The Wealth & Wisdom Blog

Information on Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration and Unique Asset Planning

Minnesota Tax Law Update

“Dad, it’s so cold outside. Why can’t we live in a warmer state like Grandma and Grandpa?”

This past week, a few of my clients called me from their winter residences in Florida and Arizona.  In addition to their own estate planning matters, we discussed the significant temperature differential between our respective locations.  On a somewhat related note, Governor Walz recently announced his proposals for state estate tax and income tax changes.  In this month’s advisory update, I summarize a few of the Governor’s proposals and provide a brief comments as an estate planning practitioner.

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2020 Year-End Tax Update and Planning in a Time of Uncertainty

Our new constitution is now established and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”  Benjamin Franklin’s letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789.

For many of us, the end of the calendar year could not come soon enough.  Between the social unrest, political turmoil, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic and societal upheaval created thereby, few of us will shed any tears for the end of the 2020 calendar year. Looking ahead, many clients and fellow advisors lament the lack of certainty surrounding government institutions, the future of tax laws, and perhaps the economic outlook.

In this time of uncertainty, I encourage our clients to make decisions based upon the certainties of life, decisions based upon their faith, their love for their families, and their charitable endeavors. Over this past year, I have been honored to help some clients make significant lifetime gifts.  Some clients have helped with an adult child’s unexpected living expense costs, other clients with educational costs of their grandchildren, and other clients with the establishment of charitable strategies. While tax law changes might impact the tax efficacy of such lifetime gifting decisions, I am certain that none of the clients that I assisted this past year with significant gifting matters will regret their gifting decisions, given that these decisions were ultimately driven by non-tax considerations.

Keeping in mind that tax rules are likely to change in the coming years, we should plan on the following tax rules going into 2021:

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Four Strategies for Funding a Grandchild’s College Costs

Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole with weapons singularly ill-designed for that purpose.”  Winston Churchill.

As a golfer, I have come to realize, through many poorly-played rounds, that the use of the correct “tool” (that is, club selection) is of critical importance in executing the appropriate strategy.  For those endeavoring to complete a home improvement project, I am told that having the appropriate tool on hand is key to the efficient completion of your project.

Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of representing several clients who have shared a common planning objective: to provide for the educational costs of their grandchildren.  Ideally, a grandparent will have the personal satisfaction of seeing their granddaughter or grandson move the tassels on their cap and hear Pomp and Circumstance at a post-pandemic graduation ceremony.   Just as certain tools are better than others when it comes to golf or home improvement projects, the most appropriate gifting strategy should be customized for each family.  In this month’s update, I provide a brief overview of four different gifting strategies that grandparents could implement to assist grandchildren with educational costs.

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In-Laws and Estate Planning

“Well, that was a son-in-law.” So exclaimed my golf playing partner immediately after he drove his tee shot off the first tee right into the trees, resulting in a penalty stroke. “What do you mean,” I asked my friend, what does that errant golf shot have to do with a son-in-law? “Not what I had in mind,” he responded.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have seen a marked increase in the number of clients expressing concern about how their son-in-law or daughter-in-law might impact their estate planning decisions, particularly lifetime gifts to their adult children. These conversations may be a result of marital stresses aggravated by the pandemic but, regardless, with more onerous tax rules on the horizon, more clients are concerned about how a son-in-law or daughter-in-law would impact lifetime gifts to adult children. This month’s update provides a few thoughts related to the management of a difficult son-in-law or daughter-in-law within estate planning decisions.

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Annual Exclusion Gifts

Do your givin’ while your livin’ so your know’n where its goin’.  Unknown Poet and Estate Planner

Many of my clients share with me their pleasure in seeing their family use and enjoy gifts made by them. Whether it is paying for a nice dinner out with the family (remember those days?), a vacation adventure with the grandkids, or even paying some of a grandchild’s staggering educational costs, my clients generally feel that making such significant lifetime gifts are a good use of hard-earned assets.  For my part, I am glad to remind them of the tax planning benefits of making such lifetime gifts. In last month’s update, I provided a brief overview of the policy position of Biden and Trump and how those positions would impact estate planning.  Ahead of the tax law changes I believe to be on the horizon, this month’s update provides a brief summary of “annual exclusion gifts.”

