Don’t Look Back and Wish You’d Seen the Opportunity to Save Taxes for Subsequent Generations through Lifetime Gifting Heading into a volatile election season, the risk of higher income and estate taxes in 2021 and beyond is a very real concern for our affluent clients. Today’s federal income and estate taxes are historically low (even if it might not feel
Estate planning is an important task that everyone should undertake as it helps to protect your family and loved one’s financial future. But estate planning can do much more than focus on finances, it can also provide for care of those you leave behind. One aspect of estate planning that is often overlooked but can be quite useful is the letter
Preparing your company for your incapacity or death is vital to the survival of the enterprise. Otherwise, your business will be disrupted, harming your customers, employees, vendors, and ultimately, your family. For this reason, proactive financial planning — including your business and your estate plan — is key. Below are some tips on how to protect your company and keep the
When considering how to leave assets to adult children, the first step is to decide how much each one should receive. Most parents want to treat their children fairly, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they should receive equal shares of your estate. For example, it may be desirable to give more to a child who is a teacher than to one
Our clients at Kaiser Law Group have achieved their success in a variety of different ways coming from varied backgrounds. Some of our clients scratched and clawed their way to success from humble beginnings, while others got a leg up from their parents and used those building blocks to achieve even greater success. I’m a passionate student and observer of ideas
My “Millionaire Next Door” clients and their advisors would probably get a kick out of the story of Ronald Read – a former JC Penny janitor and service station worker who passed away earlier this year with $8 million. None of his friends and family knew of his wealth, which he left primarily to a local hospital and library in Vermont
According to a recent study conducted by The Williams Group on over 3,250 families, “70% of intergenerational wealth transfers fail.” Their report defined “failure” to be situations wherein the heirs squandered the inherited wealth and assets. The majority of these failures stemmed from families whose heirs were not properly prepared for the responsibilities that came with their inheritance. The absence of
Amidst the end of year rush to make the most of the gift tax exemption before it expires, a recent Wall Street Journal article reminds us that the focus should not be on wealth alone. The article lists 10 nonfinancial areas to address. Here are six of my favorites: 1. What, if any, concerns do the senior generation have about passing
The article Heiring Grievances was posted by Ruth Mantell on December 12 on the online edition of The Wall Street Journal. It encourages parents with multiple heirs to think about the emotional legacy they will leave behind when making decisions about inheritances. It notes two key considerations during the planning process – how parents want to be remembered and how their