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Inaction by Congress has left the dying/inheritance process in chaos! Uncertainty reigns! No one knows what to do!
Although in 2010 ONLY there is no limit on the amount of money and other assets a person can leave to heirs without having to pay federal estate taxes, there are a number of critical caveats.
CAVEAT #1: The [...]
The federal estate tax, or “death tax” is in the news these days.
This year (2010) there is no federal estate tax. It was repealed, but only for one year. The federal estate tax will be reinstated in 2011, with a $1 million exemption and a maximum effective rate of 55%. In general, this means for [...]
Few things get people madder at their estate planners than fights over who must pay taxes when someone dies. A big source of trouble: the patchwork of state rules that apply.
Most states say those who inherit have to share the tax burden for an estate. Many wills include provisions designed to take care of that [...]
Inheritance Tax, also referred to as the death duty, is the set of taxes which has to be paid by the heir on inheriting the estate of a deceased person. This tax is calculated after taking the total value of the property and money into consideration. The norms of inheritance tax can differ from nation [...]
If you live in New Jersey, then you’re lucky enough to live in one of the two states that collects both a separate state inheritance tax and estate tax (the other is Maryland). Currently the following rules apply with regard to the New Jersey inheritance tax:
•Charitable organizations are exempt from the tax.
•All other beneficiaries are [...]
Congress instead substituted a new system of taxation that will potentially collect more taxes from many of our clients than the estate tax.
When you give money or property to another person as a gift, you may have to pay a gift tax. The tax is paid by the donor. The person receiving the gift does not have to pay the tax The exemptions for gifts and the gift tax rates are established by the IRS. In 2009 [...]
This year the annual gift tax exclusion is $13,000 per person and in 2010 the exclusion will remain the same.
Delaying these discussions can lead to significant family hardship and a loss of highly prized and hard-earned assets.