Top 10 Things Financial Planners Need To Know About Estate Planning

Description

Clients will still need estate planning if the estate tax goes away or exemptions remain at the current high levels. Help guide clients through important considerations.

Attendees will address topics like how to value assets passed to the next generation; how to provide education benefits to grandchildren; how to distribute retirement benefits thoughtfully; and/or how to provide a charitable legacy.

Although the estate tax can affect all of these issues, they all remain without the estate tax. Estate planning has a renewed focus and practitioners who do not specialize in the estate area need to be familiar with the lingo, the acronyms and available techniques.

Highlights

• Exemptions and exclusions
• Portability and step-up in basis
• Asset valuation
• Discounts
• Marital and charitable deductions
• Deductions: Transmission expenses and Administration expenses (706 or 1041)
• Income in respect of a decedent and retirement plan assets
• Life insurance and annuities
• Trust or estate administration
• Trust funding

Objectives

• Identify estate planning issues including latest developments, definitions and document analysis.
• Determine estate tax treatment of various assets, liabilities and expenses.
• Select appropriate strategies and beneficary designations to maximize after-tax assets.
• Recognize issues (such as portability) that necessitate changes to an existing plan..

Designed For

CPAs, financial planners and tax preparers.