Estate Planning

April 9, 2014

New York Estate Planning Involves Many Considerations

Planning your estate requires the consideration of many factors. A primary consideration is preparing and executing a Last Will. New York Estate Lawyers are familiar with the basic requirements for creating a valid Will. As set forth in Estates, Powers and Trusts Law Section 3-2.1 a Will should be in writing; signed at the end by the testator and there should be at least two attesting witnesses.

The dispositions that appear in a Will typically are in the form of bequests of specific property or certain sums or percentages of assets as well as a catch all or residuary clause for the balance of an estate.

There are many aspects involved in preparing a Will which include mapping out the appropriate dispositions and including clauses that might create testamentary trusts, the appointment of executors and trustees and tax provisions to lessen the burden of estate taxes. All of these items should be carefully reviewed by the testator with a professional estate planning advisor so that a person’s intentions for the transfer of his estate are properly formulated and effectuated. Continue reading

January 8, 2014

New York Last Will Should Provide for All Contingent Dispositions

by Jules M. Haas

The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has had numerous posts regarding the benefits of estate planning. When a person dies without a Last Will his estate is subject to the laws of intestacy and is distributed to distributees or heirs at law according to statutory priority. When an estate is planned by the drafting and execution of a Last Will, Living Will, Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney, a person has the opportunity to specifically designate the individuals that he intends to benefit from his estate and who will make decisions regarding his affairs.

In the case of a Will, it is essential to clearly name and identify the intended beneficiaries such as “my son, John Smith” or “my friend, Mary Jones.” It is equally important that a Will and other documents specify contingent beneficiaries and alternative fiduciaries. Since a Will may be signed many years, even decades, before a person dies, these alternative provisions are likely to become the effective directions at the time of death. Therefore, the naming of substitute beneficiaries should not just be an afterthought but must be fully considered and carefully drafted as part of the Will Planning process. Failure to do so may disrupt estate settlement and result in the failure of the testator’s desires being expressed and complied with.

A recent example of the problems caused by not properly providing for contingencies in a Will is demonstrated in the case of Estate of Beatrice Thompson. In a decision dated December 23, 2013 and reported in the New York Law Journal, Richmond County Surrogate Robert Gigante was presented with motions for summary judgment in a construction proceeding. These types of proceedings are commenced when the Court’s assistance is needed to determine the meaning or effect of unclear or ambiguous terms in a Will. It appears that the decedent wife had written a Will that left her entire estate to her husband. However, the husband pre-deceased the decedent and the Will failed to provide for a disposition of the estate in the event of the husband’s death. The Court denied the motions since it found that questions of fact existed regarding the decedent’s disposition of the estate residue in view of the lack of any specific language disposing of the estate property.

Thompson is a good demonstration of the need for New York Will lawyers to assist their clients and provide documents that explicitly identify contingent beneficiaries. It is equally essential that all Trust and Wills have detailed provisions to cover all assets and dispositions. In a recent case the late Charlie’s Angels star, Farrah Fawcett, left all her artwork to her alma mater. As reported by the Associated Press on December 19, 2013 at HollywoodReporter.com, at the time of her death an Andy Warhol portrait was located in her condominium. However, Ms. Fawcett’s companion, film star Ryan O’Neal, claimed that the portrait really belonged to him. After a trial a jury decided in O’Neal’s favor. The lesson to be learned is that specifying items in a Will or Trust that may belong to others can avoid long and costly Court battles.

December 18, 2013

New York Estate Taxes May Change in the Coming Year

by Jules M. Haas

Estate taxes are an important aspect of estate planning and estate administration. A New York estate planning attorney typically recognizes that minimizing estate tax is important so that the maximum amount of assets can be passed on to beneficiaries for their benefit. The manner in which an individual provides for tax protection will be reflected in the monetary impact estate taxes will have in estate settlement.

At present the Federal government provides an exemption of up to $5,250,000 before estate taxes are incurred. As noted in prior posts in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog all transfers between spouses are exempt from estate and gift taxes. The value of a decedent’s gross estate for tax purposes is determined by adding all of the assets that he had an interest in at the time of death such as real estate, bank funds, retirement funds, stocks and bonds, business interests, etc.

