The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in 2025, changed the landscape of estate planning by permanently increasing the federal estate and gift tax exemption to $15 million per individual. For married couples, this means they can now transfer up to $30 million tax-free to children, grandchildren, or trusts.

If your family owns businesses, real estate, retirement assets, or valuable investments, this is the time to take action and protect your wealth for generations to come.

What's the Strategy?

The goal of high-level estate planning is not just to reduce taxes, but to preserve control, protect assets, and plan for future growth. Here's how you can leverage the exemption now:

1. Irrevocable Trusts

You can gift assets—like real estate, business shares, or investment portfolios—into irrevocable trusts. These assets are removed from your taxable estate and grow outside of it.

✅ Best For: Business owners, high-net-worth families, clients with legacy goals.

1. Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)

GRATs allow you to gift appreciating assets while receiving an annuity for a set number of years. If the assets outperform the IRS's assumed interest rate, your heirs receive the excess gift-tax free.

✅ Best For: Stocks, LLC interests, or family business interests expected to grow.

1. Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs)

An FLP centralizes family wealth (such as rental properties or business interests), allows discounted gifting due to lack of marketability or control, and provides asset protection.

✅ Best For: Asset-rich families seeking structure and future governance.

1. Annual Exclusion Gifting + Lifetime Exemption

You can still gift $18,000 annually to any number of individuals without touching the $15 million exemption. Layering these two tactics allows wealth transfers over time without tax consequences.

What Happens If You Wait?

The exemption is high now, but there's no guarantee it will remain so. If Congress changes course—or inflation eats away at its value—you may lose the opportunity to transfer assets without tax.

And remember: estate planning isn't just about death. It's about planning for life—including disability, incapacity, divorce protection for heirs, and special needs beneficiaries.

How Barina Law Group Can Help

At Barina Law Group in Temple, Texas, we work with families to:

• Identify gifting opportunities
• Customize trusts to reflect family values and tax goals
• Coordinate with CPAs and wealth managers to ensure seamless implementation

Whether you're looking to reduce future estate taxes, pass on your business, or protect your children's inheritance, we'll build the right plan for your family.

✅ Call to Action

📞 Call (254) 699-3755 or visit www.bobbybarinalaw.com
📍 Serving Temple, Killeen, Harker Heights & Bell County

Let's make the most of this once-in-a-generation estate planning opportunity.