Q. My late husband and I bought our home 40 years ago for $50,000, and we were then advised to take title as Joint Tenants to avoid probate. When he died 3 years ago, I was told by a realtor that it was worth about $1.2 Million. I was recently told by our CPA that,… Read More »
Posts Categorized: Tax Matters
Consider Tax Savvy Year-End Gifts
Q. My wife and I are considering making large gifts to our two children and four grandchildren, and we would like to do so in a way that is “tax wise”. Do you have any advice for us? A. Yes. Many people mistakenly believe that you cannot gift more than $15,000 per year without incurring… Read More »
Giving Your Home to Your Children Can Have Tax Consequences
Q. I am thinking about giving my home to my son now, so that probate can be avoided and my affairs simplified when my time comes. Any comment as to whether this plan makes sense? A. Caution: Transferring your home to your son by gift during your lifetime can have adverse tax consequences. Example: assume… Read More »
When Your Most Valued Assets Are Not Covered by Your Will
Q. My wife and I hold title to her home as joint tenants, and most of our cash assets are in the form of two large IRA accounts and one big annuity. We have basic wills which leave everything to the other and then on to our children. Our son suggested that our wills may… Read More »
Decanting: A New Way To Reform A Trust After the Death of the Trustor
Q. My brother created a trust a few years back, naming our sister as one of his beneficiaries and me as the Trustee. He recently died and we now have a problem: our sister receives public benefits (Medi-Cal and SSI) and the receipt of an inheritance would cause her to lose those benefits. Is there… Read More »
Moving & Over Age 55 or Disabled? You May Be Able to Transfer Your Low Property Tax Rate
Q. My wife and I are considering selling our home and purchasing a replacement home in California to be closer to our children? I hear there may be some way to transfer our very low property tax to our replacement home. Do you know anything about this? A. Yes. If at least one of you… Read More »
An Important Resolution For The New Year: Update Your Estate Plan
Q. My wife and I created our estate planning documents about 10 years ago and we really have not even looked at them since. Do you have any thoughts about when we should consider updating them? A. Yes, I do. I would tie a review and update into a New Year’s Resolution. Many of us… Read More »
Make Your Charitable Gifts Count Under the New Tax Law
Q. I am wondering if I can still get deductions for charitable gifts under the new tax law? Do you have any thoughts on this? A. Yes. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, effective this year, the traditional method of making a gift and itemizing your deductions on your Federal Income Tax Return, as… Read More »
Is There A Downside to Gifting My Home To My Son Now?
Q. I am thinking about just gifting my home to my son now, in order to minimize estate administration after I’m gone. Of course, I would continue to live here as long as possible. Do you see any downside to this plan? A. Yes, there may be a big one, depending upon how you do… Read More »
The New “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017” Makes It Important to Review Older Trusts
Q. My wife and I set up a Living Trust back in 2001, but we have never updated it. In view of the recent change in the tax law, is that something that we should consider? A. Yes, by all means! At the time you created your trust, the estate tax exemption was only $675,000… Read More »