We Are Open For Business During the COVID-19 Crisis

To our friends and clients:

First and foremost, all of us at Hymes, Schreiber & Walden, LLP hope you, your families and loved ones are safe and healthy during these challenging times.

We have heard from many of you regarding the impact you are experiencing, and your concerns about the rapidly changing business/legal environment. As we all face the uncertain course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to assure you that through current technology, HSW is adapting, adjusting and available to assist you with your estate, business and real estate needs.  While we have adjusted our operations in accordance with CDC guidelines and state and local laws, our firm is fully operational.  We are fortunate that the technology allows us to work and interact seamlessly, via telephone or video-conference.  Of course, we can arrange to have original documents sent to your home for signature.

If we can be of assistance in any manner during these challenging times, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Published in: on March 31, 2020 at 5:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Elder Law and Medicaid Planning: Everything You Need to Know

Estate Planning Attorney Los AngelesAttorney KC Marie Knox of Law Firm Anker, Hymes & Schreiber, LLP will be teaching a 2-day Practical Course hosted by the National Business Institute (NBI) on the subject of Elder Law and Medicaid Planning. KC Marie Knox is a Los Angeles Estate Planning Attorney who has been practicing law for over 10 years.

Don’t miss this opportunity!

  • 2 full days of elder care planning tips and trust drafting knowledge

  • Detailed procedures for pursuing a Medicaid case from start to finish

  • Leave fully prepared to represent elderly clients

(more…)

Published in: on July 22, 2015 at 11:21 am  Leave a Comment  
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Attorney Larry Hymes Recognized as a Martindale-Hubbell Top Rated Lawyer

AV Preeminent AwardMartindale-Hubbell®  has designated our Estate Planning Attorney in Woodland Hills, Larry Hymes with an AV Preeminent® rating which serves as an objective indicator that a lawyer has demonstrated ethical standards and professional ability and is used by buyers of legal services to justify their hiring decisions. Attorney Larry Hymes of Anker, Hymes & Schreiber, LLP is one of a select group of Southern California lawyers to receive this well-earned distinction.

About Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™:
Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ reflect a combination of achieving a Very High General Ethical Standards rating and a Legal Ability numerical rating. A threshold number of responses is required to achieve a rating.

The General Ethical Standards rating denotes adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities. Those lawyers who meet the “Very High” criteria of General Ethical Standards can proceed to the next step in the ratings process – Legal Ability.

Legal Ability ratings are based on performance in five key areas, rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest). These areas are:

  • Legal Knowledge – Lawyer’s familiarity with the laws governing his/her specific area of practice(s)
  • Analytical Capabilities – Lawyer’s creativity in analyzing legal issues and applying technical knowledge
  • Judgment – Lawyer’s demonstration of the salient factors that drive the outcome of a given case or issue.
  • Communication Ability – Lawyer’s capability to communicate persuasively and credibly
  • Legal Experience – Lawyer’s degree of experience in his/her specific area of practice(s)

The numeric ratings range may coincide with the appropriate Certification Mark:

  • AV Preeminent® (4.5-5.0) – AV Preeminent® is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
  • BV Distinguished® (3.0-4.4) – BV Distinguished® is an excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. A widely respected mark of achievement, it differentiates a lawyer from his or her competition.
  • Rated (1.0-2.9) – The Peer Review Rated designation demonstrates that the lawyer has met the very high criteria of General Ethical Standing.

For more information about our Woodland Hills Estate Planning Attorney, please contact us at (818) 501-5800.

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Published in: on August 6, 2013 at 1:48 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Removing Assets from your Estate to Reduce the Estate Tax

Removing assets from your estate is a great way to reduce estate taxes before you die.

So, spend some and enjoy it!

Also, you probably know whom you want to have your assets after you die. If you can afford it, why not give them some assets now and save estate taxes? It can be very satisfying to see the results of your gifts– something you can’t do if you keep everything until you die. Appreciating assets are usually best to give, because the asset and future appreciation will be out of your estate.

Assets you give away keep your cost basis (what you paid), so the recipients may have to pay capital gains tax when they sell. But the top capital gains rate is only 15% (assets held at least 12 months). That’s a lot less than estate taxes (45-46%) if you keep the assets until you die.

Some of the most commonly-used strategies to remove assets from estates are explained below. Note that these are all irrevocable, so you can’t change your mind later.

