Those of us with clients that own businesses, highly appreciated stock, commercial or residential investment real estate assets, often find those clients are reluctant to sell their asset because of the capital gains taxes associated with the sale. The Estate Planning Team's Deferred Sales Trust™ offers an alternative to a 1031 Exchange to help your client reduce capital gains tax liability or sell their property in a down market.
This capital gains tax deferral and estate transfer tool could save your clients thousands of dollars, and at the same time, earn a profit on the money they would have paid to Uncle Sam in the year of the sale. Additionally, even in a depressed real estate market, because the client is making money (an interest payment) on the full value of the sale (the sales price) and not the net after tax dollars, your seller clients can reduce their price, SELL NOW, and still make out better over time via proper tax planning with a qualified tax professional. The DST can also be more simply described as a no risk "seller carry-back" financing structure.
The process starts with a property owner, transferring ownership of the property to a dedicated trust. The trust then sells the property, stock or other capital asset to the buyer. Next, the trust "pays" the client with a payment contract called an "installment sales contract." The contract promises to make installment payments to the owner or their trust and those payments can even be structured to continue to future generations with additional estate planning. There are zero taxes to the trust at the time of the sale since the trust "purchased" the property from the client for the sales amount.
Should your client choose they can defer the start date of the principal payments. Your clients may have other income and don’t need the payments right away. The tax code does not require payment of the capital gains until the seller starts receiving installment payments. The capital gains tax paid to the IRS is only that portion of the capital gains due in proportion to the number of years established in the term of the installment agreement.
The Deferred Sales Trust™ has the ability to generate substantially more money over the long run than a direct and taxed sale. It is also superior to a direct installment sale as the concerns of a defaulting buyer are eliminated.
Primary Benefits:
Tax Deferral: When appreciated property is sold, tax on gain is deferred until receipt of payments.
Estate Tax Benefits: Accomplishes an estate freeze for estate tax purposes.
Maintains Family Wealth: Helps to maintain wealth within the family.
Estate Liquidity: Converts an illiquid asset into monthly payments.
Retirement Income: provides a stream of income for retirement.
Probate Avoidance: With proper estate planning.
Eliminates Risks Associated with Ownership: By utilizing the DST, an asset that is otherwise liability prone is converted into a no risk asset.
Start your Deferred Sales Trust ™ today!
www.mydstplan.com/churst