Estate Planning for Gen Z’s and College Students

On August 12, 2022August 16, 2022 By Jane Fearn-Zimmer, Esq.In Estate Planning, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Going away to school is exciting.

But before taking Junior to college or to his first apartment, don’t forget legal matters. There are key financial and legal documents you need in place. These documents are a general durable power of attorney, health care proxy and living will for Junior. Once Junior attains the age of majority, his doctor, nurse, academic registrar, landlord or bank needs these documents to speak with you.

Having the documents in place can bring peace of mind. Busy Gen Z’s need time to learn how to “adult.” They feel overwhelmed by the financial side of “living their best life.”

If you insist that Junior sign his legal documents before leaving home, you have done him a favor.

With these documents, you can lead Junior by example in dealing responsibly with adult challenges. These could be “surprise medical bills,” health insurance reimbursements, credit card billing, income tax issues. Once you shown him how to manage such challenges, he will thrive. And you can relax and just be the proud parent!

Since Gen Z’s are the digital generation, make sure you have a well-crafted durable power of attorney with digital asset powers. If the unthinkable happens, you will want to be able to access Junior’s Instagram or other social media accounts in an emergency.

If Junior doesn’t execute a health care proxy, you will wish he did when he is in an urgent care facility located ten hours away!

Junior should also share a list of credit card and financial accounts with the customer service number for each account. That way, if he misplaces his credit card, it is easy to report. Also note his digital accounts numbers, usernames and passwords (i.e., student identification username and password, and the health insurance username and password).

For more practice tips on estate planning for your family, contact Jane.

Changes to Social Security in 2020

On November 11, 2019April 1, 2022 By Jane Fearn-Zimmer, Esq.In Social SecurityLeave a comment

The year 2020 will bring important changes to the Social Security program, including a 1.6 percent Social Security benefit increase and an increased annual earnings cap for the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax, which is a component of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax. Beginning in 2020, the maximum annual amount of earnings subject to the OASDI will increase to $137,700 from the current limit of $132,900 applicable in 2019.

Also beginning in 2020, the maximum retirement earnings test exempt amounts will be $18,240 annually (or approximately $1,520 monthly) for individuals under full retirement age. That means that for every two dollars earned in excess of that limit, one dollar in Social Security benefits will be withheld.

In addition, starting in 2020, the SSI federal payment standard will increase to $783 monthly for an individual and to $1,175 per couple. Here is a helpful fact sheet summarizing these and other important 2020 Social Security numbers.

Questions? Let Jane know.

Jane Fearn-Zimmer is an Elder and Disability Law, Taxation, and Trusts and Estates attorney. She dedicates her practice to serving clients in the areas of elder and disability law, special needs planning, asset protection, tax and estate planning and estate administration. She also serves as Chair of the Elder & Disability Law section of the NJSBA.

Minimizing Elder Financial Abuse

On November 8, 2019April 1, 2022 By Jane Fearn-Zimmer, Esq.In Elder LawLeave a comment

It seems like every month, there is a news broadcast of a new form of elder financial abuse. Statistically, it is very prevalent, especially among individuals with dementia who are residing alone in the community.

Unfortunately, elder financial abuse comes in many forms. One version is where a trusted advisor, family member or caregiver with whom the senior has a relationship takes the senior to an attorney to execute a new Last Will and Testament, changing the existing estate plan in favor of the trusted individual. These are difficult cases to enforce because by the time the fraud is discovered the victim is deceased.

Another variety of elder financial fraud is tech support fraud, where there is a pop up on the senior’s computer screen that routes the victim to a bogus website to input information. Someone calls the senior and asks the person to send in money for software that doesn’t exist. The perpetrator remotes into the computer and tells the senior to log into the bank account. Then the perpetrator minimizes the window and withdraws funds without permission from the senior’s account. Some con artists may pose as representatives of well-known industry giants such as Microsoft and Google.

There are romance scams where someone pretends to be in a relationship and convinces the senior to send money. There are lottery scams and prize scams where a senior is asked to pay money to get the winnings. But the majority of elder financial abuse the SEC sees is theft. These cases are hard to put together due to the challenges of gathering the evidence.

In many cases, the victims may not even realize they have been victimized, or they may have had a long term relationship with their trusted advisor or family member and just convincing the senior to speak with an investigator or another attorney is problematic. It may be easier for seniors to talk about financial abuse by emphasizing that this also happens to younger people and to focus on protecting yourself. Reassure them that their fear of compromising their appearance of competency and independence if they complain will likely not materialize. Do not hesitate to report the incidents to the authorities. This is an area of enforcement which the Securities Exchange Commission and other federal agencies are currently focusing on and there are a lot of resources at both the state and local levels.