However, under present law in New York the exemption from New York estate taxes is only $1,000,000. The difference in the exemption amounts between the Federal law ($5,250,000) and New York State law ($1,000,000) created difficulty for estate planning since an estate may be able to be exempt under federal law but incur New York State tax. This problem with a high federal exemption and low state exemption is not confined to New York. In a recent post in Forbes.com by Ashlea Ebeling dated November 1, 2013 entitled “Where Not To Die In 2014: The Changing Wealth Tax Landscape”, the problem of low exemption states is discussed. As pointed out in the post, in 2014 the Federal exemption will increase to $5,340,000.00. Thus, an estate of this size will pay no federal estate tax. However, since New York only has a $1,000,000.00 exemption, an estate of $5,340,000.00 would result in a New York estate tax of $431,600.00.

Recently, a commission appointed by New York Governor Cuomo called the New York State Tax Relief Commission, issued a report in which it recommended that New York State increase its estate tax exemption to the same amount as is allowed under federal law (i.e. $5,250,000.00). According to the report, by raising the exemption amount nearly 90% of all New York estates would be exempt from estate tax. This proposal is expected to be considered for passage in the coming year.

Both Federal and New York State estate taxes are important to consider since they can have a large impact on the amount of estate assets that actually pass to estate beneficiaries. I have worked with many clients in planning their estates and in estate settlement where considering the impact of estate taxes was important and the preparation and filing of estate tax returns was necessary.

November 27, 2013

New York Trusts Can Create Controversy

by Jules M. Haas

New York Estate Planning can take many forms. One aspect of a plan can involve the creation and use of a trust. There are a number of different types of trusts and benefits that may be obtained from their utilization.

For instance, a Testamentary Trust is created by a Last Will and Testament. The provisions of the trust are part of the Will itself. Testamentary trusts can be used to provide for minimizing estate taxes by taking advantage of the exemption provided by the estate tax law. These types of trusts can also be used for other reasons such as establishing a means to administer and manage trust funds for a minor or for a person who may lack the ability to be responsible for large sums of money. Sometimes there may be the need to create a Supplemental Needs Trust. This type of trust allows a fund to be utilized for the benefit of a person who is receiving government assistance such as Medicaid without disqualifying the recipient from future government payments.

An Inter Vivos Trust is a trust that is set up as a separate document during the lifetime of the creator. A common form of an inter vivos trust is a Living Trust or Grantor Trust. This document can provide many different benefits including the avoidance of probate, estate planning and tax minimization, and a mechanism for property management in the event the creator becomes disabled or incapacitated.

Whenever a trust is created it is important that the trustees are carefully selected so that they will carry out the intentions of the creator and protect the interests of the beneficiaries. Unfortunately, there are many instances where there is controversy between the trustees and beneficiaries. In a recent case entitled “Trust of Frederick Brockway Gleason, Jr.” decided by Manhattan Surrogate Nora Anderson on November 12, 2013 and reported in the New York Law Journal on November 25, 2013, a successor income beneficiary of a trust claimed that a trustee breached its fiduciary duties by allowing the trust principal to be invaded for the benefit of the initial income beneficiary who was her father. The court denied the beneficiary’s request for summary judgment which left the matter open for future litigation and a trial on the merits.

In another interesting case, grandchildren of the late Walt Disney are involved in a court battle regarding a trust. As reported by Joshua Gardner in MailOnline on November 25, 2013 it is alleged that trustees of a trust fund held for Walt Disney’s grandson have been wrongfully withholding payments from the grandson. A court date is scheduled for December 5, 2013.

I have represented many individuals regarding the creation and administration of trusts including testamentary trusts, inter vivos trusts and supplemental needs trusts. All of these instruments can be very helpful in expressing the intention and desires of the creator and may provide tax benefits or protection and asset management for persons such as a minor or those with incapacitating conditions.

