SCIN protection — Shield your estate from excessive tax exposure

Description

Abstract: Those who have already exhausted their gift and estate tax exemption through lifetime gifts can use other techniques to transfer wealth to their loved ones tax-free. One such technique that’s particularly attractive now is the self-canceling installment note (SCIN). This article explains how a SCIN can provide income, gift and estate tax savings. But it involves a gamble, as well, so the article discusses the down sides. A sidebar notes that, to ensure that a SCIN’s cancellation feature isn’t treated as a gift, the donor must be compensated for its value in the form of a risk premium.