The tax code is riddle with nuances. Some of these nuances are beneficial to clients, others can be frustrating. Recently, I had an estate administration client come to me with a letter from the Minnesota Department of Revenue stating that a decedent’s property tax credit was being adjusted to $0.00. Unfortunately, the letter failed to site […]
Anytime you are looking to hire a professional advisor (which for purposes of this article shall include, but is not limited to, a financial advisor, attorney, insurance agent, banker and/or accountant), you should do some preliminary homework to determine the type of person with whom you would like to work and prepare some questions to […]
Scheduled to decrease January 1, 2013, the federal gift tax exemption will go from the $5.12 million to $1 million*. Many individuals have made substantial gifts this year to take advantage of the high exemption. The type of assets gifted vary; from unique art collections and family business interests to real property, securities, and cash. […]
We previously discussed the options available to a surviving spouse inheriting a qualified retirement account. This article will address the options available to a non-spouse beneficiary inheriting a qualified retirement account. Just for a brief reminder, for purposes of this article, the term “retirement account” will be used to encompass all qualified retirement accounts, meaning […]
There is often confusion about what to do when a beneficiary inherits a retirement account. The answer is… it depends. There are different factors to determine the best course of action, such as the beneficiary and the age of the decedent. For purposes of this article, the term “retirement account” will be used to encompass […]
A limited liability company can be used as an effective wealth management tool for certain estates. A limited liability company (“LLC”) is a corporate entity and under Minnesota law, it can be formed for “any lawful purpose or purposes…”[1] An LLC can be useful to reduce an estate’s exposure to taxes at death, help ensure […]