October 30, 2013

A New York Estate Attorney Has Many Responsibilities

by Jules M. Haas

The estate planning process as well as estate settlement almost always requires a close relationship between a New York Estate Lawyer and a client. When a client is planning an estate and seeking advice regarding the disposition of assets and the naming of beneficiaries, there must be a personal discourse with the attorney advisor. Depending upon each particular circumstance, a testator’s confidential information regarding such matters as divorces, non-marital children and sensitive business issues can be essential to developing an effective estate plan. Typically, the estate planning attorney will inquire of the client as to all information regarding assets and family life and history so that the provisions of documents such as a Last Will or Trust accurately take into consideration the possible effect of the testator’s family circumstances. For example, if the testator was adopted at an early age and has no information regarding his next of kin, an attorney may suggest the use of a Living Trust as a Will substitute. This trust could avoid the need to search for next of kin and to provide such potential heirs with notice of a Surrogate’s Court probate proceeding which would be required if the testator disposed of his estate through a Last Will.

Estate settlement and administration also requires a good working relationship between the fiduciary and the attorney. An Executor, Administrator and Trustee face many issues dealing with asset collection, payment of debts and claims and various tax matters. In some instances, the interests of the fiduciary and the beneficiaries themselves may be at odds or in conflict. Particularly in family situations, the fiduciary may be knowledgeable about and have relationships with family members that can assist legal counsel in resolving disputes without Court intervention. While legal guidance is essential, it is always best if interested parties can resolve differences amicably. In order for an attorney and fiduciary to achieve such results, they must work closely together.

An interesting aspect of the relationship between an estate attorney and a client relates to the well-recognized attorney-client privilege. When a person dies, the attorney-client privilege between the decedent and his life-time attorney generally continues. Thus, an attorney is prohibited from disclosing communications between the attorney and client even after the client dies. However, in New York Civil Practice Law (CPLR) Section 4503(b), the statute creates an exception which provides that “in any action involving the probate, validity or construction of a will, an attorney or his employee shall be required to disclose information as to the preparation, execution or revocation of any will or other relevant instrument, but shall not be allowed to disclose any communication privileged under subdivisions (a) which would tend to disgrace the memory of the decedent“. Therefore, confidential communications can be disclosed when there is a Will Contest.

It is also interesting to note that the Courts have ruled that a fiduciary who represents an estate can waive the decedent’s attorney-client privilege for the estate’s benefit. Moreover, as provided of CPLR 4503(a)(2) communications between an attorney and a personal representative, such as an Executor and Administrator, are generally privileged.

New York Estate Planning and Estate Administration typically require close and confidential communication between an attorney and a client. While it may seem obvious, creating and continuing a strong and trusting relationship between legal counsel and a client is more likely to produce a positive outcome whether in the creation of an estate plan or the settlement of an estate.

October 9, 2013

New York Kinship Issues are Always Important to Estate Administration and Estate Planning

by Jules M. Haas

The determination of kinship is important for all New York estate matters. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has had many posts discussing this issue.

Firstly, an Estate Planning Lawyer typically asks a client to provide information regarding next of kin. This information serves many useful purposes. It can indicate whether a person’s estate might be the subject of a Will Contest or Will Dispute if a testator is leaving a large portion of an estate to individuals who are not close relatives. If this is the case, the estate planning attorney may suggest alternative methods of asset distribution such as lifetime gifts or a living trust. These vehicles would avoid the probate and Surrogate’s Court process which provides next of kin (i.e. “distributees”), with an automatic right to contest a person’s Last Will.

Kinship information is important when a Last Will is to be filed for probate. An Estate Lawyer needs to prepare a Probate Petition that includes all information such as names and address of a decedent’s distributees. These distributees are then provided with a notice issued by the Court called a Citation as to the probate proceedings.

When a person dies without a Will, the estate is subject to intestate administration. The estate beneficiaries are the persons determined under the New York statutes. Estates, Powers and Trusts Law Section (“EPTL”) 4-1.1 provides for the priority of the heirs entitled to inherit.

In many cases, the next of kin of a decedent are unknown or are distant in relation such as cousins. It may be that the county Public Administrator is needed to administer such estates and that a Kinship Hearing is required by the Surrogate’s Court to establish the identity of the persons entitled to the inheritance. As can be seen, it is important to have complete information regarding kinship for effective estate planning and estate administration. Although a person may prepare a Last Will leaving his or her assets to a close friend or other non-heir beneficiary, the probate of the Will may be delayed and unduly costly due to the search for decedent’s heirs who were not identified or considered when the estate plan was created. Of course, when a person does not prepare a Last Will, the likelihood of complications regarding the determination and proof of kinship increases dramatically.

