ESTATE PLANNING FOR YOUR LOVED ONES

Yes, You Do Have an Estate.

When we talk about your estate, we mean anything you may own that passes down as of your death. So it does not matter whether you own a single automobile, or a series of vacation homes and the funds to operate them. You have an estate. 

Thinking Inside the Box.

My estate planning clients will see and understand how assets pass at death – I’ll sketch out for each of them The Four Boxes. There’s no trademark there, or any magic purple smoke, just the four methods by which assets pass at death. It makes sense when you see it as we talk about estate planning, you’ll enjoy thinking inside the box for once.

Flexibility and Control.

Over the last twenty years, the focus of an estate planning attorney has changed from estate tax avoidance to creating plan flexibility and control of client assets. This makes sense because in 1998, the Tennessee Inheritance Tax exemption amount was $625,000.00 for an individual, and the Federal Estate Tax Exemption was $625,000.00 for an individual. Every dollar over that amount was subject to Inheritance/Estate tax of approximately $.50 on the dollar! In 2018, there is no Tennessee Inheritance Tax, and the Federal Estate Tax Exemption is $11,180,000.00 for an individual. As you may imagine, unlike in 1998, most folks do not need “estate tax planning” from their attorney. What Dan does is provide his clients with a plan that maximizes flexibility and control. Regardless of your level of wealth, you want to know that your assets will be used to benefit only those you intend to benefit, and that you won’t have to make revisions to your estate plan documents every time the wind changes.

Trust Favored Tennessee.

Tennessee is a great State in which to establish a trust. What makes it great? Relative to most other States (46, at last count), a Tennessee trust can be simpler to deal with for your beneficiaries and trustees, and much harder for third parties and creditors to reach into. In order to take advantage of these features, your Tennessee trust should be drafted properly, and in accordance with these trust laws.

 

Contact Dan today to learn more.

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Information provided on this website is only legal information and should not be considered legal advice.