| First Quarter, 2011 |
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Finally! A New Estate Tax Law...Now What?
(Adapted from Leimberg Information Services Inc., #1743, December 22, 2010)
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By Charlie Douglas. All Rights Reserved.
"We believe the estate tax in the bill is a bridge too far."
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi/December, 2010
"There is never a perfect bipartisan bill in the eyes of a
partisan."
President Bill Clinton/December, 2010
"If you had to pay estate tax and you had to die, this was
the year."
Morbid joke of 2010
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
With the signing of "The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010" ( "TRA 2010")
into law by President Obama on December 17, 2010, clients and
their advisors alike are no longer in the dark as to how to plan
(at least for the next two years). At long last, one can begin
to take some action without fear as to whether the estate tax
law will be changed retroactively for 2010 or prospectively for
2011.
While in the weeks and months to come there will surely be much written about
TRA 2010, with much greater detail and with further clarity, the following
passages underscore some of the more pertinent aspects of TRA 2010, and provide
some planning pointers to consider.
Political Drama to the Passage of the 2010 Act
The supposed "lame-duck" session of 2010 may have been a lot of things, but
it was not lame. There was plenty of political theater to be had. President
Obama, who actively campaigned against extending the Bush tax cuts for the
wealthy, suddenly broke ranks with many in the Democratic Party and yielded to
the Republicans new-found political capital.
By most all accounts, the most controversial parts threatening passage of TRA
2010 were the provisions relating to the often overlooked estate tax. Many
Democrats argued that the estate tax was a costly tax break for the rich.
Republicans countered (and without much empirical evidence), that a higher
"death tax" would unduly burden farmers and small businesses.
In the end, "just say no" in the House Democratic Caucus gave way to "no tax
hikes for working-class Americans." Ultimately, with final resolution came the
most favorable wealth transfer planning provisions in modern time. Ironically,
TRA 2010's generous provisions regarding the transfer taxes had virtually no
chance of making its way through either House of Congress, until they became
welded together with Obama's pledge to protect the unemployed and working-class
Americans.
A few years from now, if we have not taken overt action to address the
unsustainable fiscal path that we are on, we may look back with some remorse for
not combining passage of this estimated $858 billion tax deal (which offers slim
hopes for cutting the deficit) with a phased-in reduction of the deficit over
the longer term. The costs for the more openhanded transfer tax provisions in
TRA 2010 are estimated by some experts to be $68 billion and $300 billion over a
two and ten year period respectively. But in the political moment, it is easier
to have "compromise" on spending matters that make deficits bigger than it is to
have "compromise" on spending restraints that bring deficits down.
Two Roads Regarding Death in 2010
The new law allows the executor of the estate for a decedent who died in 2010
to choose between two roads in administering the estate. One road, which is
automatic unless the executor elects out of it, subjects the estate to estate
tax, a $5 million estate tax exemption, a 35% estate tax rate and a stepped-up
income tax basis for appreciated assets.
The other road available by election of the executor would be to provide for
no estate tax, but with appreciated assets "owned by the decedent" receiving
only a modified carryover basis ($1.3 million for non-spousal beneficiaries and
$3 million for spousal beneficiaries).
While the choice is clear for estates under $5 million not to elect out of
the first road and to "pay estate tax," considerable analysis may need to be
done to decide which road to choose for the lowest overall tax consequences for
estates above $5 million.
Planning Pointer: According to Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP®
(Distinguished), partner with Keebler & Associates, large estates in excess of
$30 million will likely choose to opt out of the automatic estate tax. However,
for estates ranging between $5 and $30 million, the estate tax cost will
necessarily need to be weighed against the income tax cost. Keep in mind that
the income tax calculation may likely be more than a simple capital gains
analysis. For example, more complicated calculations regarding depreciation
recapture for fully depreciated real estate are apt to be more challenging.
Still, for estates in excess of $5 million, paying an estate tax within nine
months of the date of death at 35% should likely be more costly than paying a
capital gains tax at some later point in time, unless the estate tax is very
small and the decedent had assets with a low basis.
