A King Washington Complex Will — Maximum Unified Credit to Spouse is a type of estate planning document that allows married individuals to maximize their federal estate tax exclusion amount, also known as the unified credit or the estate tax exemption. This comprehensive and strategic estate planning technique ensures that the surviving spouse can efficiently utilize and preserve the maximum estate tax exemption amount available under the law. The King Washington Complex Will consists of a series of legal arrangements and provisions specifically designed to take advantage of the unlimited marital deduction and the unified credit. By utilizing this type of will, spouses can minimize or even eliminate estate taxes upon the passing of the first spouse. The key feature of the King Washington Complex Will — Maximum Unified Credit to Spouse is maximizing the unified credit, which allows individuals to transfer a certain amount of assets frees from federal estate taxes. Currently, the unified credit allows each individual to exempt up to $11.7 million (as of 2021) from taxation. However, when the first spouse passes away, their unused unified credit can be added to the surviving spouse's exemption, effectively doubling the amount that can be passed on tax-free. There are different types or variations of the King Washington Complex Will that can be tailored to individual circumstances: 1. Standard King Washington Complex Will — This is the most fundamental form of the complex will, allowing the maximum unified credit to pass to the surviving spouse. It ensures that the deceased spouse's unused exemption is properly allocated and utilized. 2. King Washington Complex Will with Trusts — In some cases, spouses might choose to incorporate trusts into their complex will strategy. These trusts, such as a bypass trust or a qualified terminable interest property (TIP) trust, can provide additional control and flexibility over how assets are distributed and protected for the surviving spouse and future generations. They can also help mitigate estate tax burdens over time. 3. King Washington Complex Will with Gifting Strategies — This variant of the complex will may involve utilizing gifting strategies during the lifetime of both spouses. It allows for the transfer of assets to beneficiaries, such as children or grandchildren, in order to further reduce the taxable estate. These gifting strategies can include annual exclusion gifts, lifetime exemption gifts, or charitable donations. 4. King Washington Complex Will with Family Limited Partnerships (FLP) — Some individuals may consider incorporating a family limited partnership into their complex will, especially for those with significant business or investment assets. By transferring assets to an FLP, the individual can achieve both estate tax savings and asset protection benefits while still maintaining control and income from the assets during their lifetime. In conclusion, the King Washington Complex Will — Maximum Unified Credit to Spouse is a powerful estate planning tool that takes advantage of the unlimited marital deduction and the unified credit to minimize or eliminate estate taxes for married individuals. By carefully considering individual circumstances and goals, different variations of the complex will, can be tailored to optimize tax savings and protect assets for future generations.