Paying or Deferring Estate Taxes Attributed to Business Assets

In general, the portion of a decedent’s estate value in excess of an exempt amount is taxed at a federal rate of 40%. When a decedent’s estate includes a significant and illiquid business asset, the administrator is often faced with making a decision on how to pay a very large tax bill within a very short window of time. It is important to know when a potential deferral of payment is applicable and the potential financing options for payment of the estate taxes. In this podcast, Lisa Ligas, national director of wealth strategies for Wilmington Trust’s Emerald Family Office & Advisory®, offers her insights.