Planning Pointer: Unless an executor elects not to have the estate tax
apply, the 706 estate tax return must be filed by the later of: (i) 9 months
after the date of death; or (ii) 9 months after the date of enactment (December
17, 2010) which is Saturday, September 17, 2011 and therefore should give one
until Monday, September 19, 2011. Further, the IRS in December of 2010 posted
another official draft of Form 8939, "Allocation of Increase in Basis for
Property Acquired from a Decedent." The deadline for filing the form according
to a recent conversation with a senior IRS official is "that it will be
extended at least until 10/15/2011." See LISI Estate Planning Newsletter # 1759
(January 14, 2011) by Vince Lackner @ leimbergservices.com
Planning Pointer: QTIPs, QPRTS, and GRATs normally are entitled to
receive a step-up in basis under IRC 1014. However, under IRC 1022 the property
is not considered "owned by the decedent" and therefore is not entitled to either the $1.3 million or the $3 million step-up in basis.
Favorable GST Tax Transfers for 2010
TRA 2010 established a $5 million GST tax exemption and a GST tax rate of 35%
for gifts made and decedents dying after January 1, 2010. However, GST transfers
made in 2010 were subject to a zero GST tax rate under IRC 2641(a).
With a zero GST tax rate, there were no GST taxes on GST transfers (direct
skips, taxable distributions or taxable terminations) in 2010. Nevertheless,
does this mean that all transfers to trusts in 2010 have an inclusion ratio of
zero and therefore are exempt from the GST tax in future years?
Fiduciary Counsel Steve R. Akers, JD, AEP® (Distinguished) of Bessemer Trust
Company, N.A. pointed out generally at the time that TRA 2010 was enacted that
the Joint Committee on Taxation Technical Explanation says the inclusion ratio
is not zero: "...the generation skipping transfer tax rate for transfers made
during 2010 is zero percent. The generation skipping transfer tax rate for
transfers made after 2010 is equal to the highest estate and gift tax rate in
effect for such year (35 percent for 2011 and 2012)."
Shortly after the enactment of TRA 2010 prominent commentators specifically
noted that creating and funding a trust in 2010 exclusively for skip persons was
a direct skip under IRC 2612(c), a type of generation-skipping transfer, which
makes it subject to GST tax, but with a tax rate of zero for 2010. As such,
future distributions from trusts established and funded exclusively for
grandchildren in 2010 should not attract any GST tax because of the application
of the "step-down" rule under IRC 2653 (a). (See LISI Estate Planning Newsletter
#1735 (December 18, 2010) by Jonathan G. Blattmachr, Esq., AEP® (Distinguished),
Diana Zadel and Mitch Gans and LISI Estate Planning Newsletter #1736 (December
18, 2010) by David Pratt and George Karibjanian @ leimbergservices.com.)
Be that as it may, any transfers to grandchildren (outright direct skips or
in trust) were subject to gift tax at a 35% rate in 2010 for amounts over the
$1,000,000 gift tax exemption. Therefore, a careful analysis should have been
given before making gifts to grandchildren in 2010. On the one hand, was it
better to make the gift in 2010 and pay gift tax, but avoid using any GST
exemption? Or on the other hand, is it preferable to wait until 2011 to take
advantage of the larger gift tax exemption and then allocate GST exemption to
the transfer?
Planning Pointer: The absence of the GST tax in 2010 created a golden
opportunity to make GST tax-free distributions from non-exempt
generation-skipping trusts before the end of the year. After 2010, distributions
to grandchildren or more remote descendants from a non-exempt trust will likely
be subject to a GST tax.
Planning Pointer: If a transfer in 2010 to grandchildren resulted in a
gift tax, lower basis assets should likely have been used to increase the basis
under IRC 1015 by the amount of gift taxes paid. Conversely, in 2011, gifts of
higher basis assets may make more sense since the new gift tax exemption of $5
million may well cover any gift tax.
Planning Pointer: For direct skip transfers in 2010, one should
consider opting out of the automatic allocation of GST exemption under IRC 2632
(b) (3) on the 709 gift tax return, thereby preserving their 2010 GST exemption.
In other GST matters, where transfers were made to trusts in 2010, but where the
inclusion ratio was not zero, one may want to consider allocating up to
$5,000,000 of their GST tax exemption available in order to avoid a taxable
distribution to the grandchildren's descendants and/or taxable termination upon
the death of the grandchildren who are beneficiaries of the trust. Note,
allocation of the GST tax exemption for transfers made in 2010 and before
December 17, 2010 can still be made within nine months of the date of enactment.
