You may think that you should not be concerned about the estate tax because it’s been repealed. Even if the estate tax does not affect you, there are substantial non-tax reasons to do estate planning.
If you don’t put together an estate plan, you still have an estate plan.
In California, it’s called “intestate succession,” and assets are distributed according to state law. “Probate” also applies. These rules for distributing your assets may be vastly different from what you might want, and that’s why estate planning is an essential part of your financial life.
The emphasis of estate planning is to ensure that family, business and financial needs are met.
The estate tax affects people who have struggled to win at life. They are successful investors and entrepreneurs. The total value of their business, residence, IRA and pension accounts and investments easily eclipse the lifetime exclusion amount. Although the lifetime exclusion is now $1,500,000 – even folks who have lived a modest life have accumulated significant financial wealth.
At BillDove.com, we can show you how the estate tax will affect you, and demonstrate strategies to mitigate or even avoid the death tax altogether.