The Manila Times

The final sleep

- MONEY TALKS mana cannot plan when you are already dead. Rienzie Biolena is a registered pines. Learn more about per66th RFP program this November 2017. Toinquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text <name><email><RFP> at 0917-9689774.

taxes that one is likely to incur during his lifetime and in the event of death.

When we die, we leave all of our properties behind. It makes me remember the old saying that you cannot bring all your riches when you die. Ideally, you leave them in an orderly manner for your heirs. How many families, brothers and sisters have been torn apart because of bickering on ( inheritanc­e)? This is not just applicable to ordinary families who have parcels of land and assets left that must be divided among the heirs —the same level of emotional and bitter engagement can also be gleamed among the deceased person has failed to make his or her properties orderly before death.

On the other side, how many families have gone through an - cause the father or mother has left tons—not of assets—but of debt?

Given all such concerns, I think even being dead nowadays is still stressful.

But the point here is that you your loved ones, for the important people whose relationsh­ips you want to preserve and whose needs you want to support even after your demise. This inevitably brings us to the point that planning your deathly affairs should begin in the present, while you’re still around — you

Luckily, there is such a thing as Estate Planning, with which one can effectivel­y and efficientl­y manage all of these affairs legally. It involves various instrument­s— legal and financial tools to cater to an individual’s needs and aspiration­s.

For instance, having Insurance instantly creates wealth that can be used to secure a family’s future, to answer to liabilitie­s that may be left, or even pay off incidental taxes and expenses required upon death. Wills and testaments provide a way to dispose of properties in accordance with one’s wishes, but of course, subject to restrictio­ns provided by law. There are heirs and persons that the law requires to have a share in the property of the deceased, after which a free portion can be disposed of freely to whomever the person wishes.

While still alive, giving some of your assets as a gift or donation can already be done to the intended recipients. This shall enable you to lessen the base of the eventual estate, and thus, save on taxes. Moreover, with proper timing, dispositio­n of assets through gifting and donation can provide tax savings: while estate tax is between 3 percent and 60 percent, donor’s tax is just 1.5 percent to 40 percent. Creating a family corporatio­n is another technique in which properties can be transferre­d to a corporatio­n in exchange for shares of and advantages.

And there are Trusts. Trust instrument­s can be created to suit more specific and special needs: you can create a trust in which the principal can remain intact and assign a person to administer such, with the income to be distribute­d among chosen tip of the iceberg with what you can do with trusts.

Planning for one’s estate is one arduous and complicate­d harmonious relation among surviving family members and loved ones, a secure future for them, or for continuing a noble charitable support to an institutio­n—even is all worth it.

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