Planning Pointer: For GST tax purposes, consider that a Qualified
Disclaimer under IRC 2518 can still likely be made in 2011 with respect to a
bequest from a decedent who died in 2010, as long as the disclaimer is filed
by the later of: (i) 9 months after the date of death; or (ii) 9 months after
the date of enactment. Furthermore, be sure to check applicable state law for
making a disclaimer later than nine months from the date of death.
Planning Pointer: Some advisors may have clients who made taxable
gifts in 2010 when the gift tax exemption was $1 million at a 35% tax rate and
who now wish that they had not done so because of the gift tax exemption
increasing by $4 million in 2011. In such cases, the advisor may want to explore
having the donees make a disclaimer if there has not been "acceptance" and it
makes sense under applicable state law. In the alternative, there is an argument
for rescission under state law based on mistake of law and/or mistake of fact.
Credit Shelter Trusts and Spousal Portability
Beginning in 2011, executors are now able to transfer to the surviving spouse
any unused estate tax exemption ($5,000,000) from the first spouse's death. The
Deceased Spousal Unused Exclusion Amount ("DSUEA") under IRC 303 (a)(2) can be
used for lifetime gifts and/or for transfers at death. That makes it possible
for a married couple to transfer up to $10 million free of estate and gift taxes
to their intended beneficiaries without a tax planning estate plan.
As such, there may be a chilling effect on the perceived need to do
comprehensive estate planning since married couples may conclude that there is
no longer a compelling need to do a "A"/"B" tax planning trust because they no
longer have a "tax problem." After all, the ability to pass on $10 million free
of estate taxes through portability for at least the next two years should
result in more than 99% of the estates in America remaining untaxed.
Unfortunately, "I Love You" wills may become that much more prevalent as many
families possibly will forgo the considerable non-tax benefits of using credit
shelter and other types of trusts that provide asset, creditor and divorce
protection to their loved ones.
In addition to the compelling non-tax reasons for trusts, there are also
sound tax reasons to have trusts like the credit shelter trust. For example,
funding a credit shelter trust on the first spouse's death allows any increase
in value in the assets of the trust to avoid estate taxation at the death of the
surviving spouse. Further, because the GST tax exemption is not portable, the
estate of the first spouse to die for wealthier clients should likely
incorporate a credit shelter trust where the deceased spouse's GST exemption can
be applied. Finally, a credit shelter trust can utilize a portion of the first
spouse's to die state estate tax exemption in the twenty one states which have a
separate estate tax like New York. One argument in favor of portability and
against using a credit shelter trust, however, is that portability preserves the
full step-up in basis for appreciated assets in the surviving spouse's estate.
Fleshing out the numerous possibilities regarding portability may be
challenging as The Joint Committee Report contained only three portability
examples as set forth below:
Example 1. Assume that Husband 1 dies in 2011, having made taxable
transfers of $3 million and having no taxable estate. An election is made on
Husband 1's estate tax return to permit Wife to use Husband 1's deceased spousal
unused exclusion amount. As of Husband 1's death, Wife has made no taxable
gifts. Thereafter, Wife's applicable exclusion amount is $7 million (her $5
million basic exclusion amount plus $2 million deceased spousal unused exclusion
amount from Husband 1), which she may use for lifetime gifts or for transfers at
death.
Example 2. Assume the same facts as in Example 1, except that Wife
subsequently marries Husband 2. Husband 2 also predeceases Wife, having made $4
million in taxable transfers and having no taxable estate. An election is made
on Husband 2's estate tax return to permit Wife to use Husband 2's deceased
spousal unused exclusion amount. Although the combined amount of unused
exclusion of Husband 1 and Husband 2 is $3 million ($2 million for Husband 1 and
$1 million for Husband 2), only Husband 2's $1 million unused exclusion is
available for use by Wife, because the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount
is limited to the lesser of the basic exclusion amount ($5 million) or the
unused exclusion of the last deceased spouse of the surviving spouse (here,
Husband 2's $1 million unused exclusion). Therefore, Wife's applicable exclusion
amount is $6 million (her $5 million basic exclusion amount plus $1 million
deceased spousal unused exclusion amount from Husband 2), which she may use for
lifetime gifts or for transfers at death.