A recent Ohio case, although not directly involving a kinship estate problem, points to the issues faced when a person needs to show familial relationships such as the whereabouts or status of a potential heir. As reported by Ryan Dunn in The Courier.com dated October 8, 2013, a fellow named Eugene Miller was declared legally dead by the Hancock County Probate Court in 1994, which was eight years after he disappeared. Mr. Miller recently reappeared and claimed to have just “took off” due to alcoholism and loss of his job. He then petitioned the Court to reverse its ruling that he was dead. The Court, however, refused to reverse its ruling because the three (3) year limit to change the ruling had passed. Mr. Miller was told by the Court that he was still considered to be legally dead.

While Mr. Miller’s predicament seems somewhat unique, it points to the uncertainties and difficulties that can be presented when attempting to show kinship and proving that an ancestor is deceased or that he was not survived by any living issue. EPTL Section 2-1.7 entitled “Presumption of Death From Absense; effect of exposure to specific peril” provides a procedure to have an absentee declared to be dead. Also, New York Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act 2225 entitled “Determination of distributees, devisees, legatees, beneficiaries and distributive and beneficial shares” provides a procedure to have a possible estate beneficiary declared presumatively deceased.

The estate planning and administration process is quite complex and the need to understand and determine kinship is essential.

September 25, 2013

New York Wills Should Be Written to Avoid Ambiguity

by Jules M. Haas

New York estate planning lawyers are aware of the need to prepare estate planning documents with clear and unambiguous language. There are many types of papers that require clarity of language. These include Last Wills, Living Trusts, Living Wills and Health Care Proxies.

The use of specific provisions contained in documents such as a Last Will and Living Trust is most critical since these papers reflect a person’s directions and intent regarding the disposition of assets. There may be various provisions in a Will or Trust that may provide for a gift of a certain sum of money to a named individual. There may also be more complex provisions that provide for disposition in a trust with various conditions or alternatives in the event individuals become deceased. Dispositions, especially to a surviving spouse may have certain tax consequences and there may be specific Will clauses that allocate the burden of paying estate taxes against particular bequests.

The use of definitive and non-confusing language serves to provide maximum effect to a testator’s or creator’s intent and prevents post-death confusion and disputes regarding the meaning of the language contained in the document.

The New York Surrogate’s Courts have been the forum of many cases where the wording in a Will or Trust has been the subject of Estate Litigation. Two recent cases provide examples of such estate disputes and the manner in which a Court might view such issues. In general, where language in a document is unclear, a “construction proceeding” is needed to resolve the issue. Recently, Manhattan Surrogate Nora Anderson was presented with a petition for a Will construction in Will of Edwin C. Scheurer. In a decision dated September 16, 2013 and reported in the New York Law Journal on September 23, 2013, Surrogate Anderson found that there was no ambiguity in the Will provisions that eliminated a bequest to one of the decedent’s grandchildren. Since the Will language was not ambiguous, the Court refused to allow any extrinsic or outside evidence to be used to interpret the testator’s intent.

A different result was reached, however, in In Re Estate of Phillips, 957 N.Y.S. 2d 778 (4th Dept. 2012), where the Appellate Division determined that the language in the Will was unclear and required that extrinsic evidence be used to determine the testator’s intent. Phillips is instructive since it presents a situation that at first glance would not cause a Surrogate’s Court Litigation. The Will in Phillips contained a provision whereby the testator gave his residence “and the plot of land appurtenant thereto” to his live-in girlfriend. A dispute arose as to whether the language “and the plot of land appurtenant thereto” referred to the land upon which the residence was built or to another plot of land that was adjacent to the residence and the land upon which it was situated. The Court found the language to be ambiguous and referred the case back to the Surrogate for further proceedings to consider the surrounding evidence of the decedent’s intent.

Estate planning in New York requires the creation of a number of different documents. While it is important to ascertain the intention and desire of the person who is creating the Will or Trust, it is equally necessary to express all intentions and directions in clear and unambiguous language to avoid Will Disputes and dissention between beneficiaries.

