Jim Nabors Saved $4.8 Million in Taxes By Marrying His Husband

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How Jim Nabors saved $4.8 Million in taxes by marrying his husband. Courtesy of OutEstatePlanning.com

Jim Nabors: Actor, Singer, and Comedian

On November 30, 2017, Jim Nabors, perhaps most famous for his role as Gomer Pyle, died at the age of 87.  Jim is survived by his husband Stan Cadwallader, whom he married in 2013. Their marriage came one month after same-sex marriages became legal in Washington State.

It is quite eye-opening to look at the tax consequences of their decision to get married; Mr. Nabors died with a $13M estate.  The terms of his will are not public, but for the sake of argument let’s assume he left his estate to his husband. Because of the marriage, no Federal or Hawaiian estate or inheritance taxes are due at death because of the unlimited marital deduction.

Smart Estate Planning

If Jim and Stan had remained unmarried partners the payout to the Government would have been astronomical. A $3,000,000 payment in federal estate taxes alone is bad enough. A payment of over $1,800,000 in Hawaiian inheritance taxes would add a total of $4,800,000 in total taxes. These numbers don’t include the income taxes that will be saved because of the longer “stretch” a spouse receives on an inherited IRA or retirement plan.

The moral of the story is that for many life-long partners, gay or straight: Get Married for the Money.  Obviously the decision to marry hinges on more than whether marriage is a financially strategic move. But if you are simply avoiding the formalities, it might make sense to think about the long-term tax consequences on your financial security—for both you and your partner. Marriage is usually a big plus for purposes of Social Security, especially if one partner has a much stronger earnings record than the other partner.

More Information Is Always Available

For more information visit www.outestateplanning.com.To schedule an interview with Jim Lange, please call his office at 412-521-2732. You can always contact Jim at jim@paytaxeslater.com.

James Lange, CPA/Attorney of Lange Financial Group, LLC, is the author of several books on retirement and estate planning, including Live Gay, Retire Rich.  His books on retirement strategies have been endorsed by Charles Schwab, Larry King, Jane Bryant Quinn, Ed Slott, and many more.  He hosts a weekly financial show on KQV News Radio in Pittsburgh. PA.

 

New Social Security Rule Will Hurt Women by Eliminating Benefits Options

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James Lange, CPA/Attorney, Advises Married Couples Ages 62-70 to Apply and Suspend NOW. After April 29, 2016, it will be too late!

In early November, President Obama signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 into law and the repercussions are devastating to the married women of our country.

Pittsburgh – December 16, 2015 – Lange Financial Group, James Lange, Pittsburgh, Social SecurityMarried women, statistically the widows of the future, will pay a high price due to the changes that the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 has made to Social Security. Pittsburgh attorney and CPA James Lange takes action by releasing audio and video presentations as well as transcripts and a report that will help couples ages 62-70 navigate this new rule and protect their benefits while they still can!

SOCIAL SECURITY SURVIVOR BENEFITS ARE CRITICAL TO WOMEN

The financial well-being of widows is often dependent upon the choices that are made while their spouses are still alive. Spousal and survivor Social Security benefit choices can mean the difference between living comfortably in retirement and falling under the poverty line for women whose spouses leave them behind. Widows are commonly younger than their deceased husbands and the Social Security benefits they have earned, especially in the Boomer generation, are commonly less than that of their deceased husbands. This means that a widow will depend on collecting survivor benefits, often for many years, based on the benefits to which their deceased spouses were entitled.

“One of the best things a husband can do to protect his wife in widowhood is to maximize his own Social Security benefits. One technique that we use with our clients is apply & suspend.” James Lange of Pittsburgh-based, Lange Financial Group, LLC comments. “The law prior to the Bipartisan Act allowed the husband to apply for, and then suspend collection of his benefits, while allowing his wife to collect a spousal benefit. It was a win-win for our clients!”

This technique was used strategically to maximize the husband’s and wife’s long-term benefits. That, unfortunately, is coming to an end, with the exception of certain couples who take the appropriate action between now and April 29, 2016. For many couples, the income stream from spousal benefits in the previously allowed apply and suspend technique made it possible (or at least more palatable) for the husband to wait until age 70 to collect Social Security, thus maximizing their benefits.