Example 3. Assume the same facts as in Examples 1 and 2, except that
Wife predeceases Husband 2. Following Husband 1's death, Wife's applicable
exclusion amount is $7 million (her $5 million basic exclusion amount plus $2
million deceased spousal unused exclusion amount from Husband 1). Wife made no
taxable transfers and has a taxable estate of $3 million. An election is made on
Wife's estate tax return to permit Husband 2 to use Wife's deceased spousal
unused exclusion amount, which is $4 million (Wife's $7 million applicable
exclusion amount less her $3 million taxable estate). Under the provision,
Husband 2's applicable exclusion amount is increased by $4 million, i.e., the
amount of deceased spousal unused exclusion amount of Wife.
In view of the above, it should be noted that a surviving spouse who has
DSUEA, or any individual for that matter, essentially has an intangible asset
(Basic Exclusion Amount-$5 million) whether or not he or she has any other
financial assets. As such, one could marry another solely for the purpose of
gaining access to existing DSUEA or to DSUEA which would become available upon
the new spouse's death regarding their unused Basic Exclusion Amount.
Be that as it may, there is no "stacking" of deceased spouses' unused estate
tax exemptions and therefore no incentive to enter into "serial marriages"
because only the most current spouse's unused exemption can be used by the
executor. As a matter of practice, a prior transfer of unused estate tax
exemption by the death of a previous spouse is cancelled out and replaced by the
death of the most current spouse and their unused estate tax exemption.
Planning Pointer: For many families, the use of disclaimer trusts will
likely become much more prevalent during 2011 and 2012. Although there may be no
estate tax concerns over the next two years for most people, providing
flexibility for the surviving spouse or a QTIP trust for surviving spouse to
disclaim assets to a credit shelter trust, especially with a potential $1
million estate tax exemption beginning in 2013, is an important consideration.
The simplicity and planning flexibility of disclaimer trusts makes them
particularly appealing. Be that as it may, disclaimer trusts come with their own
concerns regarding the surviving spouse and giving up control.
For example, even if it makes estate tax sense to disclaim it may not be easy
for the surviving spouse to do so, especially in making a large disclaimer to a
credit shelter trust, given the recent financial turmoil and the economic
uncertainty that still exists. Further, the surviving spouse should not likely
be in control of the credit shelter trust and serve as the sole trustee if
he/she retains a discretionary power to direct the enjoyment of the disclaimed
interest under IRC 25.2518-2(d)(2) and/or there is not clear ascertainable
standards language under IRC 2041 for making distributions.
Having someone else other than the surviving spouse serve as the trustee or a
co-trustee may be important in that broader language (ie."best interests") may
be desired within the credit shelter trust so that low basis assets could be
distributed back to the surviving spouse for step-up in basis purposes. Finally,
further control is relinquished by the surviving spouse when making a disclaimer
to a credit shelter trust as the surviving spouse cannot retain a limited power
of appointment under IRC 2518.
Planning Pointer: Instead of endorsing only a disclaimer trust
approach, planners may want to also recommend other flexible post-mortem
planning techniques such as the One-Lung Marital Trust ("OLMT") and/or the
Clayton Marital Trust ("CMT"). In a OLMT the decedent's entire estate will be
left to a marital trust where the executor can then make a partial QTIP
election. Thereafter, there will be two identical trusts: one qualifying for the
marital deduction and the other not qualifying for the marital deduction.
Unfortunately in each trust, the surviving spouse must be the sole beneficiary
to the exclusion of the children.
A CMT like a OLMT also leaves the decedent's entire estate to a single
marital trust, where the executor once again can make a partial QTIP election.
With a CMT, however, any property that does not qualify for the marital
deduction will pass to a separate bypass trust, where the terms and
beneficiaries can be different from the QTIP trust and therefore can include the
children. Note, that in both the OLMT and CMT the QTIP election does not need to
be made until 15 months (9 months plus a 6 month automatic extension) after the
decedent's death. In reality, the OLMT and CMT may be somewhat more flexible
than a disclaimer trust which must be made within 9 months of the decedent's
death.
Planning Pointer: Portability is only effective for decedents dying
and gifts made after December 31, 2010. Moreover, in order to claim DSUEA a
timely 706 estate tax return must be filed, where the DSUEA available is
calculated and an irrevocable election is made by the executor. Query: What is
the likelihood of a 706 Estate Tax Return getting filed for an estate with
little or no assets? Finally, as the law is currently written, both spouses must
die before 2013 for the portability provisions to apply under TRA 2010.