  1. Tax-Free Gifts
  2. Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)
  3. Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT)
  4. Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) and Grantor Retained Unitrust (GRUT)
  5. Family Limited Partnership (FLP) and Limited Liability Company (LLC)
  6. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
  7. Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)
  8. Buying Life Insurance

Detailed explanations of each of these strategies for removing assets from your estate will be explained in the upcoming blog entries.  For questions on reducing your estate tax, please contact our experienced Estate Planning Attorney in Woodland Hills.

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Published in: on May 10, 2011 at 4:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More FAQ (Part 3)

This is part 3 of the blog series entitled “Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More FAQ” discussing frequently asked questions about living trusts, probate, taxes and more.

Do I lose control of the assets in my trust?
Absolutely not. You keep full control. As trustee of your trust, you can do anything you could do before — buy/sell assets, change or even cancel your trust (that’s why it’s called a revocable living trust). You even file the same tax returns. Nothing changes but the names on the titles.
Is it hard to transfer assets into my trust?
No, and your attorney, trust officer, financial adviser and insurance agent can help. You need to change titles on real estate (in- and out-of-state) and other titled assets (stocks, CDs, bank accounts, other investments, insurance, etc.). Most living trusts also include jewelry, clothes, art, furniture, and other assets that do not have titles.

Also, beneficiary designations on some assets (like insurance) should be changed to your trust so the court can’t control them if a beneficiary is incapacitated or no longer living when you die. (IRA, 401(k), etc. can be exceptions.)
Doesn’t this take a lot of time?
It will take some time — but you can do it now, or you can pay the courts and attorneys to do it for you later. One of the benefits of a living trust is that all your assets are brought together under one plan. Don’t delay “funding” your trust. It can only protect assets that have been transferred into it.
Should I consider a corporate trustee?
You may decide to be the trustee of your trust. However, some people select a corporate trustee (bank or trust company) to act as trustee or co-trustee now, especially if they don’t have the time, ability or desire to manage their trusts, or if one or both spouses are ill. Corporate trustees are experienced investment managers, they are objective and reliable, and their fees are usually very reasonable.
If something happens to me, who has control?
If you and your spouse are co-trustees, either can act and have instant control if one becomes incapacitated or dies. If something happens to both of you, or if you are the only trustee, the successor trustee you personally selected will step in. If a corporate trustee is already your trustee or co-trustee, they will continue to manage your trust for you.

For additional questions about trust law, speak with our experienced Trust Attorney in Los Angeles today.

Continue to: Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More FAQ (Part 4)

Published in: on March 29, 2011 at 5:14 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More FAQ

In this blog series, we will be going through frequently asked questions regarding various aspects of estate planning including living trusts, probate, taxes and more.

I have a will. Why would I want a living trust?

Contrary to what you’ve probably heard, a will may not be the best plan for you and your family – primarily because a will does not avoid probate when you die. A will must be verified by the probate court before it can be enforced.  Also, because a will can only go into effect after you die, it provides no protection if you become physically or mentally incapacitated. So the court could easily take control of your assets before you die – a concern of millions of older Americans and their families.

Fortunately, there is a simple and proven alternative to a will–the revocable living trust. It avoids probate, and lets you keep control of your assets while you are living – even if you become incapacitated – and after you die.

What is probate?

Probate is the legal process through which the court sees that, when you die, your debts are paid and your assets are distributed according to your will. If you don’t have a valid will, your assets are distributed according to state law.

What’s so bad about probate?

It can be expensive. Legal/executor fees and other costs must be paid before your assets can be fully distributed to your heirs. If you own property in other states, your family could face multiple probates, each one according to the laws in that state. Because these costs can vary widely, be sure to get an estimate.

It takes time, usually nine months to two years, but often longer. During part of this time, assets are usually frozen so an accurate inventory can be taken. Nothing can be distributed or sold without court and/or executor approval. If your family needs money to live on, they must request a living allowance, which may be denied.

Your family has no privacy. Probate is a public process, so any “interested party” can see what you owned and who you owed. The process “invites” disgruntled heirs to contest your will and can expose your family to unscrupulous solicitors.

Your family has no control. The probate process determines how much it will cost, how long it will take, and what information is made public.

For additional questions about trust law, speak with our experienced Estate Planning Attorney in Los Angeles today.

Continue to: Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More FAQ (Part 2)


Published in: on March 21, 2011 at 10:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Summary of The 2010 Tax Act

To summarize, the 2010 Tax Act makes significant estate and gift tax changes.  Almost every estate plan needs to be rewritten immediately.  The key points discussed above in the blog series include the following:

  • The estate tax exclusion amount increase to $5 million per person for 2010 through 2012.

