income

2017 Estate and Gift Tax Update – A Quick Snapshot

Every year I like to post a quick Estate and Gift Tax update for you to reference throughout the year. This way, if you’re anything like me, you won’t find yourself constantly “Googling” different estate and gift tax thresholds at the beginning of the year for a quick refresher on the updated thresholds. The purpose of this post is to provide a snapshot of some of the most common 2017 estate and gift tax thresholds, tax rates, exemptions, elections, etc. Feel free to use this how you see fit. Additionally, if you have any other commonly used 2017 estate and/or gift tax updates that I may have left off the list, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Federal Gift Tax

  • Lifetime Exemption: $5,490,000
  • Annual Exclusion: $14,000
  • Gift-Splitting: Yes, if married and spouse consents (i.e., annual exclusion is $28,000 for married couples)
  • Rate: 40% on gifts above the lifetime exemption (plus the annual exclusion)

Federal Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax

  • Exemption: $5,490,000
  • Portability: No
  • Rate: 40% on generation-skipping transfers above the exemption

Federal Estate Tax

  • Exemption: $5,490,000 (exemption is decreased by lifetime gifts)
  • Portability: Yes (i.e., surviving spouse may elect to use deceased spouse’s unused exemption, in effect, giving married couples an exemption of $10,980,000)
  • Rate: 40% on the value of the estate above the exemption amount

Federal Income Tax for Trusts and Estates

  • Tax Brackets: see chart below
  • Tax Rates: see chart below
  • Net Investment Income Tax: A 3.8% surcharge tax on net investment income applies to trusts and estates that are above the $12,500 income threshold (i.e., the marginal tax rate on net investment income above that threshold is then 43.4%)
  • Distributable Net Income: Net income that is distributed to beneficiaries of a trust or estate is taxed at the beneficiaries’ level and not at the trust or estate’s level
Chart: Federal Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates
If Taxable Income is: The Tax is:
Not over $2,550 15% of the taxable income
Over $2,550 but not over $6,000 $382.50 plus 25% of the excess over $2,550
Over $6,000 but not over $9,150 $1,245.00 plus 28% of the excess over $6,000
Over $9,150 but not over $12,500 $2,127.00 plus 33% of the excess over $9,150
Over $12,500 $3,232.50 plus 39.6% of the excess over $12,500


State Taxes

Each State has its own set of rules when it comes to estate tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, and income taxation of trusts and estates. Be sure to check with a professional in your State for an update.

For a complete summary of all 2017 Federal tax-related inflation adjustments see Rev. Proc. 2016-55, available here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-16-55.pdf.

I hope this helps!

-Matt

 

© 2016 Matthew D. Brehmer and Crummey Estate Plan.

2016 Estate and Gift Tax Update – A Quick Snapshot

Last year it dawned on me that a lot of us out there, including myself, find ourselves constantly “Googleing” different estate and gift tax thresholds throughout the beginning of the year for a quick refresher on the updated thresholds. The purpose of this post is to provide a snapshot of some of the most common 2016 estate and gift tax thresholds, tax rates, exemptions, elections, etc. Feel free to use this how you see fit. Additionally, if you have any other commonly used 2016 estate and/or gift tax updates that I may have left off the list, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Federal Gift Tax

  • Lifetime Exemption: $5,450,000
  • Annual Exclusion: $14,000
  • Gift-Splitting: Yes, if married and spouse consents (i.e., annual exclusion is $28,000 for married couples)
  • Rate: 40% on gifts above the lifetime exemption (plus the annual exclusion)

Federal Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax

  • Exemption: $5,450,000
  • Portability: No
  • Rate: 40% on generation-skipping transfers above the exemption

Federal Estate Tax

  • Exemption: $5,450,000 (exemption is decreased by lifetime gifts)
  • Portability: Yes (i.e., surviving spouse may elect to use deceased spouse’s unused exemption, in effect, giving married couples an exemption of $10,900,000)
  • Rate: 40% on the value of the estate above the exemption amount

