With the possible reduction of the estate exemption, looking for ways to help clients with most of their retirement savings in IRAs to reduce their estates.  Some ideas (many of which will involve a trip to the lawyers):

1. Obviously, conversion of a traditional IRA to a Roth reduces the estate by the income tax paid (although you still have the Roth in the estate).  Clients have been converting each year since retirement to the point they feel comfortable with the higher tax bill, but there is still a lot to go.
2. Split traditional IRA at first death, giving part to heirs to give them more time to utilize lower tax brackets (if applicable)
3. Leave traditional IRA to a fixed period 20-year charitable remainder trust (need to be charitably inclined)
4. Reduce other assets in the estate as much as possible/comfortable via nonrevokable grantor trusts
5. Add life insurance

Clients who have not been previously concerned about estate taxes (estates of ~$15-$20M) are now thinking about estate taxes and want to use the “tools” of the very rich to protect their money (if not this election, maybe in later years). Other suggestions?  Thanks.