“Although the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the risk of estate tax liability exposure for 99% of the estates, your estate is still at risk.”
The unknown events of life include financial perils. They don’t disappear just because you try to ignore them. There are more threats to your financial future and personal health than an estate tax, says Newsmax Finance in its article “Your Estate is at Risk.” There is also legal liability, which is a commonplace event in our increasingly litigious society.
For many people, the first experience with litigation is a divorce. Even in the best of circumstances, it’s a difficult situation. In a bad situation, it’s a nightmare for all concerned. What would happen if you became disabled? It’s more likely that someone will become disabled during the course of their life than that they will die prematurely.
Do you have a health care power of attorney, so someone you trust is empowered to make decisions on your behalf if you became disabled? What about a durable power of attorney so a person you trust, who also has some financial savvy, can take over for you if you can’t do things, like pay bills or manage your business?
If you don’t have these documents in place, a court-appointed person will be assigned as your guardian. That is not something you want to happen.
If you’ve created a private business, you also need to plan for succession. Too many business owners let their businesses die along with them, leaving families, employees and clients stranded. Transitioning a business for succession or to be managed in your absence takes planning.
All of these issues can be dealt with in an estate plan, which you should have created for you by an estate planning attorney. The attorney should be someone you trust, who has experience helping people with the same challenges as your situation, whether that’s a blended family or a privately held family business.
Cincinnati estate planners know how to use certain methods to help individuals and families make the most of their assets, limit their tax liabilities and plan for the future. There are many different tools available, from different types of trusts to the basics, like a will, power of attorney, and health care power of attorney, to make sure you and your family have the correct protection in place.
Going through the estate planning process is a useful experience, since it gives you and your spouse a chance to review your life’s accomplishments from a long-term perspective, prepare for events like retirement or funding a child or grandchild’s college education and taking care of this important element of adulthood.
Remember: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When making your estate plans or when probating an estate or administering a trust, do not go it alone. Be sure to engage a Cincinnati estate planning attorney.
Reference: Newsmax Finance (Jan. 14, 2019) “Your Estate is at Risk”
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