How to Act Now to Lock in Tax and Family Benefits Before the Sunset The end of 2025 will bring one of the most significant changes to estate planning in years — and it could affect far more families than most people realize. The current federal law, part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (often referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”), temporarily doubles the amount individuals can transfer to others during life or at death without paying federal estate or gift taxes. For 2024, that amount is $13.61 million per person (or $27.22 million for married couples). Unless Congress takes new action, that exemption is scheduled to drop by roughly half on January 1, 2026. While that might sound like an issue only for the very wealthy, the reality is that many middle-class families could also be affected, especially when you factor in home equity, life insurance, retirement accounts, and future growth. Why This Matters Even if You’re Not “Wealthy” You don’t need to have millions in the bank to benefit from good planning. The 2025 “sunset” matters because it shapes the rules that determine how your assets are taxed, transferred, and protected. Rising home values and larger retirement accounts mean more estates may cross the new, lower threshold once the exemption drops. Some states have their own estate or inheritance taxes that kick in at much lower levels than federal limits. Even families under the exemption can lose out on opportunities to reduce probate costs, avoid family [...]