Federal Income Tax for Trusts and Estates

  • Tax Brackets: see chart below
  • Tax Rates: see chart below
  • Net Investment Income Tax: A 3.8% surcharge tax on net investment income applies to trusts and estates that are above the $12,300 income threshold (i.e., the marginal tax rate on net investment income above that threshold is then 43.4%)
  • Distributable Net Income: Net income that is distributed to beneficiaries of a trust or estate is taxed at the beneficiaries’ level and not at the trust or estate’s level
Chart: Federal Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates
If Taxable Income is: The Tax is:
Not over $2,550 15% of the taxable income
Over $2,550 but not over $5,950 $382.50 plus 25% of the excess over $2,550
Over $5,950 but not over $9,050 $1,232.50 plus 28% of the excess over $5,950
Over $9,050 but not over $12,400 $2,100.50 plus 33% of the excess over $9,050
Over $12,400 $3,206 plus 39.6% of the excess over $12,400

State Taxes

Each State has its own set of rules when it comes to estate tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, and income taxation of trusts and estates. Be sure to check with a professional in your State for an update.

For a complete summary of all 2016 Federal tax-related inflation adjustments see Rev. Proc. 2015-53, available here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-15-53.pdf.

I hope this helps!

-Matt

 

© 2015 Matthew D. Brehmer and Crummey Estate Plan.

Medicaid Planning: The Fundamentals

Below is a one page summary regarding Medicaid Planning in Wisconsin that we provide our clients with when discussing Medicaid Planning (the laws regarding Medicaid Planning may be different in your State). It should be noted that, much like tax and estate planning, an experienced professional should be consulted if you are thinking about engaging in any Medicaid Planning. It is an extremely complex set of rules and requires up-to-date knowledge (all of the below information is only current and accurate as of September 2015; after such date the information may no longer be current and accurate).

Prior to Applying for Medicaid: The Lookback Period

  • 5 years prior to the date of the Medicaid application
  • All gifts (or divestments) during that lookback period will cause a penalty
  • Penalty calculation:
    • Total amount of gifts (or divestments) divided by average cost of care
      • Average cost of care is $252.95/day
    • Example: You make a $20,000 gift to your child and apply for Medicaid 4 years later.
      • Penalty period: $20,000 divided by $252.95
      • Penalty period = 79.067 days (or just over 2½ months)
    • Therefore, you will not qualify for Medicaid assistance for at least 79 days from the date of application and will have to arrange for care or payment for care yourself.

While Receiving Medicaid: The Resource Limits

  • Resource Limits for Single Persons (or if both spouses apply for Medicaid):
    • Asset Limit: $2,000
    • Irrevocable Burial Trust: $3,000
    • Life Insurance – Face Amount: $1,500
    • Income: $45/month
  • Resource Limits for Couples (if only one spouse is applying for Medicaid and the other spouse remains in the community):
    • Assets: One-half of total countable assets
      • However, not less than $50,000 nor more than $119,220
    • Income: Minimum Monthly Needs Allowance (MMNA) is $2,655/month
  • Exempt Assets:
    • For the Medicaid Applicant –
      • A vehicle
      • Primary residence (if plan to return home or if spouse lives in home)
      • Burial space
    • For Community Spouse (non-Medicaid applicant) –
      • All of the Community Spouse’s retirement assets

After You Pass Away: Estate Recovery – Under certain circumstances, the State of Wisconsin can place liens on your assets and/or recover remaining assets from your Estate after your death.

Planning Opportunities:

  • Self-insure
  • Long-term care insurance
  • Gifting (or divestments) either outright or in trust
  • Other planning opportunities (for example, purchasing annuities, life care agreements, etc.)

I hope this helps!

-Matt

 

© 2015 Matthew D. Brehmer and Crummey Estate Plan.