King & Wood, P.A.

If You’re Single with No Kids and Approaching Retirement, You Still Need an Estate Plan

“Are you single with no kids and approaching retirement? If so, you probably have not given much thought to estate planning.”
You may have been busy building your career, socking away money and enjoying your time off with weekends away and exotic vacations.
Forbes’ recent article, “5 Estate Planning Strategies For Singles,” says that, as you move closer to retirement, you should seriously think about your estate plan. Here are some important components:
Power of attorney and a health care proxy. These are used while you’re still alive. They let you choose who will make important financial and medical decisions for you, if you can’t make them for yourself. A single person must be sure that she’s named someone she trusts to make these decisions. When you die, the power of attorney and health care proxy are no longer valid, so you also need to create a will and trust.
Will. You need to designate an executor of your estate. This individual will take care of your affairs after you die, probate your will if necessary and pay any income and estate taxes. The beneficiary of your will can also be a revocable trust that you create during your lifetime.
Revocable trust. While you are alive, you should be named the primary beneficiary. You may also want to provide benefits for your significant other, especially if you live together and you’re the primary breadwinner. Name the beneficiaries who’ll receive the assets at your death. You also need to name a successor trustee to manage the trust assets, in the event you are unable to manage them yourself. The successor trustee will play an important role, if you’re incapacitated. As a single person, naming someone to manage the assets for you is an important part of your planning. If you fund the trust during your lifetime and are later incapacitated, the successor trustee can use the funds for your care.
Estate taxes. Many singles don’t mind if their beneficiaries receive less, and the government receives more. However, if you do care, there are many planning options to consider, such as charitable giving as a way to reduce taxes and give back to those charitable institutions that have played an important role in your life. You can also make lifetime gifts to family and friends.
If you’re that single person without an estate plan, don’t wait until the last minute. Otherwise, it will be too late.
Reference: Forbes (March 15, 2019) “5 Estate Planning Strategies For Singles”

Why Would a Guy Like Me Need a Will?

“People are often under the misconception that a will is only necessary, if a person has a lot of assets, is wealthy, or has a complicated financial planning program in place. The truth is that everyone needs a will. The value of a person’s belongings has very little to do with the need for a will.”

Wills don’t have to be complicated, but it’s best to work with a seasoned estate planning attorney. Wills must be dated, signed, witnessed and notarized. If you don’t have a will, it delays the process considerably and may delay payment of the deceased’s assets to his or her heirs. To eliminate some of the mystery from the will creation process, here are several items that all wills need to have to be legally binding. The Daily Advertiser’s recent article, “Where there is a will, there is a plan in place“ provides some definitions for key concepts and reminders for the estate planning process.

Testator. The creator of the will must provide his name, address and intention to create a distribution process for his assets. He must also state that the will being made is his last will and testament, revoking any other prior wills. Revocation of prior wills is important to show that the decisions made in the current will are final and the recent date on the will evidences how current the will is and to know which will (if there are others) supersedes all others.

Debts. The will must explain how any outstanding bills will be paid. These include the funeral costs, medical costs, taxes, court costs for settling the estate, and any other expenses the deceased may have at his death.

Heirs. A will should detail who gets what. Specific bequests should state a full description of the physical asset or, if money is to be distributed, then a percentage of the estate’s value or specific amount should be listed. Most testators don’t know the effect that death taxes or final expenses will have on an estate. Therefore, percentages work better, because it’s a percentage of what is available to be distributed.

Executor. This is the person who will take the will through the probate process, account for the decedent’s personal property, pay taxes and debts, and distribute the assets to the heirs, according to the will. Choosing an executor is an important decision. He or she should be trustworthy and knowledgeable about financial matters.

Guardian. A guardian needs to be named to care for minor children. This person should mirror the parents’ values and ideas as to the care and raising of the minor children. A relative or parent shouldn’t be selected just based on kinship. If a guardian isn’t selected, the court will choose one, and that person may not be capable of handling young children over the long-term.

Funeral Arrangements. You may not want a big expensive funeral, but without specific instructions, your funeral arrangements might be overly grand and out of character with your personality. Just add a paragraph detailing your wishes.

Reference: Daily Advertiser (March 10, 2019) “Where there is a will, there is a plan in place“

As a New Parent, Have You Updated (or Created) Your Estate Plan?

“For new parents, the need for legacy planning is especially obvious.”

You just had a baby. Now you’re sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and frazzled. Having a child dramatically changes one’s legacy plan and makes having a plan all the more necessary, says ThinkAdvisor’s recent article, “5 Legacy Planning Basics for New Parents.”