September 18, 2013

New York Guardianship Can Be Avoided by Using Advance Directives

by Jules M. Haas

A New York Guardianship proceeding under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law (“MHL”) can be a very complex and sometimes lengthy process. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has discussed in many posts the Guardianship process. The essence of the proceeding is a determination as to whether the alleged incapacitated person (“AIP”) is “incapacitated”. As provided in MHL 81.02 a finding of incapacity requires clear and convincing evidence that the AIP will be harmed because he cannot provide for his personal or property management needs and cannot adequately appreciate and understand the nature and consequence of his disability.

The Guardianship Court will be presented with a Petition and a Court Evaluator usually will provide the Court with a report and recommendations. A hearing will be held at which time testimony from parties and witnesses will be given and other evidence introduced. A decision and judgment issued by the Court finally determines whether a Guardian is appointed, and if so, the Court selects the Guardian and delineates the Guardianship Powers.

It is preferable, however, and if possible, for a person to prepare and finalize documents identified as advance directives that might obviate the need for a Guardianship. A Health Care Proxy is a perfect example as to advance planning whereby a person is named as an agent to make health care decisions if the principal or creator of the proxy is unable to do so. Similarly, a Power of Attorney allows a person to select other individuals to make property management decisions regarding many specified items such as real estate or business transactions or tax matters. These two documents, a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney, might avoid a long and costly Guardianship court case.

Another document that a New York Estate Planning Lawyer can assist with is a Living Trust. These trusts allow the creator to place all assets under the trust while maintaining full control as the Trustee over their disposition. However, provisions in the Trust can provide for a substitute Trustee if the creator becomes disabled or incapacitated. A Living Trust can also act as a substitute for a Last Will and typically provides very similar provisions for the disposition of the trust promptly upon the death of the creator.

While advance directives can be very helpful and may avoid the Guardianship process, all such documents may still be the subject of controversy and court proceedings. Just recently, Dutchess County Supreme Court Justice James D. Pagones decided a case entitled Matter of IMRE B.R. In IMRE a person had executed a power of attorney and Merrill Lynch refused to accept or honor the power. Merrill Lynch claimed that the principal might have lacked capacity to sign the power. A petition was then brought under the New York General Obligations Law Sec. 5-1510(2)(i) to compel Merrill to accept the power of attorney. After reviewing the allegations, the Court granted the petition to compel.

Estate and lifetime planning requires a consideration of a persons assets, desires and intentions and the effect these decisions may have on intended beneficiaries. The implementation of advance directives can provide an efficient and expeditious way to deal with circumstances such as incapacity and even a short-term disability. By expending the time and effort to provide these papers, the more cumbersome and lengthy Guardianship process may be avoided.

September 4, 2013

Estates Taxes Are Always An Important Aspect of New York Estate Administration

by Jules M. Haas

A New York Estate is subject to potential estate taxes. The tax is imposed under both Federal and New York State laws. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has previously talked about estate taxes. It is the duty of an estate fiduciary such as an Administrator or Executor to determine whether a decedent’s estate must pay any estate tax and to actually pay the tax.

Both the Federal and New York estate tax is due to be filed and paid 9 months following a decedent’s date of death. An automatic extension of 6 months is available to file the tax return. The information required to be reported is a detailed list of all of the assets, debts, expenses and other financial data that provide an economic snap-shot of an estate.

Estate assets are typically valued as of the decedent’s date of death. This gross estate includes all items owned or controlled by the decedent or in which the decedent had an interest as of his death. Such assets include bank accounts, real estate, stocks, bonds and other items having value such as copyrights, trademarks and membership interests in businesses like a partnership or limited liability company.

During the course of estate settlement, it may be easy to obtain date of death values for assets such as bank accounts, real estate, stocks and bonds. Other items such as business interests may be difficult to value and subject to dispute. Upon the review or audit of an estate tax return, the Federal or State tax authorities may contest the value of an asset or deductible expense or liability.

An example of such estate tax dispute is presently occurring with the estate of the late pop star Michael Jackson. As reported by Patrick Temple-West in Reuters.com on August 23, 2013, the IRS claims that the Jackson estate owes Federal tax and penalties of $702 million. In the article “US Agency says Michael Jackson estate owes $702 million in taxes“, it is reported that the estate claimed in its tax filing, among other things, the image and likeness of Jackson had a value of only $2,105 while the IRS placed its value at $434 million.

