Re: Limited Information Case!
Current fact-pattern (albeit scarce)
This was a case which a professional advisor brought to us. We did not engage this client because there was a lack of facts collected. However, we did want to demonstrate to the advisor, that there were options his client could consider if there were more accurate facts.[1] As a professional advisor you must obtain many accurate facts of the current situations. This was a case which had great potential; however, the client was not willing to put the work needed to find solutions.
Dad is planning on leaving family business to son A, with son B to inherit other assets. Dad is hell-bent on leaving business at death to get the stepped-up basis. Which is fine if you know all the facts, but he didn’t know all the facts, nor did his advisor council him on them.
There is no certified appraisal of the business, worth $10,000,000(owner suggested). Spouse would inherit other property (rental real estate and residence along with stock portfolio about $5,000,000). There are no mortgages on the commercial real estate or the residence.
- There is no certified appraisal of the business.
- No estimate of real estate value.
- Dad’s health is questionable.
- No life insurance or corporate benefits other than health insurance.
- Estate documents are very old- 25 years old.
- Accountant was not proactive in the planning.
- Advisor did some investing for the estate owner.
MODELING: Until we had more facts about the client’s situation we are limited in our models. However, there are some hypotheticals as options. As mentioned, the options available need more facts before for these can be considerations.
- Do a current certified appraisal. The cost to litigate in Federal Tax Court compared to a certified appraisal is dramatic.
- Recapitalization of company, creating non-voting stock to create a minority discount, and to use the gift tax exemption to gift this stock to his son maximized before 2026 the gift tax exemption and estate exemption ends.
- Family trust for income purposes for the spouse with son B as beneficiary. (stepped up basis, and unified credit available)
- If exemption credit were less at dad’s death after 2026, use marital deduction and continue gifting program.
- There is also the possibility that Dad could gift limited shares to Son A and then also sell the other shares to Son A with a SCIN[2]. Self-Cancelling Installment note based on his health this could be a consideration.
- If company was a pass-through company, spouse could enjoy income from the company after dad’s death without employment.
- Suggested using the company to create tax-effective benefits for the family members, such as a Cash Balance Account, Executive Compensation such as Deferred Compensation.
- Family could set up an irrevocable trust funding it with a second to die life insurance policy and gift the premiums to the trust. The tax-free life insurance death benefits could clear up any liabilities, taxes, or level more of the estate value to the sons.
Keep in mind, this is a hypothetical model, and there are many more directions which we could go. It is extremely important that the professional advisor get as much information they can from the clients, and their other advisors, so there is a correct representation of the current situation. In this way, you can build the models needed to satisfy the clients financial wishes.
[1] DISCLAIMER: we did not engage this client. Lack of facts.
[2] This is a method of transferring property when the mortality of the owner is questionable because of health issures. There is a premium that must be paid on the sale. If the owner lives longer than mortality, the family will end up paying more. However, if death occurred less than mortality, the note would be cancelled. (owner must not be terminal ill when they enter this transaction.)
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