2014 was a year of major changes for New York estate planners. For the first time in twelve years, the state specific exemption increased from $1 million to $2.052 million. This was the first of several changes to the New York exemption that will occur annually through 2019 when it will be tied to the federal estate tax exemption.

The increased exemption was coupled with a possibly more significant development, the so-called “cliff” for estates that exceed the exemption by 5% or more. Previously, New York State only taxed the value of an estate that exceeded the applicable exemption. For estates that reach or exceed the cliff, the entire value of the estate will now be subject to taxation. This change made it even more important to carefully craft your estate plan.

As 2015 begins, here is a look at where the applicable exemptions and exclusion amounts stand:

Federal Estate Tax Exemption-In 2015, the exemption has increased from $5.34 million to $5.43 million. This represents the smallest annual increase to the exemption amount since it was indexed to the inflation rate in 2012.

Federal Gift Tax Exemption-Similarly, the federal gift tax exemption has increased to $5.43 million. For those who maxed out their exemptions in 2012, the small change will provide minimal additional room for them to make additional gifts.

Federal Gift Tax Annual Exclusion-There has been no change from the 2014 (and 2013) amount of $14,000 per beneficiary. Coupled with the small increase to the lifetime gift exemption, there has been very little additional room for donors to make additional tax-free gifts.

New York Estate Tax Exemption– On April 1, 2015, the state estate tax exemption will increase to $3,125,000.00. Although not as dramatic of an increase as the 2014 change, this still represents more than a 50% increase to the exemption.   The cliff kicks in $3,281,250 and estates at or in excess of this amount will see the entire value of their estates subject to taxation at a maximum rate of 16%.

New Jersey and Connecticut Estate Tax Exemptions-New York’s neighboring states did not follow suit with increasing their respective estate tax exemptions. Connecticut’s exemption, which had previously been higher than New York’s, remains at $2 million while New Jersey’s exemption is the lowest amongst those states with a separate state exemption a $675,000. New Jersey also has a separate inheritance tax that may or may not apply depending on who the beneficiary is.

These changes, while creating some additional flexibility, do not alleviate some of the issues that concern estate planners. In New York, it remains important to ensure that assets are properly allotted based on the applicable state and federal exemptions. If they are not, unnecessary tax may be due. The introduction of the cliff increases this concern because under New York law, unlike federal law, a surviving spouse cannot inherit the unused portion of the deceased spouse’s exemption. This concept, known as portability, is limited to federal taxation and will not protect a New York estate from exceeding the cliff.

The 2014 changes have created new opportunities to shield additional assets from taxation. They have also created new pitfalls that clients will need their estate planners’ assistance to avoid.

Please contact info@levyestatelaw.com for more information