Many real estate planners and business consultants encourage their clients to look into FLPs, but they find that family business owners should also weigh other non-tax factors. In the context of family businesses, estate planning is essentially about transferring ownership of the family business to the next generation. Families should plan to minimize their tax burden at the time of the owner`s death so that resources can remain in the business and in the family. However, the complexity of U.S. tax law requires that most estate planning be done with the help of accounting and legal professionals. Note, however, that as sponsors, children have legal rights that must be respected. The gift to children is a complete and genuine gift under this agreement, so the assets of the FLP must be those from which husband and wife are willing to separate, an issue that requires serious consideration and planning. Those who are able to make an irrevocable transfer to their children can use this strategy to achieve good asset protection and potentially beneficial estate tax savings. At the time of the formation of the limited partnership Estate planners and management consultants warn that the Internal Revenue Service will not necessarily approve a family limited partnership if it is obvious that the FLP was simply formed to evade tax. Family business owners who attempt to implement THE FLP a few weeks before they die of a foreseeable illness are likely to find that their efforts are stalled. Once the Company votes in favor of termination, it will begin to manage its affairs by closing all open projects, including supplier relationships, benefits or leases, and fulfilling all outstanding obligations.

The estate of the deceased`s partner cannot participate in the liquidation process, but he or she may ask a court to have the process overseen. Basically, a family limited partnership allows the business to be transferred to the next generation at a price well below its total value. This reduces the size of the estate and therefore the amount of federal taxes due. In fact, observers point out that these discounts can reach 50% of a company`s value. The updated valuation is due to the fact that the shares cannot be easily sold or otherwise transferred and because these shares do not imply voting or controlling rights in the company in question. Since the donated shares are discounted, the company pays less tax on donations on these shares. For example, if a $15,000 interest in a limited partnership is estimated at $8,000, parents can transfer that share to a child plus $4,000 of something else in a single year and remain within the $12,000 annual tax exclusion for donations. Second, this revaluation also applies to FLP shares that parents continue to hold. Third, because parents transfer shares of their estate, they also reduce the value of the estate for annual tax purposes. There are non-tax reasons for creating a PLF that the courts will recognize. Protecting the assets of creditors or possible divorces of children is a good reason.

An FLP can also be an effective way to transfer ownership and asset management to the next generation. Pooling family assets into a single unit can also lead to more efficient and cost-effective management. Proportional distributions. As part of the respect of the company, it is necessary to treat all owners equally. Some FLP general partners distribute assets and money to themselves when they need them. Sponsors receive little or nothing during the lifetime of the complementary. The judicial procedure makes it clear that any distribution must be proportionate to the shareholders` patrimonial interests. In 1993, the IRS reversed its long-standing position and decided that a minority discount is available in terms of transfers between family members, even though, after the transfer, there is control as a family unit. This decision has led to a sharp increase in the use of PEFs as an estate planning tool. There are three reasons to use a family limited partnership: to protect the assets of creditors, to educate young family members about the world of finance, and for estate planning. These are discussed in detail below.

Family limited partnerships (sometimes referred to as FLPs and pronounced « flip » by tax professionals) are an increasingly popular tool for family business owners who want to pass their business on to their children while minimizing the federal tax burden that sometimes accompanies such a transfer. The family limited partnership is a legal arrangement that allows business owners and their children to deal with tax issues, business succession and estate planning at the same time. Simply put, a parent can transfer assets, such as a family business, to a family limited liability company formed with the children. Parent companies retain control of the assets as general partners. Children are sponsors. Assets transferred to the FLP are limited – less liquid, more difficult to sell – and therefore their value is discounted for tax purposes. The result is that a typical business may have a present tax value 20-50% lower than its pre-FLP value. After the death of the elderly family member, the FLP is taxed as part of his estate, but the amount due is reduced because the value has been reduced within the FLP. Thus, a tax saving is achieved. The resulting reduction in the tax burden has placed family limited liability companies at the forefront of estate planning techniques.

Family limited partnerships have been a key element in many estate plans, and that`s why they`ve been IRS targets for years. Tax law regarding PLFs has fluctuated, but there are now enough legal proceedings to develop a roadmap to ensure the benefits of an FLP. Although 39 states have passed the Revised Uniform Partnership Act (RUPA), which governs partnerships and includes provisions on the death of a partner, it can be difficult to interpret state law. .