“This new law cuts off that income stream, making it if not impossible, at least more difficult, for husbands to choose to delay collection of their benefits.” Lange warns, “Unfortunately, it is the widows of these husbands who cannot maximize their Social Security benefits who will be left in reduced circumstances for the rest of their lives.”

JIM LANGE’S ADVICE

DO NOT WAIT. Congress has eliminated one of the best Social Security maximization strategies. Fortunately, some recipients may be grandfathered already and others could be grandfathered if they act between now and April 29, 2016. Others will have to make do with the new laws. In either case, now is the time to review your options. We have posted a one hour audio with a written transcript explaining the old law, the new law and the transition rules. Readers can go to www.paytaxeslater.com to access this audio and transcript.

ABOUT JAMES LANGE Jim Lange, Social Security, Pittsburgh

James Lange, CPA/Attorney is a nationally-known Roth IRA and retirement plan distribution expert. He’s also the best-selling author of three editions of Retire Secure! and The Roth Revolution: Pay Taxes Once and Never Again. He hosts a bi-weekly financial radio show, The Lange Money Hour, where he has welcomed numerous guests over the years including top experts in the fields of Social Security, IRAs, and investments.

With over 30 years of experience, Jim and his team have drafted over 2,000 wills and trusts with a focus on flexibility and meeting the unique needs of each client.

Jim’s recommendations have appeared 35 times in The Wall Street Journal, 23 times in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The New York Times, Newsweek, Money magazine, Smart Money and Reader’s Digest. His articles have appeared in The Journal of Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, The Tax Adviser (AICPA), and other top publications. Most recently he has had two peer-reviewed articles published on Social Security maximization in the prestigious Trusts & Estates magazine.

To learn more, or sign up for their newsletter, visit www.paytaxeslater.com.

Live Gay, Retire Rich Celebration!

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To celebrate the release of Live Gay, Retire Rich on November 1st, we’ve created a giveaway on GoodReads!

You must have a GoodReads account to enter (which is pretty easy to create if you don’t already have one). The giveaway is only open to residents in the United States.

From November 2 to November 15th, you can enter the giveaway on GoodReads here (https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/160571-live-gay-retire-rich-retire-secure-for-same-sex-couples). If you add the book to your “to-read” shelf, you will be notified when the giveaway opens!

LGRR Giveaway November

Or you can enter here once the giveaway opens:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Live Gay, Retire Rich by James Lange

Live Gay, Retire Rich

by James Lange

Giveaway ends November 15, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

With the Freedom to Marry comes Enormous Financial Benefits for Same-Sex Couples

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Jim recently went to San Antonio, Texas to be on Great Day San Antonio where he discussed the financial benefits for same-sex couples who get married.

With the Supreme Court’s decision on the freedom to marry set to occur any day now, it is important to take a moment and assess what this means for the LGBT community from a perspective that most aren’t talking about: the new financial benefits and security for you and your partner.

To watch this interview click here or press play below.

Jim Lange’s new book Live Gay, Retire Rich is set for release in July 2015. To pre-order your copy of the book click here. Jim will also be hosting a retirement and estate planning workshop for the LGBT community in Pittsburgh on July 11th. You can learn more or register for the workshop here.

James Lange is interviewed by Paul Mireles of Great Day San Antonio about what motivated him to write a book about the financial benefits for same-sex couples who get married.

LGBT Couples Need New Financial Advice!

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James Lange, CPA/Attorney, highlights potential financial benefits available to LGBT couples who marry

Pittsburgh – April 28, 2015 –The United States Supreme Court is hearing arguments today on the issue of marriage equality. This historic case should be decided by June.

The two likely possibilities of the decision are:

  1. Supreme Court says all states have to offer same-sex couples the right to marry.
  2. Supreme Court says all states have to recognize marriages performed outside their state.

In either case, all states will likely have to recognize same-sex marriage, even if the couple has to travel to get married in a state that does recognize same-sex couples and then return home.

WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE?

Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples Cover 7x10-2According to James Lange, a best-selling author, Certified Public Accountant, attorney and president of Pittsburgh-based Lange Financial Group, there are potential benefits that many people know about including the “marriage bonus” when preparing tax returns and health benefits being extended to new spouses. But what many people do not consider are 2 enormous financial benefits of marriage for couples who are 60 and over:

1. Marriage can increase your Social Security benefits: There are options to increase your total household Social Security benefits when you are married. Spousal benefit rules impact a couple while both are alive, and the survivor benefit available is impactful after one spouse passes. Over time, the difference can be hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars. This could be even more important if one spouse has a strong earnings record and the other spouse does not.

The graph below shows the difference between a couple not getting married and taking their Social Security benefits at age 62, versus getting married and utilizing a technique called Apply & Suspend for their Social Security. The difference is going broke in your 90s versus having more than $2 million. Image1

 

2. For purpose of inheriting money, most states and the federal government impose less inheritance and income taxes on assets left to a spouse than on assets left to a non-spouse. After Windsor (a previous case), however, the IRS will recognize same-sex marriages for federal income and estate tax purposes as long as the couple was married in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages. This makes transfer of assets between a married LGBT couple much easier than between a non-married couple.

Lange warns, however, that there could be some drawbacks including the potential health care liability of getting married, and the so called “marriage penalty” that may affect some taxpayers. He encourages same-sex couples that are currently marriage or weighing the benefits of marriage to read his book, Retire Secure for Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich, in which he details recommendations for the issues mentioned herein and so many more.

Lange’s book lays recommendations in a convincingly detailed yet surprisingly easy-to-follow fashion and is available to purchase through www.outestateplanning.com.

About James Lange

James LangeJames Lange, CPA/Attorney started the first exclusive LGBT estate planning website in Pittsburgh, in 2002. Jim is a nationally-known Roth IRA and retirement plan distribution expert. He’s also the best-selling author of the first and second edition of Retire Secure! and Retire Secure! for Same-Sex Couples. With over 30 years of experience, Jim and his team have drafted over 1,995 wills and trusts with a focus on flexibility and meeting the unique needs of each client.

Jim’s recommendations have appeared 35 times in The Wall Street Journal, as well as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The New York Times, Newsweek, Money magazine, Smart Money and Reader’s Digest. His articles have appeared in Trusts and Estates magazine, The Journal of Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, The Tax Adviser (AICPA), and other top publications.

To learn more, or sign up for their newsletter, visit www.outestateplanning.com

The Essence of Retire Secure For Same-Sex Couples – Part 5

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This 9 part blog post series discusses along with graphs the essence of my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich.

Retire Secure! for Same Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich quantitatively compares various courses of action. For those who don’t want to read through the explanation and detail, just looking at the 9 graphs could provide critical information with a minimum of reading effort. Please be aware that the recommendations beneath each figure will be advantageous in most situations, but not for everyone.

Starting Social Security Benefits At 62 Years Old vs. 70 Years Old

 

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Independent of getting married, it’s better to wait until 70 to take Social Security than electing to take Social Security at 62.

The graph shows the total of all Social Security benefits received, plus interest, by two different people with identical earnings records. One begins collecting Social Security at age 62 and the other begins collecting at age 70.

Your benefit will be 76% plus the cost of living adjustment larger if you wait until age 70 to start collecting Social Security, as compared to starting at 62. The longer you live, the more you may need that larger benefit.

 

The Essence of Retire Secure For Same-Sex Couples – Part 4

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This 9 part blog post series discusses along with graphs the essence of my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich.

Retire Secure! for Same Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich quantitatively compares various courses of action. For those who don’t want to read through the explanation and detail, just looking at the 9 graphs could provide critical information with a minimum of reading effort. Please be aware that the recommendations beneath each figure will be advantageous in most situations, but not for everyone.

Inheriting a Second Generation IRA From a Married Parent vs. an Unmarried Parent

 

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Estate planning: Get married to provide maximum assets for your children or other heirs after both you and your partner die.

This graph shows the difference to the eventual heir depending on whether the person leaving him the IRA had married vs. had not gotten married. Tax laws favor the married couple when one of the spouses dies, allowing the surviving spouse to “pay taxes later.” In addition to this advantage, tax laws favor heirs of a married couple. When the surviving spouse dies, his heir is permitted to “stretch” the IRA and “pay taxes (much) later.”

