King & Wood, P.A.

What to Do Before Naming a Family Member or Friend to Be a Trustee

“The person you choose to inventory and distribute the assets of your estate should not learn that fact while deep in grief.”

Here’s an all-too-common scenario: a husband and father of adult children had created a living trust to protect assets and eventually direct the family’s wealth to heirs. During his lifetime, the man had served as the trustee. His wife became the trustee when he died, as explained in the article “Before Naming Trustees, Get Their Consent” from Next Avenue.

When the mother died, the trustee role was given to one of the adult children. The child was stunned because no one had ever told him about this responsibility.

Living trusts typically require trustees to work with estate planning attorneys and financial professionals to manage assets, distribute investment income to beneficiaries, oversee taxes, and sometimes, maintain or sell real property. This is not just for wealthy families. Families of modest means benefit from tax and estate planning aspects of trusts. They allow grantors (the person establishing the trust) to leave assets privately and, in some states, avoid probate, which is usually a public proceeding and can take time to complete.

Some heirs may not be happy with the person named to be the successor trustee. Some living trusts include special instructions for certain beneficiaries intended to control spending, if the grantor thinks the heir may be unable to manage their inheritance.

This can be avoided by having candid discussions with all family members about the parents’ future plans. Sometimes, having a family meeting at the estate planning attorney’s office—neutral territory and an expectation of mature behavior—may make the conversation less tumultuous.

The person named to be a successor trustee needs to be considered carefully. Just inserting someone’s name in the trust document without speaking to them first about the possibility of taking on the role and what it entails is a recipe for disaster.

Before the estate planning attorney completes trust documents, grantors need to think about who would do the best job, what relevant skills they have and who would be able to manage the family’s relationships if unpopular decisions need to be made.

If there are two adult children, the better choice isn’t necessarily the older of the two. The one with the greater financial acumen is the better candidate.

Suppose no suitable candidates from the family can be identified or no one is willing to take on the tasks. In that case, grantors may consider their estate planning attorney or a professional trustee from a financial firm. Although some grantors would prefer to have a family member as their successor trustee, this may not always be possible.

Once the candidate has been named and before the documents are completed, a meeting is needed to outline the trustee's responsibilities. Once the candidate fully understands what they must do and agrees to the role, the grantors might want to hold a family meeting to explain their choice and have an open, hopefully peaceful, discussion.

Reference: Next Avenue (December 22, 2023) “Before Naming Trustees, Get Their Consent”

Do You Pay Income Tax when You Sell Inherited Property?

“My great-grandfather was a farmer and had about 23 acres when he died. My grandfather passed away before my great-grandfather. The land was put in a trust for my mother and uncles. My mother passed away two years ago.”

From the description above, it’s clear the family had a plan for their land. However, from the question posed in a recent article titled “I inherited land that recently sold. What will I owe in taxes?” from The Washington Post, it’s clear the plan ended with the sale of the property.

For an heir who is expecting to receive a share of the proceeds, as directed in the mother’s last will, the question of taxes is a good one. What value of the land is used to determine the heir’s tax liability?

The good news: when the great grandfather died, the land passed to the mother and her siblings. To keep this example simple, let’s assume the great-grandfather’s estate was well under the federal estate tax limits of his time and there were no federal estate taxes due.

Next, the mother and her siblings inherit the land. When a person inherits an asset, they usually inherit both the asset and the step-up in the value of the asset at the time of the person’s death. If the great-grandfather bought the land for $10,000 and when he died the land was worth $100,000, the mother and her siblings inherited it at that value.

When the uncles sold the land after the death of their sister, the mother, her heirs inherited her interest in the land. If the person asking about taxes is an only child and an only beneficiary, then he should receive his mother’s one-third share of the land or one-third share in the proceeds. With the stepped-up basis rules, the son inherits the land at its value at the time of the mother’s death.

