Articles Posted in Estate Taxes

The idea of “portability” is an important part of many estate plans. Portability is technically an informal word referring to a federal tax-saving option using the deceased spouse’s unused exemption (DSUE). Essentially, portability is a tool for married couples that, when used prudently, can shave millions of dollars off an estate tax bill.

Under the current law, assets under $5.34 million are exempt from the federal estate tax (though the New York tax kicks in far lower at $1 million). Importantly, there are unlimited tax-free transfers allowed between spouses. That means that if one spouse dies and leaves everything to the other, then there will not be a federal estate tax burden, regardless of how many assets are passed on.

However, when the surviving spouse passes away and transfers those assets to others–perhaps adult children–then the tax would apply to assets over the individual exemption level of $5.34 million. But portability changes that. Instead of using only an individual exemption, a surviving couple may be able to use any unused exemption from their former spouse in addition to their own. This means that up to $10.68 million may be exempt from the tax. In short, portability can save an estate millions of dollars in taxes.

When most hear the phrase “estate battle” the mind immediately jumps to fighting between families. Sadly, in the tumult of a passing, it is not uncommon for even close relatives to disagree sharply over how an assets should be divided. However, estate fights can also refer to legal problems related to taxes and the IRS. Tax matters are intricately woven into estate matters, and when problems arise, you can be sure that the IRS will be ready to defend their position in court.

How Much Was Jackson’s Estate Worth?

To understand how these IRS estate battles often play out, one need look no further than continued wrangling over perhaps one of the largest estates in recent memory. Famed entertainer Michael Jackson died in 2009. However, the estate is still fighting with the Internal Revenue Service regarding how many taxes need to be paid.

The New York Times reported late last month on a growing trend across the country–discussions about lowering estate tax obligations on state residents. The estate tax is the bite the government takes out of an individual’s assets before they go to heirs. There are two layers of tax, at the federal and state level. Under current law, the federal tax kicks in on all assets over $5.34 million for individuals at a top rate of 40%.

But the federal tax is not the only concern of residents, because many individual states have their own tax, including New York. The New York tax starts far lower–at $1 million. This means that even those residents who have no concerns about the federal estate tax still must account for their obligation under state law.

Lower NY Estate Taxes

New York State, known as one of the heavier tax-imposers in the country particularly when it comes to estate tax, may soon be more appealing to retirees. New York may be following on the heels of the federal government’s revamped estate tax codes, which raised exemption amounts to levels that effectively omitted the vast majority of individuals and families from an Uncle Sam estate tax hit. The New York State Tax Relief Commission issued a December 2013 report that proposes changes in 2014 to lower the highest estate tax rate and raise the exemption amount to the same levels as that imposed by the federal government.

The Potential for Major Estate Tax Relief

The federal government and seventeen states impose taxes on estates upon the death of the individual. Each exempts a certain amount of an estate’s net worth from these taxes, although these amounts differ state to state. Thanks to the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, starting in 2013 the federal government began operating under new rules for estate taxes that significantly increased the exemption amount and provided that this value would be indexed each year for inflation.

Many New York residents make charitable giving a part of their estate plan. Whether for estate tax benefits to pass on values and ethics to family members and many other reasons, residents commonly set aside certain assets to go to causes about which they are passionate.

However, according to a new report from a conservative “think tank” if any changes are made to federal rules about charitable tax deductions, then one can expect total giving in the country to decrease by billions each year. Before delving into the details it is critical to point out that the group releasing the study, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), is known as a long-time opponent of all changes which would increase tax revenues. In addition, this AEI estimate is far higher than that found in similar studies by other groups.

The Charitable Giving Report

At the beginning of 2013, a federal compromise was reached which seemed to put to rest the uncertainty surrounding the estate tax. Based on the January law, the federal estate tax excludes property up to $5.25 million this year, with that figure set in the future and pegged for inflation. The top tax rate for assets over that amount is 40%, representing a slight increase from the previous level of 35%. In addition, the new law keeps transfers between spouses tax-free and makes “portability” permanent. Portability is the tool that allows one spouse to take advantage of the other spouse’s unused exemption.

Importantly for New York residents, all of those details apply only to the federal estate tax. There are still New York inheritance taxes to consider which take effect at a far lower level–$1 million.

The Future

Estate tax rates at both the federal and state level are set by lawmakers, and there is little that any individual can do on thee law. However, residents can significantly alter their tax burden with smart estate planning–like prioritizing tax free transfers (to a spouse), using protected trusts, and more.

But there is also another aspect to the estate bill that is often overlooked–the appraisal. The tax burden is based on applying a tax rate to the value of an asset. But who decides the value? Actual laws which set the rates cannot account for this detail, and so disputes about appraisals are quite common, often with millions of dollars on the line.

Theoretically, the value of many different assets can be disputed. But in practical terms there are some types of property that are open to far more value uncertainty, often spurring challenge. Perhaps the most obvious example is that of high-end artwork. There may be significant disagreement about how much each piece of art is worth.