ACC 630 Milestone Three

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Southern New Hampshire University *

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630

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Accounting

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Jul 2, 2024

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docx

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Milestone Three Southern New Hampshire University ACC 630
Trusts A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that authorizes a third party or trustee to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Trusts can be arranged in many ways and can be set up precisely when and how assets are passed to beneficiaries. Considering that trusts customarily avoid probate, the beneficiaries may be granted access to the assets more promptly than they would if a will were used instead. Also, if it is an irrevocable trust, it may not be considered part of the taxable estate, leaving less taxes due upon death (Fidelity, n.d.). Conclusion Walmart’s Walton family’s fortune is estimated to exceed $100 billion. They are famous for using creative, but legal, methods of preserving their wealth. One method they use is a Charitable Lead Annuity Trust (CLAT) and has been exceptionally useful in recent years. The basic procedure starts with the donor giving the property to a trust. The trust then pays the charity a definite amount each year for a set number of years. When the trust ceases, the property is then transferred to the donor’s heirs. The best element of this method is that if the trust is set up properly, the donor will receive tax deductions for their charitable contribution and much of the donated property transfers to the donor’s heirs’ tax free (Dossey, 2013). The Walton family has informed Walmart the recently formed entity, the Walton Family Holdings Trust, has no set timetable for the sale of shares and expects it may take place over a period of years. The heirs to the Walmart fortune have donated Walmart shares worth an estimated $48 billion to their family trust, which equals 415 million shares that were transferred (Walmart Enterprises, 2015).
Estate Planning Purposes Keen business owners use trusts so their business can continue in their absence. However, many business owners do not have an estate plan arranged to protect their business. Trusts can ensure that the business does not end without you. The greatest issue that people do not understand is that often, funds from a business will be used to satisfy the debts of the business owner’s private affairs. An inadequately planned estate can show that there is not enough money to meet the personal debts of the business owner. If this happens, the government will look to the business to satisfy the debts. The business must then pay or assume the debt, which could potentially leave it trapped. This could cause the business to shut down because the operating capital is taken to satisfy personal debts (Lapin, 2023). A living trust that provides a succession plan is needed. Each employee should know what is expected of them in the absence of the business owner. A succession plan will create a clear chain of command for someone to succeed the business owner so the business can continue to function in case of the business owner’s absence. The trustee that is appointed is also someone who can oversee the affairs of the business to ensure things are running smoothly (Lapin, 2023). Income Protection When a business is set up with the proper business structure, it can set the business up for long-term success. Depending on the size of the business, it may be suited under a trust, sole trader, or company structure. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the several types of business structures. When a business is under a trust, it typically means the trust owns and runs the assets, distributes the business’ income, and must follow the trust obligations. The trustee of the trust is
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