What Is Involved In Creating an IRA Stretch Trust?

Hiring an Attorney – When choosing an attorney to prepare your IRA Stretch Trust, you should choose an attorney who is knowledgeable in estate planning, retirement planning, current tax law and asset protection law.

Choosing a Trustee – You can hire either a corporate trustee or an individual trustee. Many people simply have their spouse or a relative act as trustee. You may also have a corporate fiduciary and another person act as co-trustees.

Cost - The cost of an IRA Stretch Trust varies from practitioner to practitioner as well as each client’s needs. How complicated you wish to make the trust and how many beneficiaries you wish to name may also be a factor in the cost. Nevertheless the cost will almost always be far less than the anticipated savings.

Beneficiary Designation Forms – Whether you create an IRA Stretch Trust or plan to stretch an IRA without a trust, it is imperative that you correctly fill out the beneficiary designation forms associated with your IRA to avoid one or more of your loved ones from being inadvertently left out or to avoid paying unnecessary taxes.

Maintenance – An IRA Stretch Trust generally requires no maintenance until after the death of the IRA holder.