  • The gift tax is reunified with the estate tax, and up to $5 million in lifetime gifts will be exempt (over and above the annual gift tax exclusion of $13,000 per donor for every donee each year).  Taxable gifts would be taxed at a top rate of 35 percent.  One would certainly have to make a very large gift to fall into the taxable range.

  • The maximum estate and gift tax rate is reduced from the 55 percent maximum rate under prior law to a maximum estate and gift tax rate of 35 percent for 2011 and 2012.

  • A “portability” provision is included, which allows surviving spouses to use any applicable exclusion amount that is not used by the first spouse to pass away.  This is not only true of very large estates, but also of those smaller estate plans that were drafted when the exemption was smaller and credit shelter trusts and outright bequests were drafted with maximum language.  The net result when such documents are interpreted under the new rules would be to pass entire estates into credit shelter trusts and not provide for other beneficiaries, perhaps not even for spouses.

  • The GST exemption amount is increased to $5 million for 2010 through 2012.

  • The Act sunsets at the end of 2012, thus making the foregoing changes temporary in nature.

As always, we recommend that clients review their estate plans periodically and/or whenever a significant life event occurs (e.g., birth of a child, death of a spouse, purchase of new home, etc.).

For clients with substantial amounts of wealth and with closely held businesses, we highly recommend that such clients consider using lifetime gifts to take advantage of the current $5 million lifetime gift tax applicable exclusion amount, which will expire absent further Congressional action at the end of 2012.

As more becomes known about this Act, we will be available to discuss it further.  If we can be of assistance to you in the area of income tax or estate/gift tax planning, or, if you have any questions or wish to discuss your estate plan in light of the Act, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please call our office at (818) 501-5800 at your earliest convenience, and we will gladly schedule time to meet with you and review your estate planning documents.  In some cases, no changes will be required.  In others, we will recommend changes.  We cannot know, in advance, whether your documents will require changes to best take advantage of the current state of the estate tax law until we have a chance to review your documents with you.

Nonetheless, we strongly believe that it is important that your estate planning documents produce the result you want.

Start reading from the beginning of this blog series on the 2010 Tax Act:

Important Estate Tax Aspects of the 2010 Tax Act (the “Act”)
Published in: on February 18, 2011 at 7:49 pm  Comments (1)  
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Gift Taxes, GST and Misc Effects of The 2010 Tax Act

Gift Taxes

A “gift” is considered any transfer of property (real or personal) without receiving its full value in return.  For gifts made in 2010, the maximum gift tax rate is 35 percent and the applicable exclusion amount is $1 million. For gifts made in 2011 and 2012, the Tax Act limits the maximum gift tax rate to 35 percent and increases the applicable exclusion amount to $5 million.   As discussed below, this change provides an opportunity to move significant amounts of wealth free of estate and gift taxes.

Donors continue to be able to use the annual gift tax exclusion before having to use any part of their applicable exclusion amount. For 2010 and 2011, the annual exclusion amount is $13,000 per donee (married couples may continue to “split” their gift and may make combined gifts of $26,000 to each donee).

Generation Skipping Transfer (“GST”) Tax

The Act provides a $5 million GST exemption amount for 2010 (equal to the applicable exclusion amount for estate tax purposes) with a GST tax rate of zero percent for 2010. For transfers made after 2010, the GST tax rate would be equal to the highest estate and gift tax rate in effect for the year (35 percent for 2011 and 2012). The Act also extends certain technical provisions under prior law affecting the GST tax.

Miscellaneous

The Act also extends through 2012 several modifications enacted as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA).

These include:

  • Expanding the availability of installment payments for estates with interests in qualified lending and finance business;

  • Clarifying installment payment provisions, requiring that only the stock of the holding companies, not that of operating subsidiaries be nonreadily tradable.  (Estates taking advantage of these two provisions would have to make the required payments over five years rather than fifteen);

  • Expanding the availability of estate tax installment payments by broadening the definition of an interest in a closely held business; and

  • Allowing a deduction of estate taxes paid to any state or the District of Columbia for decedents dying after December 31, 2009.

The Act further grants extensions of time for the filing of a tax return for certain estates, making tax payments, or making a disclaimer with respect to an interest of property passing by reason of the decedent’s death.  In the case of an estate for a decedent dying after December 31, 2009, and before the Act’s date of enactment, the due date for this compliance will be the date nine months after the date of enactment.

Contact our Estate Planning Attorney in Los Angeles to review your estate plan today.

Continue reading blog series:

General Observations Regarding The 2010 Tax Act
Published in: on February 17, 2011 at 7:36 pm  Comments (3)  
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