Estate and Gift Tax Planning
At Hastings, Laun & Houser LLLC we recognize the necessity of transferring assets with a minimum of tax cost. We work extensively with clients to minimize not only estate taxes but also gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes. We understand our clients’ desires to transfer assets that they spent a lifetime accumulating on a tax-free or tax-deferred basis to their spouse or charities and then on a tax-minimized basis to their children. Additionally, we help our clients take full advantage of the exemptions and exclusions allowed by law.
Estate Planning Representative Tools and Techniques
Representative tools and techniques combined together and used as a foundation for creative tax solutions to minimize gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes include:
- Maximizing annual gift tax exclusions
- Maximizing medical and educational exclusions
- Transferring assets to irrevocable trusts
- GRATs
- CRUTs
- QPRTs
- Making gifts to Section 529 education plans
- Forming, funding, and making gifts utilizing family limited partnerships
- Creating charitable trusts and foundations
The federal estate and gift tax exemptions are constantly changing. Hawai’i’s estate tax exemption is tied to the federal tax, and Hawai’i does not currently have a gift tax. Therefore, frequently reviewing your estate plan with an estate planning attorney at Hastings, Laun & Houser ensures that your plan reflects changes in the federal estate tax laws.