Take time to talk through two high-priority items. Create a staggered checklist—starting with today—and set attainable dates to complete the rest of the tasks. Here are five things to put on that list:

1. This gives the probate court your instructions on who will care for your children, if something happens to both you and your spouse. A will also should name a guardian to be responsible for the children. Parents also should think about how they want to share their personal belongings and financial assets. Without a will, the state decides what goes to whom. Lastly, a will must name an executor.
2. Review your beneficiary designations when you create your will, because you don’t want your will and designations (on life insurance policies and investments) telling two different stories. If there’s an issue, the beneficiary designation overrides the will. All accounts with a beneficiary listed automatically avoid probate court.
3. Created by an experienced estate planning attorney, a trust has some excellent benefits, particularly if you have young children. Everything in a trust is shielded from probate court, including property. This avoids court fees and hassle. A trust also provides some flexibility and customization to your plan. You can instruct that your children get a sum of money at 18, 25 or 30, and you can say that the money is for school, among other conditions. The trustee will distribute funds, according to your instructions.
4. Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy. These are two separate documents, but they’re both used in the event of incapacitation. Their power of attorney and health care proxy designees can make important financial and medical decisions, when you’re incapable of doing so.
5. Life Insurance. Most people don’t think about purchasing life insurance, until they have children. Therefore, if you haven’t thought about it, you’re not alone. If you are among the few who bought a policy pre-child, consider increasing the amount so your child is covered, if something should happen.

Reference: ThinkAdvisor (March 7, 2019) “5 Legacy Planning Basics for New Parents”

What Do I Need to Know About Portability?

“One of the great challenges in financial planning is figuring out how to transfer wealth from one generation to the next in the most tax efficient manner possible.”

Tax efficiency means transferring the most assets, while paying the least amount of estate tax. In the past, this meant complex trust structures. However, with portability, it’s much simpler.

The Monterey Herald recently reported, in the article “Financial planning: What you need to know about portability,” that the federal lifetime estate tax exemption determines how much wealth a person can leave to their family, without being subject to estate tax. The current lifetime estate tax exemption is $11.4 million, which means that you can leave up to $11.4 million to your heirs, without the 40% estate tax on whatever remains.

With individual taxpayers, this is pretty straightforward. However, with couples, it becomes more complicated.

For example, assume a married couple has an estate worth $18 million. The husband dies first without using any of his estate tax exemption. The wife dies two months later, leaving the entire estate to their children. Without portability, it’s “use it or lose it” for the estate tax exemption.

When the husband dies, the entire estate passes to his wife (if she is a U.S. citizen) without any estate tax implications. This is known as the unlimited marital deduction rule. However, when the wife dies two months later, the estate will owe estate tax of $2.64 million, or the value of the estate above the wife’s $11.4 million exemption times the 40% estate tax rate.

That’s why trusts were so essential in pre-portability estate planning. Before portability, any unused estate tax exemption went to fund a bypass trust. The bypass trust was usually set up to provide for the health, education, maintenance, and support of the surviving spouse. The remaining assets went to the surviving spouse in a marital trust. The trust structure helped make sure the estate tax exemption of the first-to-die spouse was used to its fullest, but it also increased the paperwork with estate transfers.

With portability, the unused estate tax exemption transfers to the surviving spouse. In the example, the wife’s lifetime estate tax exemption after her husband’s death would be $22.8 million (her $11.4 million plus his unused $11.4 million.) When she dies two months later, the estate value of $18 million is below the combined lifetime exemption. Voila! No estate tax is owed.

Portability isn’t automatic. For a surviving spouse to claim the deceased spouse’s unused estate tax exemption, the decedent’s executor must file IRS form 706 within nine months of the decedent’s date of death. If you need more time, you can ask for an automatic six-month extension.

Speak with your estate planning attorney to learn how to maximize the assets that you can leave to loved ones.

Reference: Monterey Herald (February 27, 2019) “Financial planning: What you need to know about portability”

How Can We Save Our Inheritance from Taxes, if Dad Won’t Create an Estate Plan?

“If a person doesn't want to create an estate plan, you can't force them.”

Here’s a common situation that’s faced by adult children: Dad is in his 90s and has informed his four sons that they’ll receive an inheritance of roughly $250,000 each. Dad was a blue-collar worker who saved his entire life—just to benefit his boys. However, and this is the real common part, he doesn't want anyone to know he’s “rich.” Because of this, he’s never worked with an estate planning attorney.