Questions? Let Jane know.

Estate Administration in the Digital Era: Digital Assets, Cryptocurrency and More

On July 1, 2019April 1, 2022 By Jane Fearn-Zimmer, Esq.In Estate PlanningLeave a comment

The probate proceedings for the estate of the late musical artist, Prince Rogers Nelson, have been repeatedly profiled in the national news for a variety of reasons. Here are some digital age strategies for dealing with cutting-edge estate administration issues, including identifying heirs, working with digital assets and block chain technology, and administering estate assets in specialized industries.

Genetic testing can determine the rightful heirs. If parentage may become an issue, obtain an order authorizing DNA testing of the decedent’s blood sample as soon as possible after death. Obtain a court order for genetic testing of purported heirs early on in the proceedings.

Identify, catalogue, disclose and value digital assets. Digital assets include a wide variety of electronic files and works. Some examples are digital accounts (i.e., social media, e-mail and online commercial accounts such as Etsy and Amazon), video and audio files and electronically stored media (such as photographs, art, music, and original works and blogs), knowledge stored in electronic databases or formats (i.e., software and architectural plans). Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin) and block-chain technologies are also digital assets. Some forms of digital assets are more easily monetized than others. Digital assets are regarded as personal property by the taxing authorities and as such, must be clearly identified and properly valued on death tax returns. See I.R.S. Notice 2014-21. In some cases, discounts for lack of marketability may be appropriate. Initial coin offerings (ICO’s) may be subject to registration requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933.

Hire experts for specialized industries. Prince’s estate held a wide range of intellectual property. The personal representative faced unique business challenges, such as operating multiple entertainment businesses, overseeing a real estate portfolio and a museum, archiving a vast quantity of audio and video assets, and safeguarding personal property. The use of entertainment and other industry experts was needed to help monetize the estate’s assets.
File any confidential information disclosed to the court under seal. Consider whether to file sensitive information under seal. Sensitive matters could range from business and licensing negotiations and confidential litigation settlements to details relating to parentage.

Questions? Contact Jane.

Choupette’s Legacy – Why Estate Planning Matters

On March 21, 2019April 1, 2022 By Jane Fearn-Zimmer, Esq.In Estate PlanningLeave a comment

It is speculated that Choupette Lagerfeld, the pampered Parisian pet of the iconic late German fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, may have a stake in Lagerfeld’s vast fortune.

Choupette Lagerfeld moves in the circles of the rich and famous. Ironically, her most universal legacy could be to demonstrate why estate planning matters for everyone, wealthy or not.

Choupette’s situation makes clear that a clever estate plan can transform the impossible into the possible. With an estate plan opting into German law (which, on information and belief, may allow the use of pet trusts), even a cat living in France (the law of which apparently prohibits an animal from inheriting) can become an heir.

If Karl Lagerfeld died without any estate plan, and if Choupette had not already amassed a fortune of her own through social media and advertising, she could descend rapidly into a downward spiral from riches to rags by taking nothing from her master’s estate.

An estate plan enables anyone with property (whether a fortune or a modest estate), to literally reach back from the grave, provide for loved ones (including pets) and retain some residual control over those left behind.

An estate plan can protect an unmarried, unrelated cohabitant by allowing her to remain in your home after your death, with any inheritance tax liability paid from life insurance or liquid funds in your residuary estate.

An estate plan can protect an inheritance for a special needs child without disqualifying the child from Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income.

An estate plan can ensure that the life savings you worked hard to accumulate (and your personal affairs) will be kept private by avoiding probate with a revocable trust.

An estate plan incorporating an irrevocable trust or lifetime gifting can help reduce inheritance taxes legally.

An estate plan (using a trust) can protect your life savings or your life insurance proceeds from being blown by little Johnny on a Maserati, upon reaching age 18. An estate plan can even bring hope to beleaguered parents and grandparents everywhere. Suppose your heart’s sole desire is for little Susie or Johnny to take medication/ finish college/ remove the tattoos/get a haircut and get a real job. Having all your post-mortem dreams ultimately come true could be as simple as leaving a conditional bequest in your last will and testament or trust. However, conditional gifts are very rarely written into wills or trusts due to the heartache and hard feelings caused.

Choupette’s legacy teaches us that even if your estate is limited, the possibilities are not. For best results, consult an experienced and knowledgeable tax and estate planning attorney, who can help you effectuate your testamentary intentions.

Questions? Let Jane know.