German-American Estate Planning
We frequently advise clients from common law jurisdictions in all matters connected with international estate planning, including, but not limited to:
- Reviewing existing wills
- Designing and drafting both U.S. wills and German testaments
- Structuring U.S.-based trusts to avoid or minimize German estate, inheritance or gift tax liabilities
- Advising on the use of Payable on Death accounts and the appointment of successor beneficiaries to allow for the transfer of assets outside of probate
- Advising on U.S. federal estate tax and the German-American Double-Taxation Treaty controlling the states and double taxation
- Preparing living wills and health care proxies for both the U.S. and Germany
News
- German Federal Fiscal Court Ruling on Gift Tax triggered by Distributions from a Foreign Trust
- German Federal Fiscal Court: Assets titled in Trust to which the Grantor has reserved comprehensive Powers are to be considered owned by him for German Inheritance and Gift Tax Purposes
- Decicison of the German Federal Fiscal Court on the Taxation of Distributions from a 401(k) to Beneficiary in Germany
- Concerns about a reduction in the U.S. Estate and Gift Tax exclusions? Make a gift now to benefit from historical exclusion levels.
- The Curtailing of Stretch IRAs