With their mom already passed away, how can the four sons protect themselves from unnecessary taxes?

nj.com’s recent article asks simply, “My dad refuses to create an estate plan. Can I save my inheritance from taxes?” The article suggests that maybe the father in this scenario will change his mind, when he understands that estate planning will actually protect his privacy, although he’ll have to share his information with an attorney.

The reason is probate, the court-supervised legal process that gives an executor—typically the surviving spouse or another close family member—the authority to collect the deceased person's assets, pay debts and taxes and then transfer assets to the people who inherit them.

The process can be more complicated, if the deceased person didn't have a valid will but is otherwise similar. The probate process is part of the public record, and so is the father’s will. However, a person would have to proactively search for the records.

In light of this, the best way to keep financial information private is to make certain that the assets are transferred outside of the probate process. One very simple way to transfer assets outside of the probate process, is by using transfer-on-death accounts. A senior completes forms at his bank or brokerage firm, so that his assets will automatically (and privately) transfer to the children when he passes away. Likewise, life insurance, IRAs, and 401(k)s will also pass outside of probate, provided the beneficiary designations are not payable to his estate or left incomplete.

Joint tenancy with the right of survivorship accounts are also useful to avoid probate. However, they are typically only used between spouses. A living trust is another option to keep assets out of probate, especially if the parent owns any real estate.

As far as estate taxes, any inheritance left to a spouse is exempt from estate tax. However, an inheritance left to a non-spouse could be subject to estate tax, when it exceeds a threshold called an "exemption.” The federal exemption is now $11.4 million.

It’s best to speak with an attorney, who specializes in estate planning, to prepare a will and other documents, such as a trust, power of attorney and advance healthcare directive. However, none of these strategies will help, unless the dad in our scenario agrees to see a qualified estate planning attorney to help him accomplish his goals.

Reference: nj.com (February 28, 2019) “My dad refuses to create an estate plan. Can I save my inheritance from taxes?”

Why Is a Revocable Trust So Valuable in Estate Planning?

“Trusts are one of the most versatile items of the financial planning toolkit. However, they are not just for rich people. With the new higher estate tax exemptions, avoiding or reducing estate tax is not a concern for most of us.”

There’s quite a bit that a trust can do to solve big estate planning and tax problems for many families.

As Forbes explains in its recent article, “Revocable Trusts: The Swiss Army Knife Of Financial Planning,” trusts are a critical component of a proper estate plan. There are three parties to a trust: the owner of some property (settler or grantor) turns it over to a trusted person or organization (trustee) under a trust arrangement to hold and manage for the benefit of someone (the beneficiary). A written trust document will spell out the terms of the arrangement.

One of the most useful trusts is a revocable trust (inter vivos) where the grantor creates a trust, funds it, manages it by herself, and has unrestricted rights to the trust assets (corpus). The grantor has the right at any point to revoke the trust, by simply tearing up the document and reclaiming the assets, or perhaps modifying the trust to accomplish other estate planning goals.

After discussing trusts with your attorney, he or she will draft the trust document and re-title property to the trust. The assets transferred to a revocable trust can be reclaimed at any time. The grantor has unrestricted rights to the property. During the life of the grantor, the trust provides protection and management, if and when it’s needed.

Let’s examine the potential lifetime and estate planning benefits that can be incorporated into the trust:

• Lifetime Benefits. If the grantor is unable or uninterested in managing the trust, the grantor can hire an investment advisor to manage the account in one of the major discount brokerages, or he can appoint a trust company to act for him.
• Incapacity. A trusted spouse, child, or friend can be named to care for and represent the needs of the grantor/beneficiary. She will manage the assets during incapacity, without having to declare the grantor incompetent and petitioning for a guardianship. After the grantor has recovered, she can resume the duties as trustee.
• This can be a stressful legal proceeding that makes the grantor a ward of the state. This proceeding can be expensive, public, humiliating, restrictive and burdensome. However, a well-drafted trust (along with powers of attorney) avoids this.

The revocable trust is a great tool for estate planning because it bypasses probate, which can mean considerably less expense, stress and time.

In addition to a trust, ask your attorney about the rest of your estate plan: a will, powers of attorney, medical directives and other considerations.

Any trust should be created by a very competent trust attorney, after a discussion about what you want to accomplish.

Reference: Forbes (February 20, 2019) “Revocable Trusts: The Swiss Army Knife Of Financial Planning”

What are the “Must Have” Estate Planning Documents?

“Having these three legal documents in place can make a huge difference for your heirs.”

What do Aretha Franklin, Kurt Cobain, and Prince have in common? Aside from being famous and talented, each of these stars passed away without a will. All three had the money and attorneys to draft a proper estate plan, but for whatever reason, they didn't draft one. It’s a good lesson to not neglect your estate plan.