Planning Pointer: Although the need to equalize assets between "rich"
spouse and "poor" spouse is lessened with portability, the need to balance
wealth between two affluent spouses still exists, particularly if the goal is to
maximize each spouses GST tax exemption. The GST tax exemption is not portable.
Planning Pointer: One issue that makes portability planning
particularly difficult in the context of a remarriage is that, depending on the
order of deaths between the new couple, there is a risk that the original
surviving spouse could lose some or all of the DSUEA of the original first
spouse to die. As such, lifetime transfers may offer the best opportunity to
utilize the DSUEA since it may not be available at the time of death or after
2012.
Review Formula Clauses & Family Liquidity Needs
Applying the new $5,000,000 estate, gift and GST tax exemptions to existing
tax planning wills and trusts may result in unintended financial consequences to
the surviving spouse or to the decedent's heirs. Fractional share formulas and
pecuniary formulas will likely produce dramatically different results, depending
upon which one is used.
Formulas which provide for "the maximum amount that can pass free of estate
tax," should now be interpreted to mean $5.0 million, rather than the entire
estate. Conversely, formulas that dictate that the "amount equal to federal
estate tax exclusion amount" will presently mean $5.0 million rather than zero.
Carefully consider whether it will be the surviving spouse or the bypass
trust that will receive the deceased spouse's unused estate tax exemption. What
about second marriages and the overfunding or underfunding ofa Q-tip trust? Now
more than ever, estate planning practitioners must carefully review estate
planning documents and tax plann ing formulas with their clients.
Similarly, the purpose for which a life insurance policy was purchased along
with the policy itself ought to be reviewed. Was the policy for income
replacement or to help pay for estate taxes?
Planning Pointer: With an increased estate tax exemption it may be
tempting to cancel a second-to-die policy, for example, which is owned by an
ILIT for an estate under $10 million. Keep in mind, however, that the increased
estate tax exemption is not set in stone beyond 2012 and client insurability may be
an issue. Moreover, life insurance is likely to remain taxed-favored and a good
hedge if one does not live until their life expectancy, and as such, deserves a
place in one's overall asset allocation. It is also worth noting that using
husband's and wife's gift and generation skipping tax exemptions by purchasing a
second-to-die policy with $10 million of premium will likely solve a whole lot
of estate tax issues.
Planning Pointer: If disclaimer trusts are not used, general tax
formula clauses will likely need to be reviewed and adjusted regarding minimums
and maximums to be passed on to various trusts as there could be widely
different outcomes depending upon whether the estate tax exemption is $5 million
(2011 & 2012) or $1 million as the case may be beginning in 2013.
A Windfall for Gifting
Just when you thought things could not get any better for transferring wealth
during one's lifetime they did. Barring any new restrictions, limitations or
prohibitions, be they proactive or retroactive, the case for making significant
wealth transfer between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 is extraordinarily
compelling.
Presently, conditions for gifting have never been better in modern times.
Under the new tax law we have a $5 million unified estate, gift, and generation
skipping tax exemption (indexed for inflation) and a 35% combined estate, gift
and GST tax rate. Add to that, all-time low federal interest rates, relatively
low asset values and no legislation at this time restricting the use of GRATs
and/or valuation discounts on family controlled enterprises. Keep in mind that
IRC 2704(b)(4), if enacted, will significantly reduce discounts for interests in
partnerships and corporations so the discount clock may be ticking.
During this time, large gifts to Dynasty and Spousal Access trusts may become
much more prevalent. Likewise, gifts and sales to Grantor Trusts, with easier
seeding due to the increased gift tax exemption, have the potential to remove
vast amounts of wealth. Even so, gifting does not remove the
gifted assets from the base of calculating estate taxes. What gets removed is
only the appreciation on the gifted assets and any gift taxes paid so long as
one lives three years from the date of the gift. Furthermore, gift splitting
between spouses ought to increasingly come into play as should business
succession planning that was unavoidably delayed during the past few years of
economic turmoil.
