The IRS has given families a little more flexibility in handling a 401 (K) and pension plans.  According to an IRS announcement, children who inherit a 401 (k) or pension plan can now roll it over directly into a Roth IRA. Before, a spouse who inherited a 401 (k) or pension plan could roll it over into a Roth IRA, but this was not true for a beneficiary other than a spouse, such as a child. 

The recent dip in interest rates has created a golden opportunity to save taxes while giving income-producing assets to your heirs.  You can do this with a “grantor retained annuity trust,” or GRAT.  It allows you to continue receiving income from the property for a number of years, and you can then give it to your heirs while dramatically reducing your estate and gift tax. The amount of taxes you can save is determined by a