Motley Fool reports in the article, “3 Must-Have Estate Planning Documents To Get Done This Year,” that dying without a will creates numerous problems for your family. If there are no legal instructions in place, probate law dictates the distribution of your assets and selection of guardians for your minor children, which can cause problems. Regardless of your personal situation, you should think about creating these three important estate planning documents.

1. Will. A will is used to distribute your estate, according to your instructions. A will can say how much and what type of asset each heir will receive, to minimize family fighting after your death. If you have young children, you can designate guardians in your will to be in charge of their care. If you die without a will, the probate judge will order who becomes their guardian.

You also need a will to make charitable bequests, to expedite the probate court process and to reduce or eliminate estate taxes. When you draft your will, you'll appoint trusted people to serve as the executor and the trustee.

2. Living will. A living will can take effect while you are still alive. This is a legal document that sets out your instructions for medical treatment, if you become unable to communicate, such as whether or not you want to be placed on life support. A living will can relieve the emotional burden from your family of having to make difficult decisions.
3. Power of attorney. This legal document helps in the event you’re incapacitated or in the hospital in an unresponsive state. A power of attorney gives the individual you designate the authority to transact financial and legal matters on your behalf. Set up a power of attorney, before you need it. If you don’t and you're unable to make decisions, your family may have to petition the court to get those powers, which costs time and money.

Estate planning is a huge favor that you’re doing for your family. Get these three legal documents in place.

Reference: Motley Fool (February 18, 2019) “3 Must-Have Estate Planning Documents To Get Done This Year”

 

Have You Accomplished This Critical Task?

“There's one critical move that a large number of older Americans have yet to make: creating a will.”

Motley Fool’s article, “Nearly Half of Americans 55 and Over Are Making This Huge Financial Planning Mistake,” notes that almost 50% of Americans 55 and older don't have a will. If you're missing a will, it's critical to make the time to get this important document written, before something tragic happens and heirs are left in the lurch.

While creating a will might be uncomfortable, delaying won't keep you from having to contemplate your own mortality. Not creating a will places your family in a tough spot, if something happens and there’s no will.

Another reason that people put off writing their wills, is that they don't want to make their children uncomfortable by getting them involved in the process. Adult children are also frequently hesitant to start a dialog about parents’ estate planning. Nonetheless, those discussions are important to have.

Wills, trusts and estate plans are not just for wealthy people. If you own anything, including a home, a car and any bank accounts, you need an estate plan and that includes a will.

If you don't have a will, you won't have the opportunity to direct the way in which your property is distributed. Instead, the laws of probate will instruct how your investments and belongings are disbursed after your death.

Once you have that will created, keep it in a safe place—no, not in a shoebox under your bed. Instead, buy a fireproof safe and store it there. In addition, give your children or loved ones access, so they're able to locate your will in the event that it’s required.

It’s common to get advice that you should store your will in a safe deposit box at your bank. That works if your children or other trusted people in your life are permitted access to it. However, if you're the only account holder on that safe deposit box, your family may need to go through some legal machinations to get into it. When you enlist the help of an estate planning attorney to create your estate planning documents, she should also retain a copy of it on record. That's another great benefit to having an attorney create your will, rather than going it alone.

Creating a will can be unpleasant business, but it’s not something you should put off. Having that document in place will give you peace of mind—you’ll know that your wishes will be executed as you desire. That's reason enough to stop delaying and get going.

Reference: Motley Fool (February 16, 2019) “Nearly Half of Americans 55 and Over Are Making This Huge Financial Planning Mistake”

How Do I Leave My Home to My Family?

“For many people, their home is the most valuable asset they own. Leaving real estate to your heirs can also be a complicated process, so you'll want to make sure you plan accordingly.”

Figuring out what will happen to your assets after you pass away, is an unpleasant but necessary task. This ensures that your assets are distributed to the people you want. The publication, the day, recently published a story, “Planning to leave your home to your heirs,” that reminds us that it's best to begin your estate planning, as soon as possible.

Death can unexpectedly impact young or middle-aged families, and your family may not be sufficiently prepared, if you don’t have a will. Estate planning can make certain that your wishes are clearly stated and executed.

Real estate is frequently given to an adult child, grandchild, or is divided among several heirs. Once you know who will receive the property, discuss your plans with these people to keep them apprised of your plans and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

If you include your home in the will, you can stipulate precisely who should benefit from it. You can also say if you want the home to stay in the family or be sold.

