Monthly Archives: February 2023

The Roof Might Be Leaking

Market Memo

February 2023 – By Kyle Rohrwasser

According to the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, American home values fell roughly 25% from the beginning of 2006 to their bottom in early 2012. Since that low point, average home prices in America have skyrocketed, largely due to low-interest rates, government quantitative easing, and the involvement of large real estate companies purchasing single-family homes as investments. These three major factors created a market where debt was cheap, excess dollars were present in the system, and homes were scarce – a trifecta for increasing real estate values.

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Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLAT)

February 2023 – By Tom Rueger, J.D., CFP®

Fred and Wilma have done well during their lifetime and accumulated a significant net worth. Now they are looking into their options for estate planning. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the federal lifetime gift and estate tax exemption to $12.92M/$25.84M for 2023, but it is set to expire on 1/1/2026 (and revert back to the prior amount of $5M, adjusted for inflation). Fred and Wilma are concerned that their estate will be liable for significant taxes if the exemption returns to its prior amount in a few years. They want to remove assets from their estate without making current gifts to their children as they are concerned it might affect their future standard of living. A SLAT could be the solution.

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