Katya Sverdlov Blog

B.B. King acknowledged 15 children from 15 different women during his life. 11 of the children survived him. Yet the executor of B.
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You may have completed a Will and a Power of Attorney (all by yourself). You may think that your estate plan is in order and you can rest easily. However, you are likely less than half way done!

In general, over half of all assets in the United States pass outside of probate. These include assets that are jointly titled (i.e.
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Income Tax Planning: In general, non-U.S. residents are taxed only on U.S. sourced income.  If the income is considered to be effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (“effectively connected income” or “ECI”) then that income is taxed at graduated rates on a net income basis. If, instead, the income is “fixed, determinable, annual or periodic” (“FDAP”) then it is subject to a flat 30% tax on gross income (or lower if there is an income tax treaty). FDAP income usually consists of interest, dividends, rents and royalties. Interest on U.S. bank deposit is exempt from U.S. tax for non-U.S. residents.

Estate and Gift Tax Planning.

Assets subject to gift and estate tax:  For U.S. residents the tax applies to property and assets situated everywhere in the world.   In contrast, non-U.S. residents are subject to a gift and estate tax only on U.S. real and tangible personal property.

Gift Tax Exclusions: Similar to a U.S. resident, a non-U.S. resident can make a tax-free annual gift up to $14,000, can make unlimited charitable gifts, and can make unlimited gifts on behalf of donees directly to educational or medical institutions.

Gifts to spouse. The amount of gift tax exclusion  depends on the citizenship of the donee spouse. A citizen spouse may receive unlimited gifts of U.S. assets from his spouse.  A non-citizen spouse can only receive $148,000 per year prior to a tax being imposed.

Estate Tax. U.S. citizens and residents have a $5.45MM estate tax exemption from federal taxes.  In contrast, a non-U.S. resident is permitted only a $60,000 exemption. All property situated in the United States and owned at the death of a non-U.S. resident is included in the U.S. taxable estate, including retirement assets and stocks. Some assets, such as bank accounts and life insurance proceeds, are excluded.

Disclaimer: This article only offers general information.  Each situation is unique. It is always helpful to talk to a specialized attorney, to figure out your various options and ramifications of actions.  As every case has subtle differences, please do not use this article for legal advice. Only a signed engagement letter will create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

The very first question to determine during planning is whether a non-citizen individual is considered a U.S. resident for income tax purposes and for estate tax purposes.

For income tax purposes, a non-citizen is considered a U.S. resident if the individual meets any one of these tests: (1) green card test or (2) the substantial presence test (present in US for at least 31 days during the current year and at least 183 days for three prior years using a weighted average calculation). If an individual is considered a U.S. resident for income tax purposes, he will be taxed on the worldwide income.

For estate and gift taxes, a non-citizen is considered a U.S. resident if the individual intends to establish a domicile in the United States. A domicile is a person’s permanent place of abode in which the person intends to remain indefinitely or to which the person intends to return. One can have multiple residences, but only one domicile.  This question is a subjective inquiry where many factors are considered, including income tax filing status, jurisdiction of the driver’s license, visa status, and location of person’s family and friends. The burden of proof is on the taxpayer to establish his domicile.

The difference in the outcome between U.S. residents and non-U.S. residents is huge: U.S. residents have an estate and gift tax exemption of $5.45MM, while non-U.S. residents have an estate tax exemption of only $60,000.

Disclaimer: This article only offers general information.  Each situation is unique. It is always helpful to talk to a specialized attorney, to figure out your various options and ramifications of actions.  As every case has subtle differences, please do not use this article for legal advice. Only a signed engagement letter will create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

There are many reasons why one would want to withdraw money from an investment real estate. Some of these reasons include: no longer willing to manage the property, no longer needing the income tax benefit, desiring liquidity or desiring diversification in one’s investments.

1. The easiest way of monetizing a real estate property is selling it. However, with a sale come a host of costs. These costs include brokerage fees and income taxes (both federal and state). Depending on the level of appreciation and on prior depreciation deductions, the gain can be quite substantial and may result in a net amount received that is significantly less than the sale price.

2. There are methods of minimizing the income taxes on the sale of the property. These methods include:

           a.    An installment sale. This is a method of sale where at least one payment occurs after the year in which the disposition took place. Under this method, gain is not taxed when the disposition occurs, gain is recognized gradually as the payments are received.

           b. Borrowing against the property. If one wants to create liquidity while retaining ownership of the property, one can borrow against it. There are no tax consequences to this method. Cash can be used for other purposes.

            c. Like-kind exchange under 1031. This method provides a tax-deferral mechanism. No federal gain or loss is recognized where a real estate property held for use in a trade or business or for investment is exchanged for another “like-kind” property. There are several specific steps that must be taken to qualify for the exemption under section 1031. 

            d. Contributing property to a Charitable Remainder Trust (“CRT”). If one is at least somewhat charitably inclined, one can contribute property to this trust, where specified payments are made to a non-charitable beneficiary for a number of years and the remainder goes to charity. There are many tax advantages to this transaction, the main one being that upon a sale of the property by the CRT, no federal income taxes are due.

Disclaimer: This article only offers general information.  Each situation is unique. It is always helpful to talk to a specialized attorney, to figure out your various options and ramifications of actions.  As every case has subtle differences, please do not use this article for legal advice. Only a signed engagement letter will create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING