This month, we’ve shipped a key tool that will help with that project: A calculator that captures the returns from one of the most popular estate tax planning structures, a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT). The new tool has several key features.

Simple. There are very few moving parts with a GRAT; you can set up a trust whenever you’re ready, and the only key variables are how much you’ll give away and how fast your investments will grow in the meantime. This calculator captures that simplicity: Just enter those couple of details and we’ll show you how much your family could save on estate tax over time. 

Visual. The GRAT story is simple: Will your family end up with more money with GRATs, or if you invest your money now, give it away when you pass away, and pay the estate tax? Our calculator will show you the answer in two forms: As a time series chart and as a table that demonstrates the returns from pursuing the GRAT strategy for 10, 20, 30 years or more. Whether you’re a math person or a visual learner (or both!) you’ll learn what you need to know on one or two screens. 

We hope this new tool is helpful. If you’ve had meaningful financial success and expect to reach the lifetime gift exemption limit during your life, consider making this your first stop.If you’re planning to reduce the taxes on other forms of income, meanwhile, check out our other tools: A calculator that demonstrates the returns from selling appreciated assets with a Charitable Remainder Trust; one that highlights the savings from stacking QSBS benefits; and a guided planning tool that can help you identify the right strategy for your situation.

About Valur

We’ve built a platform to give everyone access to the tax and wealth-building tools typically reserved for wealthy individuals with a team of accountants and lawyers. We make it simple and seamless for our customers to take advantage of these hard-to-access tax-advantaged structures. With Valur, you can build your wealth more efficiently at less than half the cost of competitors. 

From picking the best strategy to taking care of all the setup and ongoing overhead, we make things simple. The results are real: We have helped create more than $3 billion in additional wealth for our customers. If you would like to learn more, please feel free to explore our Learning Center. You can also see your potential tax savings with our online calculators or schedule a time to chat with us!