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An Estate Planner’s Perspective on the Election

“The only thing constant in life is change.”  Heraclitus, Greek philosopher.

Ahead of the upcoming November election, this month’s update provides a brief overview of those policy positions of Joe Biden and Donald Trump that impact estate planning decisions.  I am by no means attempting to endorse a candidate, to or to predict the outcome. I am predicting, however, that federal tax law changes will occur in the coming four to five years. As a result, clients will need to carefully consider how these federal tax law changes impact their estate planning.

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Distributing Tangible Property

Grandpa, who is going to get your fishing boat when you die?

Apparently my estate planning mind started early—at around age 6 or 7.  After a beautiful afternoon of fishing with my grandfather on a rural Minnesota lake, I broke the silence of the car ride home with the most indelicate of questions.  My grandfather not only laughed it off, but decided to reward my frank question by updating his estate plan to distribute the boat to me.  In memory of that fine day (we caught our maximum allowance of sunfish, I am sure of it), and with all the fishing tackle being put to good use this summer, this month’s update provides a few thoughts related to the transfer of personal property.

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Controlling the Narrative of Your Legacy

How will you like to be remembered?  What will be the defining element of your legacy?

Since his death, George Floyd’s name has become synonymous with a global call to address systemic racism.  Millions of people around the world have spoken out and marched in an effort to address systematic racism.  At a personal level, our oldest son Micah Wessman died unexpectedly in 2009.  Following his death, my wife and I founded a nonprofit organization now called Hope for the Mourning to help fellow grieving parents.  While both George Floyd and Micah Wessman have a legacy beyond their own lifetimes, neither of them had a choice in creating that legacy.

Many of us will, however, have the opportunity to control the narrative of our legacy. Especially in these difficult days of the global pandemic, I have had the opportunity to discuss with some of my clients the legacy we hope to leave.  The preparation of a “Legacy Letter,” also known as an Ethical Will, allows us to articulate those desires.  While holding no legal significance, a Legacy Letter can serve as an autobiographical narrative, a proclamation for family and friends of one’s deeply-held beliefs.  You and your clients might consider writing a Legacy Letter for the following reasons:

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Cory Wessman Legacy Letter

I have encouraged many of my clients to create a Legacy Letter, also known as an Ethical Wil. As of Summer, 2020, I thought I would share mine as an example.

I want to be remembered as a follower of Jesus Christ.  I also want to be remembered as a kind and gentle husband and father, a generous giver of time and resources, a patient and wise legal counselor, and an athlete who lacked talent but not desire.

It is my hope that my single greatest legacy is to spur my family, friends and clients towards a life-long journey with Jesus Christ.  I hope that I used my time and finances to show the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ, and to love Heather, Micah, Owen, Brendan and Kinsley with my whole being.  I hope that my love for the Lord came through in my personal relationships, including my relationships with my work colleagues, clients, and fellow grieving parents.

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Legacy Letters

A family legacy letter, also known as an “Ethical Will,” is a non-legal document that provides surviving family members with one’s wishes and directions for leaving behind a relational, spiritual, and family legacy.  While it is critically important to have one’s legal and financial affairs in order, creating a legal estate plan is only one element of planning well.  In addition to creating a good legal estate plan, we believe that all of us should be working to leave a legacy within our families and communities.  For that reason, clients might prepare a statement, which I call a “Legacy Letter,” also known as an “Ethical Will,” to accompany their legal documents and that provides family members your thoughts on your own legacy in your own words.

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This blog is intended to provide the reader with assistance in understanding various estate planning and trust estate planning concepts. In an effort to keep things as digestible as possible, I have tried to keep each blog post as short as possible.  As a result, an astute reader would see that I often fail to address various exceptions to rules or principals, or how various principles relate to one another.  There are a number of moving parts associated with various planning structures summarized on this blog.  In order to achieve your estate planning objectives, it is important that you receive the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney.  Otherwise, your family may be in a worse position for your having attempted these strategies on your own.  Until we form an attorney-client relationship, you should be aware that your visiting this blog has not formed an attorney-client relationship, and none of this information can be taken as legal advice.  To contact my office about scheduling an appointment, contact us at 612-465-0080.