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Tag: Federal Estate Tax

Is Collecting Life Insurance Before Filing The Will Allowed?

Posted on Fri Sep 9, 2016, on Probate and Estate Administration

From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: “My father died recently, and I am the executor. I will file his Will next week. But my siblings have already contacted the life insurance company to collect the life insurance. Can they receive the life insurance before I file the Will? Is collecting life insurance before filing the Will proper?”

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Estate Tax Update February 2015

Posted on Tue Feb 3, 2015, on Estate Planning

In this recurring piece, I’d like to key you into recent tax news that can affect or guide your estate planning. In this edition, we’ll cover estate tax legislation affecting State tax laws in 2014 and beyond. Specifically, we’ll cover the inheritance and/or estate taxes in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Components of a Philadelphia Estate

Posted on Tue Jul 15, 2014, on Estate Planning

All your assets are included in your estate. For estate planning purposes, your estate includes all the assets that you own at your death that could be used to pay your debts. This would include things that you own in your own name or things that you own jointly with others, including real property and bank accounts. It also includes your personal property, such as jewelry, cars or furniture. Your assets may also include your qualified plans (IRAs, 401ks, etc.) and life insurance, assets that you typically would have beneficiary designations.

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Estate Planning Opportunities; Use Them or Lose Them!

Posted on Mon Sep 17, 2012, on Estate Planning

Only a little over three months remain to maximize estate tax and gift tax opportunities that are scheduled to disappear in 2013. There is still time, but if you are going to act you need to start working with your estate planning lawyer soon.

Never have the Gift Tax and Estate Tax exemptions been higher than they are currently. The Federal Estate and Gift Tax Exemptions are currently $5,120,000.00. If congress takes no actions, these exemptions fall to $1,000,000.00 in 2013. This change exposes to taxation an additional $4,120,000 to those who die or gift in 2013 vs. 2012, increasing the tax due by hundreds if not millions of dollars.¹

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Using an Irrevocable Trust to Reduce Taxes

Posted on Mon Jul 11, 2011, on Trusts

The new tax rules for 2011 and 2012 increase the applicable exclusion amount that can be used to give away $5 million free of gift tax. This provides a unique opportunity to shift wealth out of your estate to your children or other heirs and a vehicle to reduce estate tax. By using an irrevocable trust the wealth can be protected from your children’s divorces, creditors and from estate and inheritance taxes when those same assets later pass to or in further trust for your grandchildren when your children die.

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What Our clients are saying

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Joseph Atencio

I've been through the process of creating and revising estate documents several times over the years and it's never been easier than it was with Peter Klenk. Always available and a master at explain arcane tax and legal issues in plain English for "dummies". I recommend the firm without reservation.

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Holger Bäuerle

We have been using Klenk law for a decade. Always good advice and fast execution. Highly recommended!

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Richard Test

Very knowledgeable and easy to work with. Also very competitive pricing. Recommended to me by another attorney. First class service from start to finish.

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Monika Patryn

I highly recommend this firm. Jackie was a pleasure to work with. I left there’s well educated and had all my questions answered.

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Dave Wong

Very easy to deal with. Like the fact they are focused on estate planning and their expertise in this area shows. Peter and staff were helpful and easy to communicate with.

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