Estate planning is when tomorrow becomes today! As a result of recent legislation, estate planning has been made surprisingly simple. This mini-course surveys wills, living trusts, gifts, insurance, marital property, and probate avoidance. The will and trust forms are explored along with living wills, durable powers of attorney, and nominations of conservator. ASSIGNMENT
At the start of the materials, participants should identify the following topics for study:
* Estate planning team & administration
* Unlimited marital deduction & applicable exclusion amount
* Primary dispositive plans
* Trusts
* Annual gift tax exclusion
* Annuities & installment sales to family members
* Charitable remainder trusts
* Family limited partnerships
* Buy-sell agreements
* Family documents
Learning Objectives
After reading the materials, participants will be able to:
1. Recognize members of the estate planning team including their role in the estate administration process, specify the unlimited marital deduction requirements, cite the applicable exclusion amount and identify the effects of stepped-up basis particularly, the repealed of modified carryover basis.
2. Determine the limits of a simple will and the advantages and disadvantages of living trusts.
3. Identify specialized estate planning tools and how they permit clients to pass more wealth and save death taxes, cite the uses of a durable power of attorney, and specify instances when a conservatorship is appropriate.
