Your dad bequeathed you a generous sum of money on his passing. Those gifted and inherited assets, in many instances, will be considered ‘separate property,’ not marital property. That might mean that they might not be subject to division, if you divorce. However, perhaps you want to backstop that hoped for result to make the protection more likely to stick if your marriage doesn’t work out.
Do you have a second home, summer property, or another vacation residence that your family enjoys? Have you thought about what happens to this property when you die?
Everyone needs a will. However, some people need more than that. To save on taxes and make for a smooth transition, they could really use a revocable trust, a family limited partnership or a gift trust.
The IRS wants to know how much you’re gifting over the course of your lifetime. This is because while gifts may be based on generosity, they are also a strategy for avoiding taxes, including estate taxes, reports The Street in a recent article “Do I Need to File a Gift Tax Return?” Knowing whether you…
Estate planning should always be customized to each individual creating a plan. This is particularly important when planning for beneficiaries with disabilities.