Many people believe estate planning is only for the super-wealthy or for those with children to provide for. This is far from the truth. Estate planning is every bit as important for those without children as for those with children. There are different issues that need to be addressed for estate planning without children, and having necessary conversations about your eventual death or disability can be just as difficult—if not more so—for those without children. If you have no children and have recently made the decision to engage in estate planning, it’s time to speak to attorney Eric Gullotta from the Gullotta Law Group. We can help you prepare a comprehensive estate plan that fully reflects your wishes.
Why Do You Need an Estate Plan if You Have No Children?
Whether you are married with no children—or single with no children—you must still make decisions regarding where your assets will go, whether that is to your parents, your siblings, nieces or nephews, friends, or charities. When you fail to have an estate plan in place, the state of California will decide how your assets will be distributed and it could be in ways you would not be happy with. If you are married, then your marital assets will automatically go to your spouse in the event of your death.
Your separate assets will also go to your spouse unless you have an estate plan that directs how you would like those separate assets to be distributed. If you are married, you also need to plan for a scenario in which you and your spouse die at the same time. In addition to directing how you want your assets distributed upon your death, or upon the death of both you and your spouse, an estate plan allows you to plan for an unexpected disability. If you were to suddenly become disabled—whether you are married or single—you need to have clear instructions in place for another person you trust to make healthcare and/or financial decisions on your behalf.
If you are currently single, or currently divorced, it may be even more important that you have an estate plan that clearly spells out where you want your assets to go and who you want to make decisions for you in the event of a disability. Perhaps you have an ex-spouse. Is that the person you want to make decisions for you? Or perhaps you are estranged from your parents. If that is the case, would you want all your assets to go to them or would you want them to make medical decisions on your behalf? There are so many possible scenarios, and while most of them might never occur, it’s always better to be prepared for any eventuality than to leave it to chance.
What Are Effective Strategies When Estate Planning Without Children?
So what are some of the strategies you might want to consider when estate planning without children? Depending on the size of your estate, you might or might not want to consider a trust. If you have significant assets, a trust might be the best way to ensure that your assets are distributed as you choose while also reducing the amount of taxes your estate will be subject to.
If you are unmarried or married with separate assets, a good first step might be to consider asset distribution. You might choose to transfer certain assets now to family members or friends, depending on your age. With no children to consider, you don’t need to appoint a guardian, which is why a will is often used for those with children. If, however, you have few assets to consider, a will could be the simplest way to go. Attorney Eric Gullotta and his team can help you make these decisions in the best way possible. Other issues to consider include:
Estate Administration
You will want to consider a successor trustee if you have a trust in your estate plan or an executor for your will. This should be someone you trust, as well as someone who is logistically able to take over those responsibilities and who has agreed to be named as trustee or executor. You can also choose a trusted attorney to administer your estate, and, depending on your circumstances, this could be the best option.
Charitable Giving
Many people without children or heirs leave all or part of their money and assets to their favorite charities. In some cases, it can be more tax advantageous to make these donations during your lifetime in order to maximize deductions. You could also choose to set up a charitable trust with funds to be distributed to your charity choices over a specific amount of time. If you want these charitable donations to be made after your death, you don’t want the organization to be hit with a huge tax bill. This is something an experienced estate planning attorney from the Gullotta Law Group can help with.
Gifting Strategies
If you want to ensure the security and well-being of those you care about, you can use gifting strategies to give gifts during your lifetime. The annual gift tax exclusion for 2023 is $17,000 per individual, or $34,000 per individual if you are married. Your estate planning attorney can help you with gifts beyond these amounts so that you can maximize the gift while minimizing the tax liability. Some of the strategies that allow you to do this include:
- Making direct gifts for tuition or medical expenses to those you choose
- Contributing to a 529 college savings plan for a loved one
- Making direct payments for things like vehicles, vacations, summer camps, or other items rather than giving cash directly
- Giving gifts that will probably appreciate in value, while holding on to those that either have already appreciated or those that have appreciated
- Have a trust prepared that includes contingent beneficiaries
Providing for Pets
Your pets may be like family members to you. If so, you can garner peace of mind by making choices in your estate plan that detail who you want to care for your pets and how. You may even want to place money in a trust that is specifically for the care of your pets after you are gone.
Healthcare Decisions
You may wish to designate a Healthcare Proxy or Healthcare Power of Attorney, or create a Living Will. This will allow a person of your choice to make healthcare decisions on your behalf in the event that you are medically unable to make those choices on your own.
What Are the Reasons to Have an Estate Plan When You Have No Heirs?
As you can see, there are many good reasons to have an estate plan, even when you do not have children to provide for. Most of us have fairly definite ideas of who we would want to have our assets after we are gone. However, without a comprehensive estate plan, the state may make decisions regarding your assets that have nothing to do with your actual wishes.
It is equally important that you have estate planning documents that clearly state who will administer your estate, and who will make medical decisions for you in the event you become incapacitated. None of us ever think we could become disabled or incapacitated, yet it happens to people every single day. You may have definite ideas regarding the medical care you would want—or would definitely not want—if the unthinkable happened. If you are unmarried, you would also want someone who could handle all your legal affairs.
How an Attorney Can Help With Estate Planning Without Children
If you are considering estate planning without children, you may not think you need a knowledgeable estate planning attorney to prepare your estate plan. There are so many more issues associated with an estate plan than designating a guardian for children. Having an estate planning attorney with very specialized knowledge relating to estates, trusts, and probate is essential. You also need an estate planning attorney who knows all the California laws relating to estate plans and who keeps up with the ever-changing laws related to estate plans.
A highly skilled estate planning attorney from the Gullotta Law Group will first listen carefully to your wishes regarding the dispensation of your assets. Based on the answers you give, an estate planning attorney will determine the right documents to make up your estate plan, whether that is a will, a living will, a trust, powers of attorney, or other applicable documents.
If any of the following are true, having an estate planning attorney is an invaluable resource:
- You own a family business
- You have virtually any level of assets
- There are investment properties to consider
- You own assets in other countries or states
- There are worries regarding estate or inheritance taxes
- You believe a family member could potentially contest your will
- There are specific trusts you want in your estate plan
- You are interested in charitable giving
Choosing the right attorney is just as important as having an estate planning attorney. Estate planning is a very personal process that requires an attorney you trust. At the Gullotta Law Group, we believe once you have spoken to attorney Eric Gullotta, your choice for an estate planning attorney will be clear.
Why Choose an Estate Planning Attorney From the Gullotta Law Group?
Estate planning without children is just as crucial as estate planning with children. At the Gullotta Law Group, we understand that a little bit of planning can make a huge difference later on. Our legal team will always go the extra mile to ensure that your estate planning experience is comfortable and easy. Unlike many other estate planning law firms, our fixed fee schedule encourages you to ask questions and take an active role in your estate plan. The goal will always be to uniquely tailor your estate plan to your circumstances, goals, and wishes.
Attorney Eric Gullotta will not simply tell you what you need, he will listen carefully to your wishes, and then translate those wishes into the legally binding documents that make up an estate plan. Along with the helpful support staff at Gullotta Law Group, you will work directly with Attorney Gullotta throughout the process. We will make the estate planning process as simple as possible, allowing you to feel at ease and feel comfortable with your decisions. Attorney Eric Gullotta has been named the 2023 People’s Choice Award for Best Lawyer of Sonoma Valley for the ninth consecutive year—contact the Gullotta Law Group today!