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Important IRS Update: Significant Interest Penalty Increase for Tax Underpayments

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently announced a critical change that could significantly impact taxpayers who underpay their taxes. This update is particularly relevant as we approach the next tax filing season. Previously, the IRS charged a 3% interest penalty on estimated tax underpayments. However, this rate has now been increased to a substantial

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Will Inflation Hurt Stock Returns? Not Necessarily

Investors may wonder whether stock returns will suffer if inflation keeps rising. Here’s some good news: Inflation isn’t necessarily bad news for stocks. A look at equity performance in the past three decades does not show any reliable connection between periods of high (or low) inflation and US stock returns. Since 1993, one-year returns on

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Maximize Your Charitable Impact with These Four Strategies

As the year draws to a close, it’s a perfect opportunity to rethink how you give to charity. This is important for managing how much tax you pay and how much help reaches those in need. Here are four effective strategies: Need Guidance? Reach Out to Us! These strategies are just a starting point. There

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So You Own Cryptocurrency? You Definitely Need an Estate Plan

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Category: Estate Planning For Business Owners

Has it been 10 or 20 years since you last updated your will or know that you created a trust at some point that was revocable but aren’t exactly clear on its terms? The emergence of bitcoin and cryptocurrency as well as plenty of digital assets that might be a part of your current estate means that you need to take a look at these older documents and discuss your options with an estate planning lawyer.

An estate planning lawyer can help you to craft a customized plan. Right now, Congress is holding hearings on the digitization of the dollar, which means that as a financial tool, cryptocurrency is front and center in becoming more and more important. To avoid making your heirs question whether or not you owned any cryptocurrency or worse, digging through the trash or looking at every computer you own to try to find this information, make sure that you preserve the benefits of cryptocurrency and have an established plan in place to ensure that your intended heirs are able to receive it.

Cryptocurrency is much like cash and that it is not traceable. There is no paper trail or electronic trail connecting it together to make it easy for your estate administrator to find out you were involved in a transaction involving cryptocurrency. In order to maintain that privacy as part of your estate plan, you’ll need to ensure that other transaction documentations do not reveal identities. With the right seed phrase or private key any person can access the cryptocurrency so make sure that you log this information but maintain it as carefully as possible.

 

Lessons from the Joan Rivers Estate

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Category: Asset Protection Planning Beneficiaries Estate Administration Estate Planning For Business Owners Estate Taxes Home Probate Pets Probate Trusts

Joan Rivers was heralded as a stellar performer, but she also left behind a legacy as an incredible businesswoman. Her estate included income, collectibles, and real estate that was estimated in value between $150 million and $250 million. She left behind detailed instructions for her assets after her death, which is rare in a society when many celebrity deaths highlight the weaknesses of their estate plans. Photo Credit: breitbart.com

Looking at her careful planning, there are a few key lessons: be prepared for the unexpected, outline plans for pets, and correctly title the assets. Joan Rivers was also masterful in giving her family a brief overview of the estate plans to help improve clarity and reduce the possibility of arguments. Rivers made use of family trusts to reduce the tax burden for her beneficiaries and titled her assets

appropriately to allow for the smooth transition of business assets. This act alone helped to diminish her capital gains taxes.

Regardless of the size of your estate, proper planning allows you to pass on assets to your heirs in the most efficient manner while minimizing the tax liability. Contact our offices today for a consultation for your business and personal needs through email at info@lawesq.net or contact us via phone at 732-521-9455.

When LLC Members Pass Away: What Are Executor Rights?

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Category: Business Law Business Planning Business Succession Planning Estate Planning For Business Owners LLCs

A recent case highlights some of the questions surrounding the situation mentioned in the title. According to the default rule in New York, the death of a member doesn’t trigger a dissolution of the LLC unless the survivors vote to take action on dissolving.

There are a few important outcomes of this new default rule, known as 701b in the New York LLC law. First, executors only have limited powers in their ability to exercise member rights or to become members themselves. Second, family members who inherit a deceased member’s interests are not admitted for official membership unless those other members consent to this. Third, without such consent, the inheriting family member retains only economic interest, not management or voting powers. Finally, these individuals can be considered non-members and do not have any decision making authority when it comes to judicial dissolutions or mergers and consolidations.

One example of this rule in action is the Budis case. An executor-husband of his late wife had his case dismissed against other LLC members for lack of standing. The operating agreement stated that the death of a member was seen as a voluntary withdrawal, and the estate thus became an interest holder but not a member per se. The solution is to include something in the operating agreement stating that a family member or executor inheriting the deceased’s LLC interest should be treated as a member of the LLC with all rights and powers afforded to other LLC members. To learn more about protecting your interests in an LLC, contact us today info@lawesq.net or via phone at 732-521-9455

Avoiding Estate Planning Mistakes: Unfunded Living Trusts

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Category: Estate Planning Estate Planning for Attorney Estate Planning For Business Owners

When used properly, living trusts can be valuable tools for passing on assets. When planned for early on, you can really maximize what a beneficiary gets out of a living trust. Unfortunately, individuals don’t always plan correctly with the living trust. If you forget to put any assets into the trust, for example, you’ll miss out on the opportunity for assets to be passed to heirs outside of the probate process. After the trust is set up, you’ll need to retitle assets into the trust’s name.

Avoiding Estate Planning Mistakes Unfunded Living Trusts
(Photo Credit: kiplinger.com)

Simply listing the assets you plan to transfer with a schedule attached to the trust may not be enough. The schedule is more like a notification of the assets you do plan to transfer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve actually transferred those assets. Real property is going to require a deed and bank and stock accounts will need to be retitled by financial institutions. You can speak with a professional estate planner to learn more about the steps to follow after establishing a living trust.

There are numerous trust possibilities that can help maximize asset value and minimize the influence of taxes, but you have to follow through on setting them up properly. To learn more about living trusts as an estate planning tool, email info@lawesq.net or reach out at 732-521-9455.

For the Furry Ones in Your Life: Estate Planning With Pets in Mind

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Category: Estate Planning Estate Planning for Attorney Estate Planning For Business Owners Estate Planning for Children

Although many people have heard about the traditional aspects of estate planning, like a will, it’s all too often forgotten that you may have others you need to include in your plans. The majority of houses across the country have pets inside, and it’s worth considering what you’d like to happen to your animals if something happens to you. Pets are treated as personal property, so it’s crucial that you do a little research about where you’d like them to go.

For the Furry Ones in Your Life Estate Planning With Pets in Mind
(Photo Credit: the-hunting-dog.com)

A pet trust, for example, can outline the type of care your animals will receive after you pass away. With a funded pet trust, you can rest assured that your animals will be taken care of no matter what. This trend is expanding in use across the estate planning industry. A first step in your pet plan is to write a description of all animals, including any distinguishing characteristics. This helps to avoid copycat pets or mistakes receiving care that you intended for your own animals. Microchip numbers, too, should be included for identity verification.

You can work with an estate planning professional to determine the cost of care for your animal. Factor in vet care, routine medications, any special supplements, pet insurance, and food, multiplied by the life expectancy of your pet. Talking this over with any family members can be helpful for establishing those who may want to care for your animals, too. Have questions about pet trusts or other planning tools? Send us an email at info@lawesq.net or contact us via phone at 732-521-9455.