Taxpayers now have an exceptional opportunity to preserve more of their estate wealth and reduce estate taxes as a result of favorable estate and gift tax rates and exemptions introduced by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010.
The new tax rates and exemptions, some of which will be in effect only through 2012, combined with lower asset valuations so prevalent in our economy, make this a unique but short-lived opportunity. So it's important to evaluate your estate strategy and make potential updates to your plan in a timely manner.
In addition to taxes, family issues, fairness, asset protection, and effective wealth transfer also factor heavily into your estate planning decisions. Consider—
- What is your future estate tax liability and how it will be funded?
- Are you confident your estate planning goals will be accomplished with the current documents in place?
- Will estate taxes or inheritance taxes affect the structure of your current investments?
- How should a family with international connections approach estate planning?
If your estate plan fails to adequately address these issues, you run the risk of missed opportunities to reduce estate tax, unintended distribution of assets, or disputes. The key is having the right estate planning strategy in place.
We can help you assess your needs and work with you to create a plan that meets your personal, family, and business requirements. We analyze your financial picture and provide a written plan to address and achieve your comprehensive estate planning goals. Our focus is on empowering you to provide for your loved ones in a tax-efficient manner while protecting your assets, reducing risk, and complying with federal and state rules and regulations.