Assuming the land was worth $300,000 at the time of her death, the son’s share of the land would be worth $100,000. That’s his cost or basis in the land. If he sold the land around the time she died or up to a year after her death, receiving his share of $100,000, he would not have any federal income or capital gains to pay.

If the family sold the land for $390,000 recently, the son’s basis in the land is $100,000 and his sales proceeds would be $130,000, or a $30,000 profit. He would be responsible for paying taxes on the $30,000.

If the land was sold within a year of the mother’s death, there would be no tax to pay. However, after one year, any profit is taxed at the capital gains rate.

There will also be state taxes due on the profit and there’s an additional 3.8 percent tax on the sale of investment property. If the son used the home on the land as a primary residence, there would not be an investment property sales tax.

In this kind of situation where there are multiple heirs, it’s best to consult with an estate planning attorney to ensure that the transaction and taxes are handled correctly.

Reference: The Washington Post (July 26, 2021) “I inherited land that recently sold. What will I owe in taxes?”

Claiming Social Security? What You Need to Know Need to Know

“You may be someone who looks forward to the day you retire, or you could be someone who plans on working for as long as possible. No matter which category you fall into, you should do some retirement planning in preparation for this major milestone.”

If you’re eligible for Social Security, those monthly benefits may be a big part of how comfortable your lifestyle is once you retire. However, making the most out of your benefits requires some knowledge and good decision making, as described in this recent article “4 Must-Knows Before Claiming Social Security” from The Motley Fool.

What’s Your Full Retirement Age—Your “FRA”? When you start taking benefits will have a big impact on the amount of your benefits. If you wait until your FRA, you’ll get your standard benefit. Born between 1943—1954? Your FRA is age 66. If you were born after 1967, your FRA is 67. If you were born between 1955 and 1959, you’ll want to check with the Social Security Administration to be 100% certain.

You become eligible to take your Social Security benefits once you turn 62. However, the benefit is reduced for every year that you take it early. Another option is to take it as late as age 70. Your benefits will grow for every year you wait. Let’s say your standard benefit would be $2,200. If you take it as early as age 62, it will be $1,650. If you wait to age 70, and it leaps to $2,900. Waiting could make the difference between paying and not paying some bills.

How Long Will You Live? This is the $20 million question. Family longevity and overall health could give you a higher probability of living a long life, but there are no sure answers. If you start taking benefits at age 62 and live to age 75, the total amount in benefits will be $257,400. If you take benefits at age 66, you’ll get $237,600. If you wait until age 70 to claim benefits and live to age 75, you’ll get $174,000.

A longer life means larger numbers. Live to age 80, you will get $365,000 if you start at age 62, $369,000 if you start at age 66, and $348,000 if you start at age 70. Live to age 85, and you will get $455,400 if you start at age 62, $501,600 by starting at age 66, and $522,000 if you wait until age 70.

How Much Have You Saved for Retirement? Social Security makes up about 40% of retirement income for the average American. If you’ve got a pension, consider yourself lucky. The more income streams, the better. If your expenses during retirement are, let’s say, $40,000 a year, and your income is $20,000, then you’ll need an additional $20,000 to keep your bills paid. Studies on investments and retirement (and there are many of these) report that if you have a traditional 60% stocks and 40% bonds investment portfolio, you risk running out of money in retirement, unless you keep withdrawals at no more than 4% of your total account value. An investment account of $500,000 that yields $20,00 annually—is a start. Most Americans do not have that much in retirement savings.

Will You Need or Want to Work During Retirement? Working during retirement is a necessity for some. for others, it’s a way to get out of the house and socialize. If you have $40,000 in expenses and receive $20,000 from guaranteed income streams, the $10,000 earnings from a part time gig could lower the amount you’d need to pull from retirement savings.

There’s a downside to working during retirement. If you work too much, Social Security will decrease your monthly payments based on your income. If you are considering taking Social Security early while working, make sure to check the numbers, so you aren’t getting hit with penalties.