Still, making gifts is not without risks. Presently, donors should be warned
on the potential recapture regarding making gifts in 2011 and 2012. Simply,
Congress did not likely address the case where the estate tax exemption ($1
million in 2013) would be less than the $5 million of gift tax exemption in 2011
and 2012.
Planning Pointer: Regarding possible clawbacks, note that the combined
estate and gift tax base should not be greater than if no gift were made in the
first place. Moreover, even with a clawback, one is typically better off making
a gift from a transfer tax standpoint as long as the gifted asset appreciates.
Planning Pointer: Separate spousal access trusts which do not run
afoul of the reciprocal trust doctrine under common law may be a great planning
technique to use husband's and wife's $5 million gift tax and GST tax
exemptions. Note, to avoid having the reciprocal trust doctrine apply consider
setting up the trusts at different times, using different trustees, varying the
beneficial interests of each spouse by giving one of the spouses the right to
invade principal but not income, or a 5/5 power, or by giving one spouse a
limited power of appointment in their trust. Simply, the more differences
between the trusts the better. Additional potential concerns with spousal access
trusts include divorce, death and having a spouse who consented to gift-splitting
be a beneficiary of the trust which would produce adverse tax consequences.
Planning Pointer: IDGTs may become the preferred planning vehicle for
transferring vast amounts of wealth. With up to $10 million worth of seeding
presently available through using husband's and wife's gift and generation
skipping tax exemptions, a $90 million installment note can now be taken back
from a sale to the grantor trust. Moreover, a gift/sale to a IDGT can be done on
tax advantaged GST basis. Conversely, a transfer of property to a GRAT or QPRT
results in the grantor not being able to effectively allocate GST tax exemption
to property transferred until the close of the estate tax inclusion period
(ETIP) pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 2642(f)(1). While the case for
an IDGT is compelling, a significant drawback is losing the seeded gift should
the IDGT fail to outperform the AFR rate.
Planning Pointer: For more on the benefits of gifting, please see LISI
Estate Planning Newsletter #1668 (July 1, 2010 by John J. Scroggin, JD, LL.M.,
AEP® and Charlie Douglas, JD, CFP®, AEP®; LISI Estate Planning Newsletter #1718
(November 29, 2010) by Jeffrey N. Pennell; and LISI Estate Planning Newsletter
#1732 (December 15, 2010) by Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP® (Distinguished) @
leimbergservices.com.
CONCLUSION:
Could things possibly get any better for wealth transfer planning? Well, with
another election coming at the end of 2012 maybe Republicans will finally get
their way and repeal the "death-tax" once and for all. At that point the minimal
revenue from the estate tax portion of TRA 2010 may give Republicans all the
leverage they need to put the final nail in the estate tax coffin. On the other
hand, the need for fiscal responsibility and higher taxes of all kinds,
including estate taxes, or a Democratic controlled Congress may rule the day.
Whatever the political climate may be, with so many predictions by so many in
our wealth transfer planning community having turned out to be so wrong over the
last few years, I doubt there will be many who will be definitive as to where
things will ultimately stand come January 1, 2013. Without congressional action
during the next two years, we will have many of the same transfer tax concerns
that we had about 2011 going into 2013, as we prepare for the possibility of
returning to the law in 2001. In the meantime, however, planning opportunities
should be plentiful. Seize the day!
Charlie Douglas, JD, CFP®, AEP® has practiced in the business,
tax, estate and financial planning areas for over 25 years. He
holds a J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law and
possesses the Certified Financial Planner® and an Accredited
Estate Planner® designation. As a senior vice president for
a leading global wealth management institution, Charlie specializes in comprehensive
planning solutions and trust fiduciary services for business
owners, high net-worth individuals and their families. Charlie
is a board member of the National Association of Estate Planners
&
Councils ("NAEPC") and is the current editor of the
NAEPC
Journal of Estate & Tax Planning.
This information is provided for discussion purposes only and is not to be
construed as providing legal, tax, investment or financial planning advice.
Please consult all appropriate advisors prior to undertaking any of the
strategies outlined in this article, many of which may involve complex legal,
tax, investment and financial issues. This communication is not a Covered
Opinion as defined by Circular 230 and is limited to the Federal tax issues
addressed herein. Additional issues may exist that affect the Federal tax
treatment of the transaction. The communication was not intended or written to
be used, and cannot be used, or relied on, by the taxpayer, to avoid Federal tax
penalties.
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