GST taxes – Plan carefully to avoid surprises

Description

Abstract: Designed to ensure that wealth is taxed at each generational level, the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax is among the harshest and most complex in the tax code. It’s also among the most misunderstood. For example, while the gift and estate tax exemption automatically protects eligible transfers of wealth, the GST tax exemption must be allocated to a transfer to shelter it from tax. This article explains how the GST tax works, lists three types of transfers that trigger GST tax and details automatic allocation traps. A brief sidebar explores how to properly use the GST tax exclusion.