Incorporating Your Second Home in Your Estate Plan

If you own a second (vacation) home that holds sentimental value for your family, ensuring it is passed down smoothly through your estate plan is essential. Properly incorporating your second home into your estate plan can help avoid conflicts and ensure that your children are well-prepared to manage and share the property after your death. To help get you started, the Indianapolis attorneys at Frank & Kraft discuss options for incorporating your second home into your estate plan.

Current Ownership Structure

Before deciding how to pass the vacation home to your children, you should assess the current ownership structure because it can impact how you ultimately pass down the property. If you own the home solely in your name, for example, it will likely go through probate unless you take steps to transfer it outside of probate. On the other hand, if you own the home with someone else, such as a spouse, with rights of survivorship, the property will automatically pass to the surviving owner. While this avoids probate initially, it does not address the transfer to your children after the surviving owner passes away. Options to consider for passing down your second home in your estate plan include:

• Revocable Living Trust: One of the most efficient tools for passing down a vacation home is through a Revocable Living Trust (RLT). By placing the property in a trust, you maintain control over it during your lifetime and can transfer it to your beneficiaries (your children) without probate after your death. A trust not only helps avoid the time and costs associated with probate but also allows you to provide detailed instructions for managing the property. You can specify how the home is to be used, how expenses will be divided, and even when each child can use the home, reducing potential conflicts over access.
• Family Limited Partnership or LLC: Another option is to place the vacation home into a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) or a Limited Liability Company (LLC). This allows the home to be owned by a business entity in which your children hold interests. An LLC or FLP can help avoid disputes that may arise from joint ownership by establishing clear rules for how the property will be managed, used, and maintained. This structure also provides liability protection. For example, if one child encounters financial or legal troubles, their personal creditors would not be able to claim the vacation home since it is owned by the company rather than the individual.
• Tenancy-in-Common: You could also choose a tenancy-in-common arrangement, where each child owns a percentage of the property. While this provides flexibility, as each child can manage their share independently, it can lead to complications. Major decisions, such as whether to sell the property or how to handle repairs, must be made collectively, which can sometimes cause disputes. To prevent such conflicts, a written agreement should be put in place, outlining how decisions will be made and how the property will be used.

Considering the Financial Implications

Inheriting a vacation home can involve significant financial responsibilities. Estate taxes, property taxes, and maintenance costs can add up, so it is important to plan for these expenses. If the value of your estate exceeds the federal gift and estate tax exemption ($13.61 million as of 2024), your children may face estate taxes when inheriting the home. Some states impose their own estate taxes as well. To reduce the taxable value of your estate, you might consider gifting partial interests in the property to your children while you are alive. Additionally, you should factor in ongoing costs such as property taxes, insurance, and repairs. If you are concerned that one or more of your children may struggle to afford these expenses, you could include provisions in your estate plan to set aside funds to cover the home’s maintenance.

Given the complexity of passing down a vacation home, it is important to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney to help you decide which option is best for your family’s unique situation.

Do You Need Help Incorporating Your Second Home into Your Estate Plan?

For more information, please join us for an upcoming FREE seminar. If you are ready to incorporate your second home into your estate plan, contact the experienced Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft by calling (317) 684-1100 to schedule an appointment.

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