Someone will always point out to seek professional help.When needing qualified financial and tax advice, always best to go to a tractor forum.
Better to give while alive, so many factors come into play. Control, satisfaction, pride, emotions, direct results,,etc. etc.I max out on the allowable (non-reportable) gifts to my kids every year, not because they need it or because I think I will exceed the current estate tax threshold, but because the estate tax limits can be changed any year with the stroke of a congressional pen. At the rate debt is increasing I think it's only a matter of time before they start looking for any politically acceptable way to generate more government income.