Dividing the interest in a property evenly among beneficiaries might seem fair, but it can also create some unexpected complications. If one beneficiary wants to move into the
home and another wants to sell it and split the proceeds, things could get dicey. Discuss this issue with your beneficiaries to resolve this potential conflict in advance. One beneficiary could buy out the other beneficiaries' shares in the property to take sole possession of it. However, you may need a life insurance policy to be sure that the cash is there for a buyout.

A will is also used to delegate responsibilities to certain heirs. You select an executor to oversee the disposition of your estate after your death.

An outstanding mortgage balance can cause some trouble, when passing on a property. Any debts you have at the time of your death, need to be paid before your estate can be settled. If you were still making mortgage payments, be sure your beneficiaries have a plan to avoid a default. Beneficiaries, a surviving spouse, the executor of estate, or any other party can continue to make payments to your bank to avoid a foreclosure process. There are several ways that your beneficiaries can resolve a mortgage, after they take possession of the home. In addition to just selling the property, they can refinance the loan or pay off the mortgage with any assets they have or receive from your estate. That way, they would own the home free and clear.

Review your will regularly to keep it up to date. Make a change if a beneficiary dies, if your own circumstances change, or if your relationship with an heir goes bad.

You can also transfer your home to a living trust. This lets you use and benefit from the asset while living and then transfer it to beneficiaries upon death. This will avoid the probate process and save heirs time and money. The trust document identifies beneficiaries and determines how the estate will be distributed after death. It can also name a trustee to oversee this process and avoid conflict among beneficiaries.

One downside of a living trust is that any outstanding debts must be taken care of before the home and any other assets in the trust can be transferred to beneficiaries.

If a beneficiary is comfortable with assuming some responsibility for owning your home, you can also update the deed to include them. This can be especially helpful, if your spouse isn’t currently on the deed. This will make transfer of the home easier. If the deed says: "transfer on death," you own the home outright until your death, then it passes to any beneficiaries you name in the deed. When the deed includes the words "joint tenant with right of survivorship," ownership of the home automatically transfers to any other co-owners on the deed, when you pass away.

Reference: the day (February 15, 2019) “Planning to leave your home to your heirs”

How Do I Prepare my Parents for Alzheimer’s?

“Imagine that your mom has Alzheimer’s. She calls you one day, out of the blue, saying that she wants to sell the family home. When you ask her where she would live if the family home is gone, she doesn’t seem to have a clear plan. Ten minutes into the call, Mom gets upset with your questions. She declares that she can sell the house without your help and hangs up the phone.”

Can your mom just sell her house, despite her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s?

The (Bryan TX) Eagle reports in the recent article “MENTAL CLARITY: Shining a light on the capacity to sign Texas documents” that the concept of “mental capacity” is complicated. There’s considerable confusion about incapacity. The article explains that different legal documents have a different degree of required capacity. The bar for signing a Power of Attorney, a Warranty Deed, a Contract, a Divorce Decree, or a Settlement Agreement is a little lower than for signing a Will. The individual signing legal documents must be capable of understanding and appreciating what he or she is signing, as well as the effect of the document.

The answer the question of whether the mom can sign the deed to her house over to the buyer.  is likely “yes.” She must understand that she’s selling her house, and that, once the document is signed, the house will belong to someone else. A terminal diagnosis or a neurodegenerative disease doesn’t automatically mean that an individual can’t sign legal documents. A case-by-case assessment is required to see if the document will be valid.

The fact that a person is unable to write his or her name doesn’t mean they lack capacity. If a senior can’t sign her name (possibly due to tremors or neurodegeneration), she can sign with an “X”. She could place her hand on top of someone else’s and allow the other person to sign her name. If this is completed before witnesses and the notary, that would be legal.

A hard part of Alzheimer’s is that a person’s mental clarity can come and go. Capacity can be fluid in the progress of a neurodegenerative or other terminal disease. Because of this, the best time to sign critical documents is sooner rather than later. No one can say the “window of capacity” will remain open for a certain amount of time.

Some signs should prompt you to move more quickly. These include things like the following:

• Short-term memory loss;
• Personality changes (e.g., unusual anger);
• Confusing up or forgetting common-usage words and names; and
• Disorientation and changes in depth perception.

Any of the signs above could be caused by dementia or many other problems. Talk to your parent’s physician and an elder law attorney. He or she can discuss the options, document your parent’s legal capacity, and get the right documents drafted quickly.

Reference: The (Bryan TX) Eagle (February 7, 2019) “MENTAL CLARITY: Shining a light on the capacity to sign Texas documents”