The Time for FLPs or FLLCs is Now!

This is from Steve Akers’ recent presentation, Estate Planning in Light of One-Year ‘Repeal’ of Estate and GST Tax in 2010:

“the Administration proposes to dramatically change the rules regarding valuation discounts (emphasis added). If there is an estate and gift tax reform package adopted next year, it could include that provision. If there is no legislation, there are indications that the IRS will issue regulations under §2704 that would place significant restrictions on valuation discounts on entities that are valued on the basis of their liquidation value (such as family limited partnerships holding marketable securities or other assets other than operating businesses.) Therefore, to have a chance to take advantage of the lower 35% rates in 2010 and to avoid the coming restrictions on valuation discounts, clients should consider make desired gifts and sales as early in the year as possible (Emphasis added).

Since the estate tax is sure to return, I am advising clients for whom a family limited liability company makes sense to form it now, and if possible use their $1 million lifetime gift tax exemption now to take advantage of discounting before it is legislated away.