Tax Planning

How to Reduce Federal and Texas Estate Taxes

Published on: September 24, 2021 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

While drafting their estate plan, many individuals do not consider the taxes that will be taken from their assets after their passing. Because every state has different tax rates—and there are both estate tax and inheritance taxes to worry about—it can be confusing for Texans to determine what taxes apply to them. Beyond this, once people discover the estate and inheritance taxes their beneficiaries will be forced to pay, they often ask about strategies to limit their tax implications. Below are common questions and explanations about not only estate and inheritance taxes, but also options to reduce a person’s overall tax liability.

What Estate Planning Taxes Should I Be Worried About?

When drafting an estate plan, individuals should be aware of both estate and inheritance taxes. An estate tax is based on the value of the deceased’s estate. Additionally, the tax is paid from the assets of the deceased’s estate. On the other hand, inheritance taxes are paid by the beneficiaries of the estate based on the amount of assets they receive.

How to Make Texas Your Permanent “Domicile” for Estate Planning Purposes

Published on: August 19, 2021 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Unlike many other states which impose an estate tax at the time of a person’s death, Texas does not have such a tax. Therefore, when people move to Texas from another state many hope to eliminate the state-level inheritance tax from the prior state. To do so, Texans must ensure they are domiciled in Texas. Below are common questions and answers to what a domicile is, along with how to make sure a person is domiciled in Texas.

What Is Domicile?

A domicile is a place where a person has the intent of making their permanent home. A person’s domicile is very similar to their residence; however, while a person can have multiple residences, they can only have one domicile. For example, if a person spends part of the year in Texas and another part in New York, they may have residency in both places—but only one can be their domicile.

How Can Someone Show Where They are Domiciled?

Because a person can only be domiciled in one state, there are actions they can take to show they are domiciled in Texas. For instance, they can file a declaration of domicile form which supports their claim of being domiciled in Texas. Besides filling out this form, the individual must provide two acceptable documents to support their claim of domicile. These documents can include a current deed, mortgage or rental lease agreement in Texas, a utility bill with a Texas address, a Texas high school or college transcript, a pay stub from a Texas company, or a W-2 from an employer—amongst other acceptable documents.

Individuals can take other actions beyond a declaration to support their claim for domicile in Texas. This includes registering to vote in Texas, filing personal tax returns from their Texas address, redrafting wills to state the person is a resident of Texas and obtaining a Texas driver’s license.

How May Changes to Estate and Gift Tax Impact Texans?

Published on: June 7, 2021 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Although there has recently been a lot of news out of Washington, D.C.—particularly the COVID-19 Relief Bill—many individuals are interested in the 2022 fiscal year budget and the proposed changes that will be made. This includes expected capital gains and dividend tax rate increases for high-income individuals, along with any potential individual income tax rate increases. Another critical change is the expected estate and gift tax exemption. These changes will be made through the budget in order to fund the COVID-19 Relief Bill. While President Biden’s proposed budget will not be released until later this month, below are common questions about potential changes that will be made and how Texans should prepare their estate plan in the meanwhile.

What Gift and Estate Tax Changes Are Likely to Occur?

Currently, the estate tax and lifetime gift tax exemption is $11.7 million per person and $23.4 million for married couples. This means that if an estate exceeds $11.7 million, currently, when the person passes away, their beneficiaries—the people they are leaving the estate to—will pay a tax of 40% on the remaining value of the estate. If a person’s estate is valued at lower than this, their beneficiaries do not need to pay a tax. Additionally, if a person leaves their estate to their spouse, the spouse does not have to pay an estate tax—even if the value is above the exemption limit.

What Should I Know About Texas Retirement Taxes?

Published on: June 4, 2021 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

When people reach retirement age, many assume that the majority of the taxes they will need to pay are over. However, in many cases, taxes may be even more burdensome once a person has retired. Be it in the form of an estate tax, Roth IRAs, or life insurance plans, seniors have many questions about making the most of their retirement savings and ensuring they are still passing along assets and contributions to their beneficiaries once they have passed. Below are some common questions individuals thinking about retirement planning have, along with explanations to these issues—so Texans can ensure their retirement plan is not chipped away by unknown taxes.

What is the SECURE Act, and How Will it Affect My Retirement?

