How to Potentially Minimize Estate Taxes with Advanced Planning Strategies
Explore advanced strategies to help manage estate taxes when transferring wealth. Learn how trusts, gifting, and business structures may impact...
EP Wealth Advisors
Explore tax-efficient gifting strategies—from annual exclusions to trusts—to help manage estate tax exposure while transferring wealth to loved ones or charities.
Wealth transfer isn’t just about the amount you pass down—it’s about making thoughtful choices that shape your legacy. For individuals with substantial estates, taxes can take a significant portion of what was intended for heirs or charitable causes. Strategic gifting can help manage estate tax exposure while allowing assets to be transferred on your terms.
From annual exclusions to advanced trusts, there are different ways to approach gifting. Understanding the rules, timing, and structure of these gifts can be an important part of estate planning. This guide explores several gifting strategies and how they may fit into a long-term financial plan.
Some individuals choose to make smaller gifts over time rather than transferring wealth in large sums. The annual gift tax exclusion allows gifts up to a certain amount each year without incurring gift taxes.
For those looking to support children, grandchildren, or other beneficiaries, structured annual gifting may potentially help reduce the taxable estate over time while gradually transferring wealth.
Married couples can take advantage of gift splitting, which allows them to combine their annual exclusions to make larger tax-free gifts.
Gifting earlier in life can allow assets to appreciate outside the estate, potentially reducing future estate tax exposure. Some individuals choose to:
Larger gifts beyond the annual exclusion may fall under the lifetime gift tax exemption, which is $13.99 million per individual in 2025. Any gifts exceeding this exemption may be subject to federal gift taxes.
Some individuals use this exemption to transfer appreciating assets, such as:
Coordinating annual exclusions with lifetime exemption strategies may allow for a more structured approach to wealth transfer. Working with financial and legal professionals can help assess how these exemptions align with broader estate plans.
If you own assets greater in value than the lifetime exemption amount that you plan to pass to heirs, you may be subject to transfer taxes, including the gift and estate tax (40% in 2025) and the generation-skipping transfer tax (40% in 2025). For those with significant assets, certain legal structures can offer additional flexibility in gifting strategies. These techniques should only be implemented in coordination with financial and legal professional assistance.
A GRAT allows individuals to transfer appreciating assets while receiving back an annuity stream of income for a set period. If structured properly, any remaining value may pass to beneficiaries with reduced tax consequences.
FLPs may allow individuals to transfer business or real estate interests while retaining control over management. This approach can provide flexibility for estate planning while offering potential valuation discounts for estate tax purposes.
A QPRT allows a primary or vacation home to be transferred at a reduced taxable value while still allowing the donor to live in the property for a specified period.
An IDGT can separate ownership for estate tax purposes while keeping income tax obligations with the grantor. This structure is often used for appreciating assets or business succession planning.
For those exploring philanthropy as part of their legacy, charitable giving strategies can be integrated into estate plans. Options include:
The type of asset being gifted can influence tax implications and long-term outcomes. Some considerations include:
Inherited assets typically receive a step-up in basis, meaning their value is adjusted to fair market value at the time of the original owner’s death, which may reduce capital gains taxes if the heirs decide to sell the asset in the future. However, when assets are gifted during the donor’s lifetime, the recipient generally inherits the donor’s original cost basis, which could result in higher capital gains taxes upon sale.
Transfers to grandchildren or other beneficiaries at least 37.5 years younger than the donor may be subject to the generation-skipping transfer tax (GSTT) in addition to federal estate and gift taxes. However, the GST exemption, currently aligned with the federal estate tax exemption, allows a certain amount to pass without triggering the tax. Trusts and other planning tools can help structure gifts to future generations while managing potential GSTT exposure.
While federal gift tax rules apply nationwide, some states impose their own gift or estate taxes, which can impact wealth transfer strategies. Some states tax inheritances rather than gifts, while others have lower exemption thresholds than the federal level.
Gifts exceeding the annual exclusion amount must be reported to the IRS using Form 709, which tracks lifetime exemption usage but does not necessarily result in taxes being paid. Proper documentation, including appraisals for real estate or business interests, can help establish fair market value.
Because gifting strategies can have long-term tax and financial implications, working with experienced professionals can provide valuable insights. EP Wealth’s tax planning services can help individuals assess their options and develop a personalized approach that fits their overall financial plan.
Contact us today to learn more.
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