Thanks to tax cuts made during the Trump administration, Americans can give or hand down nearly $13 million in assets without paying federal estate tax.
Currently, individuals and married couples can gift or bequeath $12.92 million and $25.84 million, respectively, before a 40% federal estate tax kicks in.
The heirs don't own the trust assets but rather have lifetime rights to the trust's income and real estate.
Private-placement life insurance, or PPLI, can be used to pass on assets from stocks to yachts to heirs without incurring any estate tax.
These trusts pay a fixed annuity during the trust term, which is usually two years, and any appreciation of the assets' value is not subject to estate tax.
Persons:
Uncle Sam, Trump, Robert Strauss, Weinstock Manion, Wrigley, Jeff Bezos, Rich, Ron Wyden, PPLI
Organizations:
Taxpayers, IRS, Biden, Blackstone, Lombard International, Federal Reserve
Locations:
Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Florida, Wyoming, Plenty