TOP 10 ESTATE AND LEGACY PLANNING TECHNIQUES

  1. Revocable Living Trust: A device used to avoid probate and provide management of your property, both during life and after death.
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  3. Property Power of Attorney: Instrument used to allow an agent you name to manage your property.
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  5. Health Care Power of Attorney: Instrument used to allow a person you name to make health care decisions for you should you become incapacitated.
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  7. Annual Gift Tax Exclusion: Technique to allow gifts without the imposition of estate or gift taxes and without using lifetime exclusion.
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  9. Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust: A trust used to prevent estate taxes on insurance proceeds received at the death of an insured.
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  11. Family Limited Partnership: An entity used to:
       

      ➤ Provide asset protection for partnership property from the creditors of a partner
       
      ➤ Provide protection for limited partners from creditors
       
      ➤ Enable gifts to children and parents maintaining management control
       
      ➤ Reduce transfer tax value of property.
       

  12. Children’s or Grandchildren’s Irrevocable Education Trust: A trust used by parents and grandparents for a child’s or grandchild’s education.
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  14. Charitable Remainder Interest Trust: A trust whereby donors transfer property to a charitable trust and retain an income stream from the property transferred. The donor receives a charitable contribution income tax deduction, and avoids a capital gains tax on transferred property.
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  16. Fractional Interest Gift: Allows a donor to transfer partial interests in real property to donees and obtain fractional interest discounts for estate and gift tax purposes.
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  18. Private Foundation: An entity used by higher-wealth families to receive charitable income, gift, or estate tax deduction while allowing the family to retain some control over the assets in the foundation.