Reference: The Motley Fool (June 7, 2021) “4 Must-Knows Before Claiming Social Security”

Roth IRA has a 5-Year Rule

“Established in 1997, the Roth individual retirement account has long been a favored option for retirement savings, due to its promise of tax-free withdrawals in retirement.”

Roth IRAs are popular for their flexibility and the simplicity of putting after-tax dollars in and not paying taxes on withdrawals during retirement. However, making the most of a Roth IRA requires paying attention to the details, according to a recent article “What is the Roth IRA 5-Year Rule?” from U.S. News & World Report.

More specifically, there are certain five-year rules that can undo all the good that comes from using a Roth, if you don’t know them. Avoid paying penalties or fees, by understanding how the Roth IRA rules work.

The Roth IRA five-year rule applies to investment earnings, and not to initial contributions. If you make withdrawals of investment earnings before the five-year time period, you’ll get hit with taxes and penalties, no matter how old you are. Many people think that once they turn 65 or 70, they can tap their Roth IRA whenever they want, but that’s not true.

Once you’ve opened and funded a Roth IRA, you’ll have to wait five years until you can start taking tax-free withdrawals of your investment earnings. The clock starts ticking on the date you open the account and make your very first contribution.

After five years, there are still certain requirements that must be met to take out earnings without a penalty. Before you can take out tax-free withdrawals, you will need to be at least 59½ or older.

That’s even if your first contribution was made the year you celebrated your 58^th birthday. You’ll need to wait until age 63 before you may take qualified distributions from the account. The five-year rule applies, even if you opened the Roth IRA at age 70.

How is this time frame calculated? The IRS does it based on tax years. A tax year runs from January 1 to December 31. The deadline for contributions is the same as the deadline for filing taxes. Let’s say you funded a Roth IRA in April 2021 for the calendar year of 2020. The five-year rule begins on January 1, 2020. Apply the five-year rule, and you could begin taking withdrawals from the account on or after January 1, 2025.

What happens if you need to make withdrawals before the account hits that five-year mark? In that case, withdraw contributions to the account and not investment earnings.

If you’ve contributed money to a Roth IRA account, you can take that money out with no tax or penalty, no matter how old you are. However, make sure you meet all of the requirements. Remember that to avoid any taxes or penalties, you’ll need to leave the earnings in the account.

Reference: U.S. News & World Report (March 10, 2021) “What is the Roth IRA 5-Year Rule?”

Estate, Business and Retirement Planning for the Farm Family

Planning is one of the most important aspects of managing any business. This is especially true for farms and agribusinesses, due to their complexity and the inherent uncertainties associated with agriculture.”

The family is at the center of most farms and agricultural businesses. Each family has its own history, values and goals. A good place to start the planning process is to take the time to reflect on the family and the farm history, says Ohio County Journal in the recent article “Whole Farm Planning.”

There are lessons to be learned from all generations, both from their successes and disappointments. The underlying values and goals for the entire family and each individual member need to be articulated. They usually remain unspoken and are evident only in how family members treat each other and make business decisions. Articulating and discussing values and goals makes the planning process far more efficient and effective.

An analysis of the current state of the farm needs to be done to determine the financial, physical and personnel status of the business. Is the farm being managed efficiently? Are there resources not being used? Is the farm profitable and are the employees contributing or creating losses? It is also wise to consider external influences, including environmental, technological, political, and governmental matters.

Five plans are needed. Once the family understands the business from the inside, it’s time to create five plans for the family: business, retirement, estate, transition and investment plans. Note that none of these five stands alone. They must work in harmony to maintain the long-term life of the farm, and one bad plan will impact the others.

Most planning in farms concerns production processes, but more is needed. A comprehensive business plan helps create an action plan for production and operation practices, as well as the financial, marketing, personnel, and risk-management. One method is to conduct a SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats in each of the areas mentioned in the preceding sentence. Create a realistic picture of the entire farm, where it is going and how to get there.

