By: Kim Hunt
What’s the
Best Way to
Give Money
to Children and Grandchildren?
By: Kim Hunt
In 2014, the IRS allows you to give up to
$14,000 annually (or $28,000 if you give jointly with your spouse)
to each of as many people as you’d like in cash, investments,
and/or property without triggering gift taxes. (This limit may be
adjusted for inflation in future years.)
If you’re thinking about giving money to minor children, such as a
new grandchild, it might make sense to take advantage of The
Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or The Uniform Transfers to Minors Act
(UGMA/UTMA) depending on your state. An UGMA/UTMA account allows
you to establish a savings or investment account in a child’s name,
with one adult named as custodian.
Each parent or grandparent can contribute up to $14,000 annually
without triggering a gift tax.
With an UGMA/UTMA strategy, the first $1,000 per year of unearned
(investment) income is tax free.
For children under 18, anything between that amount and $2,000 is
taxed at the child’s rate. Any income exceeding $2,000 for children
under 18 is taxed at the parent’s rate.
For children over age 18, all income is taxed at the child’s
rate.
Of course, asset gifts are not limited to young children or
newborns.
You can also give to as many adults as you’d like up to $14,000 a
year.
Keep in mind, however, that the IRS considers the value of the gift
its cost basis for purposes of computing gift tax to be its value
at the time that it’s given, not when you originally purchased or
invested in it.
By making a tax-smart financial gift to an adult-aged child, you
could help him or her fund a down payment for a home or afford to
maximize contributions to an employer-sponsored retirement
plan.
If you’re thinking about starting a gifting program, a qualified
financial professional can help you evaluate which strategies might
be appropriate for your situation.
The amounts of your annual gift exclusions are limited to a
lifetime total. 2014 limit is $5,340,000 ($10,680,000 for married
couples).
Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth
Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management
Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy,
completeness or availability of any information and is not
responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained
from the use of such information.
In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any
indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with
subscriber’s or others’ use of the content.
© 2015 Wealth Management Systems Inc. All rights reserved.
Kim Hunt
Wealth Advisor
Lumbee Guaranty
Financial Services
PO Box 908
403 East Third Street
Pembroke, NC 28372
(910) 521-9707 ext 206
(910) 521-0772 fax
kimberly.hunt@lpl.com