Similar tax disputes can arise concerning the value of estate tax deductions such as liabilities, debts or expenses incurred in estate administration. As can be seen, potential estate taxes should be a major consideration in estate planning. This is particularly so when a large estate tax liability is expected and there are limited liquid assets available to pay the tax bill. Since the taxes need to be paid within 9 months after a death, there may be very little time to sell such items such as real estate or a cooperative apartment in order to obtain the funds to pay the tax. In many instances the use of life insurance or other pre-death financial planning can help solve this post-death liquidity dilemma.

At the present time, the Federal estate tax exemption is $5,250,000 and the New York exemption is $1,000,000. Also, both jurisdictions allow an unlimited marital deduction. However, the challenge presented in an estate plan is to limit the tax liability when a potentially taxable estate is to be ultimately paid to a non-spouse. In such situations the taxable amounts cannot be protected by the marital deduction.

It is essential that a New York Estate Planning attorney be provided with information regarding a person’s asset values and possible estate tax deductions. In this manner the appropriate tax plan and beneficiary designations can be formulated in documents such as a Last Will or Living Trust.

July 31, 2013

New York Executors, Administrators and Trustees are Entitled to be Paid Commissions

by Jules M. Haas

New York Estate Lawyers regularly prepare Last Wills and Trusts for their clients. One item that is typically discussed is the amount of commissions or fees that an Executor, Administrator or Trustee may be paid. The primary source for the allowance and calculation of fiduciary commissions is Article 23 of the New York Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (“SCPA”).

Section 2307 of the SCPA entitled “Commissions of fiduciaries other than trustees” relates primarily to Executors and Administrators. While the section and the implementation of its rules is rather complex, the simple formulas established are that commissions are paid at the rate of 5% of the first $100,000; 4% for the next $200,000; 3% for the next $700,000; 2½% for the next $4,000,000; and 2% for all sums above $5,000,000. Other parts of the statute provide that the fiduciary is allowed to be reimbursed for the reasonable and necessary expenses that he pays. Also, if the fiduciary collects rents and manages real property, he is entitled to receive an additional 5% of the gross rents he collects. If the value of the estate is more than $300,000 and there are multiple co-fiduciaries, each fiduciary (up to 3 in number) can receive a full commission.

Clearly, the amount of commissions that a single or multiple fiduciaries can receive can have an impact on the funds that are ultimately paid to the beneficiaries. Therefore, when creating an estate plan, it is important to consider the effect the payment of commissions may have. Not only is there the financial consideration whereby the net estate available for the beneficiaries is reduced, commissions may result in unknowingly benefiting one beneficiary over another. For example, if a decedent wants to name only one of his children as an Executor, the child who acts as Executor may end up with a larger share of the estate due to the up-front payment to him of commissions. This result may be unintended if the Executor child was only named for convenience because he or she lived in New York while the other children resided elsewhere.

SCPA 2309 entitled “Commissions of Trustees under wills of persons dying, or lifetime trusts established, after August 31, 1956” provides the basic guidelines for the payment of Trustees commissions. When selecting any fiduciary such as an Executor or Trustee, there are many considerations to be taken into account. In addition to the estimated amount and possible financial impact of commissions, the creator of a Will or Trust must have the utmost confidence that the fiduciary will perform his duties properly and carryout the intentions of the creator. As can be seen from many previous posts in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog, fiduciaries have many responsibilities and can face many complex and intricate problems such as Estate Tax issues and Estate claims. While fiduciary commissions may be well earned compensation, it is still important to consider and plan an estate and trust bearing in mind the commissions that may be paid.

An additional factor that may be important to consider when reviewing potential commissions is that the payment of fiduciary commissions is typically a deductible expense for Estate Taxes. Also, fiduciary commissions are usually taxable as income to the fiduciary whereas beneficiary distributions from an estate are commonly received income tax free. Therefore, a fiduciary may be better off from an income tax standpoint to receive his beneficial share in full rather than receive an upfront payment of a taxable commission which would reduce his non-taxable beneficiary payment.