Retirement planning is a missing ingredient for many farm families. There needs to be a strategy in place for the owners, usually the parents, so they can retire at a reasonable point. This includes determining how much money each family member needs for retirement, and the farm’s obligation to retirees. Retirement age, housing and retirement accounts, if any, need to be considered. The goal is to have the farm run profitably by the next generation, so the parent’s retirement will not adversely impact the farm.

Transition planning looks at how the business can continue for many generations. This planning requires the family to look at its current situation, consider the future and create a plan to transfer the farm to the next generation. This includes not only transferring assets, but also transferring control. Those who are retiring in the future must hand over not just the farm, but their knowledge and experience to the next generation.

Estate planning is determining and putting down on paper how the farm assets, from land and buildings to livestock, equipment and debts owed to or by the farm, will be distributed. The complexity of an agricultural business requires the help of a skilled estate planning attorney who has experience working with farm families. The estate plan must work with the transition plan. Family members who are not involved with the farm also need to be addressed: how will they be treated fairly without putting the farm operation in jeopardy?

Investment planning for farm families usually takes the shape of land, machinery and livestock. Some off-farm investments may be wise, if the families wish to save for future education or retirement needs and achieve investment diversification. These instruments may include stocks, bonds, life insurance or retirement accounts. Farmers need to consider their personal risk tolerance, tax considerations and time horizons for their investments.

Reference: Ohio County Journal (Feb. 11, 2021) “Whole Farm Planning”

Unintended Kiddie Tax Change Fixed in the SECURE Act

“The kiddie tax was created long ago to prevent wealthy parents from cutting their taxes by transferring a large amount of investments to their dependent children, who would be taxed at a lower rate.”

Families were hurt by a change in the kiddie tax that took effect after 2017, but they’ll be able to undo the damage from 2018 and 2019 now that a fix has become law. The SECURE Act contains a provision that fixed this unintended change, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle’s recent article, “Congress reversed kiddie-tax change that accidentally hurt some families.”

The kiddie tax was created many years ago to prevent wealthy families from transferring large amounts of investments to dependent children, who would then be taxed at a much lower rate than their parents. It taxed a child’s unearned income above a certain amount at the parent’s rate, instead of at the lower child’s rate. Unearned income includes investments, Social Security benefits, pensions, annuities, taxable scholarships and fellowships. Earned income, which is money earned from working, is always taxed at the lower rate.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 changed the kiddie tax in a way that had severe consequences for military families receiving survivor benefits. Instead of taxing unearned income above a certain level—$2,100 in 2018 and $2,200 in 2019—at the parent’s tax rate, it taxed it at the federal rate for trusts and estates starting in 2018.

Hitting military families with a 37% tax rate that starts at $12,750 in taxable income is unthinkable, but that’s what happened. Low and middle-income families whose dependent children were receiving unearned income, including retirement benefits received by dependent children of service members who died on active duty and scholarships used for expenses other than tuition and books, were effectively penalized by the change.

Under pressure from groups representing military families and scholarship providers, Congress finally added a measure repealing the kiddie tax change to the SECURE Act, which seemed as if it was going to be passed quickly in May. The bill was stalled until it was attached to the appropriations bill and was not passed until December 20, 2019.

There is a specific provision in the bill: “Tax Relief for Certain Children” that completely reverses the change starting in 2020. It also says that subject to the Treasury Department issuing guidance, taxpayers may be able to apply the repeal to their 2018 and 2019 tax years, or both.

The IRS has not yet issued guidance, but the expectation is that amended returns will be required, if a taxpayer elects to use the parents’ tax rate for that year.

Some parents whose children have investment income may be better off using the estate-tax rate for the two years that it is in place. In 2019, those trust brackets may actually allow more capital gains and dividends be taxed at the 0% and 15% rates than by using the parents’ rates.

Reference: San Francisco Chronicle (Jan. 20, 2020) “Congress reversed kiddie-tax change that accidentally hurt some families”