<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I have a client who gives large gifts of appreciated stock to charities each year. I’m not certain the effect these gifts will have on her gross estate/taxable estate at her death. Are they treated the same as $15,000 gifts to individual persons which, if the proper gift tax form is filed each year, can be deducted from the gross estate at death? I’m trying to figure out the best estate plan for her, but I’m not familiar with the effect of gifting appreciated stock to charities annually, as she does. Any thoughts would be appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Her estate is over the $2.193 million exclusion amount, but I’m not sure by how much. I am just beginning to work on this. If it is not too much over, she can have her estate just pay the 10%estate tax on the amount over $2.193 million if her estate is worth less than $3.193 million, but the tax could be a lot more than the expense of creating an irrevocable trust. I think the purpose for her to have a trust would be to shelter her estate from taxes. But how do the annual charitable gifts factor into this? I’m thinking an irrevocable trust of a certain amount of her present estate would keep her taxable estate at her death under the exclusion amount. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Any thoughts? All are appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Susan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Susan Donahue<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Law Office of Susan Donahue<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>125 West 2<sup>nd</sup> Avenue, Suite “B”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>P.O. Box 81<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Twisp, WA 98856<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(509) 996-5944 (phone)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(509) 362-9692 (fax)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sdonahue@sdonahuelaw.com">sdonahue@sdonahuelaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.sdonahuelaw.com">www.sdonahuelaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>