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019—better known as the SECURE Act—changed many of the rules and regulations for retirement income planning. One fundamental change that affects retirees is the elimination of the stretch IRA. In the past, a stretch IRA has allowed non-spouses that are inheriting a retirement account to stretch out disbursements of the account over their lifetime. Generally, retirees who knew their spouse would have enough money for retirement would utilize a stretch IRA to maintain their family’s assets by naming the youngest person in their family as the beneficiary. Now, the rule requires the beneficiary to receive the full payout of the inherited IRA within ten years of the initial person’s passing.

Will the Senate Estate Tax Bill Impact My Estate Plan?

Published on: April 8, 2021 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

With the recent election and inauguration of the 117th United States Congress, new bills are being introduced that impact all aspects of a person’s life. According to a recent news source, one such bill is Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposed estate and gift tax reform legislation. For individuals with an estate plan in place, the introduction of new legislation gives cause for concern that it may impact their estate plan. The bill will reduce the estate tax exemption to $3,500,000 and increase the estate tax rate from a flat rate to a progressive one. Because the nuances of such a law can be confusing, below are some common questions and answers about the new estate tax bill.

What Does the Bill Propose?

The bill seeks to reduce the estate tax exemption from $11,700,00 to $3,500,000. This means if an estate is valued at over $11,700,000 currently, the heirs of the estate will need to pay a tax. If the proposal is enacted, the heirs of an estate valued at over $3,500,00 will have to pay the tax. Additionally, if the bill passes, anyone who received more than $1,000,000 in gifts from a loved one as a part of their estate plan will have to pay a tax too. The proposed exemption limits are per person; therefore, for married couples, the total exemption limit would be $7,000,000. After 2022, the exemption will continue to rise with inflation.

IRS Postpones Gift and GST Tax Filing Deadline to July 15

Published on: April 3, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

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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 transfer (GST) tax returns. An earlier notice had applied only to federal income tax returns and payments (including self-employment tax payments) due April 15, 2020, for 2019 tax years, and to estimated income tax payments due April 15, 2020, for 2020 tax years.

Notice 2020-20 updates earlier guidance to include the gift and GST deadline extensions.

The CARES Act Essentials for Individual Taxpayers and Small Business Owners

Published on: March 24, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Group of people Signed into law on Friday, March 27, the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act is the biggest economic stimulus package in U.S. history. Below are essential highlights for individuals and small businesses.

Individuals

One-time direct deposits of up to $1,200 for individual taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and $2,400 for joint filers with incomes up to $150,000. An additional $500 for each eligible child can also

Small Businesses Hurt by COVID-19 May Qualify for SBA Disaster Relief Loans

Published on: March 23, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering up to $2 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans for small businesses impacted by the coronavirus, in addition to a resource page detailing eligibility and how to apply.

It’s estimated that some 30 million US small businesses may fall victim to the coronavirus through closures, cancellations and other revenue losses. With no clear end in sight, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering eligible businesses low-interest disaster relief loans to cover operating expenses.

These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%. In order to keep payments affordable, they are offering long-term repayments, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.

Both Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines Extended to July 15, 2020

Published on: March 20, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

6a019b003fe4d5970b0240a518c8f8200b-300x200 “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Friday, March 20th, that the administration has moved the IRS deadline for filing taxes from April 15 to July 15 due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus.”

There has been some confusion about the income tax filing / tax payment deadline extensions. However, on Friday, March 20th, Americans received much needed clarity that both the filing and the payment deadlines have been extended from April 15 to July 15 giving all taxpayers and businesses additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties.

This allows taxpayers and businesses some time to breathe in such a strange and unknowing time. If you are expecting a refund, however, the Treasury Department encourages you go ahead and file as soon as possible – the sooner you file, the sooner you will get your refund.

What to do with a Sudden Windfall

Published on: December 30, 2019 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

It’s a problem that most people wish they had: a sudden influx of money, sometimes a lot of money. It can be overwhelming, and the most important thing to do is—nothing, at first.

The first thing to do when you are newly flush with money, is take a few deep breaths. Then take a long, clear look at your financial status, advises WMUR.com’s recent article, “Handling unexpected wealth.”

Depending on how much you have received, you could be in a very different place financially. You should take an in-depth look at your net worth and cash flow.