Single Clients: Planning Considerations

Too often planning articles and conferences use a “Cleaver family” as the touchstone for planning. The reality is that intact married family units constitute a small percentage of the population. Further, a tremendous percentage of the population is single and the proportion of the population that is single has grown substantially over the decades and that trend may continue. Over 50% of the population, about 125 million adults are single. That has increased dramatically from 1950 when the percentage was less than half that amount, 22%. Tax laws often favor married couples. Consider the unlimited estate tax marital deduction for US citizen spouses. The new proposals for deemed realization have an exclusion for US spouses that is not available to the heirs of a single client. Spousal rights of election protect a spouse from disinheritance. In contrast, an unmarried partner may have little or no protection. How should documents be drafted differently? How might tax and other planning change? This webinar will provide a review of many of the nuances of planning for a single client.

*There are no professional advancement credits (CPE, CLE, etc.) offered for viewing this webinar but a certificate of attendance will be provided.

Speakers: Jonathan G. Blattmachr, Esq., Robert S. Keebler, CPA, Rebecca A. Provder, Esq. and Martin M. Shenkman, Esq.

Sponsor: Peak Trust Company and Interactive Legal