Tax laws penalize the unmarried couple. The first time an IRA is inherited by a non-spouse, the unmarried partner is forced to “pay taxes sooner.” The rules are even less favorable for the surviving partner’s heir, forcing him to “pay taxes (much) sooner.” Don’t Pay Taxes Now, Pay Taxes Later—even after both you and your partner/spouse are gone.

The Essence of Retire Secure For Same-Sex Couples – Part 3

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This 9 part blog post series discusses along with graphs the essence of my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich.

Retire Secure! for Same Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich quantitatively compares various courses of action. For those who don’t want to read through the explanation and detail, just looking at the 9 graphs could provide critical information with a minimum of reading effort. Please be aware that the recommendations beneath each figure will be advantageous in most situations, but not for everyone.

Inheriting an IRA From a Spouse vs. an Unmarried Partner

 

Graph3

 

Estate planning: Get married to provide maximum IRA and retirement plan assets for your partner after your death.

This graph shows the total assets for two individuals who each inherit a $1,000,000 IRA at the age of 72—one inherits from his spouse and the other from his unmarried partner. The tax laws will allow a surviving spouse to keep the money growing tax-deferred much longer than they allow for a surviving partner. Under the projected law changes for Inherited IRAs, the scenario is even worse for the unmarried survivor. Getting married allows your surviving spouse to pay taxes later than if you stayed unmarried. Don’t Pay Taxes Now, Pay Taxes Later—even after you die.

The Essence of Retire Secure For Same-Sex Couples – Part 2

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This 9 part blog post series discusses along with graphs the essence of my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich.

Retire Secure! for Same Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich quantitatively compares various courses of action. For those who don’t want to read through the explanation and detail, just looking at the 9 graphs could provide critical information with a minimum of reading effort. Please be aware that the recommendations beneath each figure will be advantageous in most situations, but not for everyone.

Benefits of Spending After-Tax Savings before IRAs and Other Retirement Assets

Graph2
It’s generally best to spend assets in this order:

1) After-Tax Savings

2) Traditional IRA and Retirement Assets.

Of course at age 70 you will have to take money out of your IRA. Given a choice, however, you should spend your after tax savings first. You will have more money if you keep your money growing tax-deferred for as long as possible. Don’t Pay Taxes Now, Pay Taxes Later—when you are retired in the distribution stage.

Stay tuned next week where I’ll discuss Inheriting an IRA From a Spouse vs. an Unmarried Partner.  If you are interested in seeing if you qualify for a free consultation please fill out the form on this page https://outestateplanning.com/what-we-do/ or give us a call at 412-521-2732.

– James Lange

The Essence of Retire Secure For Same-Sex Couples – Part 1

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In this 9 part blog post series I will discuss along with graphs the essence of my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich.

Retire Secure! for Same Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich quantitatively compares various courses of action. For those who don’t want to read through the explanation and detail, just looking at the 9 graphs could provide critical information with a minimum of reading effort. Please be aware that the recommendations beneath each figure will be advantageous in most situations, but not for everyone.

Taking Advantage of Retirement Plans Rather than Saving Outside Retirement Plans
It’s better to save in IRAs and retirement plans versus saving in after-tax accounts (regular investments outside IRAs or retirement plans).

This graph shows the total net assets* for two identically situated people, except one contributes to his retirement plan at work and the other saves outside the retirement plan. They each have the same earnings, invest the same out of pocket amount at the same rate, have the same tax bracket, spend the same, etc. The difference is dramatic. The lesson: Don’t pay taxes now, pay taxes later—during the accumulation stage while you are working.

Please see page 30 in my book Retire Secure! For Same-Sex Couples: Live Gay, Retire Rich for further details.

* We measure $100 in an IRA as $75 net assets because there is a $25 income tax associated with the $100 IRA. This applies to this and the following graph.


Stay tuned next week where I’ll touch on the Benefits of Spending After-Tax Savings before IRAs and other Retirement Assets.  If you are interested in seeing if you qualify for a free consultation please fill out the form on this page https://outestateplanning.com/what-we-do/ or give us a call at 412-521-2732.

– James Lange