When crafting their estate plan, many individuals want to leave assets or gifts to their children, grandchildren, or other loved ones under the age of 18. However, there can be unique issues presented when gifting assets to minors, as compared to other adults. Most people do not consider these implications…
Because there are proposed and implemented changes every year to the federal and state tax code, Texans should always be vigilant as to how these changes affect their gifting practices and their estate plans. In many cases, without the assistance of an estate planning attorney, these changes may seem minuscule…
When individuals are crafting their estate plan, they often think about the younger loved ones in their lives—be it children, nieces and nephews, or grandchildren. They may want to leave property, financial assets, or family heirlooms to these minors. However, because minors usually lack the legal capacity to own property,…
A new year often brings new changes. Along with New Year’s resolutions that individuals make to become healthier, improve their lifestyle, and be kinder, others may resolve to create or update their estate plan. Because of this, it is important to know the federal and Texas estate planning laws that…
A federal bill working its way through Congress will have dramatic implications for Texans and their estate plans. Once the bill becomes law, some of the estate planning techniques that have assisted Americans with sizeable estates will no longer be available. Fortunately, there is still time for Houston residents to…
Estate planning is a critical process designed to designate and distribute a person’s assets upon their death, among other things. A Houston estate plan documents a person’s wishes if they become incapacitated or die and specifies who will effectuate the deceased’s wishes. These plans usually involve drafting wills and trusts,…
With colleges starting the fall semester around the country, worries about paying for higher education and making ends meet often come to students’ minds. Family members, like parents and grandparents, will often want to help their loved one pay for college if they are able to; however, at the same…
The Internal Revenue Service is postponing the date for filing gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax returns and making payments until July 15, 2020, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The IRS has expanded the list of deadline extensions for federal taxes and tax returns to include gift and generation-skipping…
Wealth transfer occurs in a number of different ways, and sometimes there are too many choices. How do you decide which strategy to use? Start by educating yourself about some of the fundamentals of lifetime gifting. Gifting strategies are used to minimize the tax burden on estates and preserve assets,…
Estate tax, death tax, income tax and inheritance tax: what do they mean for your estate and your heirs? You’ll want to be sure to know the difference between them, as you create your estate plan. Most people don’t have to worry about the federal estate tax, which is often…