--- title: "GRAT Attorney | Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts" description: "Short-term rolling GRATs and long-term GRATs to transfer appreciation out of the estate with minimal gift tax cost." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "LegalService", "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#legalservice", "name": "Jacobs Legacy Counsel", "alternateName": [ "Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel", "Jacobs Legacy" ], "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com", "description": "Fixed-fee estate planning for high-net-worth families, founders, executives, and professional athletes. Licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio.", "logo": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/logo-dark.jpg", "image": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/og-image.jpg", "telephone": "+1-646-343-7227", "email": "intake@jacobscounsellaw.com", "priceRange": "Fixed-fee engagements", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "221 River Street, Floor 9", "addressLocality": "Hoboken", "addressRegion": "NJ", "postalCode": "07030", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "State", "name": "New York" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "New Jersey" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "Ohio" } ], "knowsAbout": [ "Estate planning", "Revocable living trusts", "Irrevocable trusts", "Dynasty trusts", "Asset protection planning", "Generation-skipping transfer tax planning", "Estate planning for professional athletes", "Estate planning for founders and executives", "QSBS planning", "Pre-liquidity estate planning", "Probate and trust administration" ], "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-646-343-7227", "email": "intake@jacobscounsellaw.com", "contactType": "client intake", "areaServed": [ "US-NY", "US-NJ", "US-OH" ], "availableLanguage": [ "en" ] }, "founder": { "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person" }, "employee": { "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person" }, "parentOrganization": { "@type": "LegalService", "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/#legalservice", "name": "Jacobs Counsel LLC", "url": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com" }, "sameAs": [ "https://jacobscounsellaw.com", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/jacobs-counsel", "https://www.instagram.com/jacobscounsel" ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#website", "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com", "name": "Jacobs Legacy Counsel", "publisher": { "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#legalservice" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person", "name": "Andrew R. Jacobs, Esq.", "alternateName": "Drew Jacobs", "url": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs", "jobTitle": "Founder & Managing Attorney", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/#legalservice" }, "sameAs": [ "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-jacobs-dj32/", "https://www.instagram.com/jacobscounsel", "https://profiles.superlawyers.com/new-york-metro/hoboken/lawyer/andrew-jacobs/5765bbd8-0554-4eb5-be6d-0431db28f834.html", "https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/07030-nj-andrew-jacobs-5765bbd8.html", "https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorneyservices/search?lastName=jacobs&firstName=andrew" ] } ] }, [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "name": "Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)", "description": "Short-term rolling GRATs and long-term GRATs to transfer appreciation out of the estate with minimal gift tax cost.", "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/trusts/grats", "isPartOf": { "@type": "LegalService", "name": "Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel LLC", "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if the asset declines?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The annuity payments simply return the original value plus interest, and the GRAT terminates with no remainder." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the §7520 rate?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The IRS hurdle rate published monthly — currently in the 4–5% range." } } ] } ], { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Trusts", "item": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/trusts" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "GRATs", "item": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/trusts/grats" } ] } ] --- A Practice of [Jacobs Counsel LLC](https://jacobscounsellaw.com) Serving NY · NJ · OH — Vol. 2026 [Legacy Counsel ](/) Firm Resources Estate Planning Trusts [Probate & Admin](/probate-trust-administration)[Pricing](/pricing)[Book Call](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning)[Start Intake](/get-started) Menu 1. [Home](/) 2. [Trusts](/trusts) 3. GRATs GRATs Legacy Counsel # Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs) A GRAT is the cleanest tool in the estate planning toolkit: you transfer an asset into a trust, take back fixed annuity payments equal to the asset's value plus the IRS hurdle rate, and anything left over passes to your heirs gift-tax-free. [Start Intake](/get-started)[Book a Consultation](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning) Key Points - ◆ Zeroed-out GRATs use little or no gift exemption - ◆ Short-term rolling GRATs (2-year) are the standard for volatile or pre-exit equity - ◆ Outperformance above the §7520 rate passes to remainder beneficiaries free of gift tax - ◆ Best paired with concentrated single-stock positions, pre-IPO shares, or appreciating real estate - ◆ Grantor must survive the term — death during the term pulls assets back into the estate ## How a zeroed-out GRAT works You transfer $10M of an appreciating asset into a 2-year GRAT. ## Why short-term and rolling Volatility is your friend. Frequently Asked What happens if the asset declines? + The annuity payments simply return the original value plus interest, and the GRAT terminates with no remainder. What is the §7520 rate? + The IRS hurdle rate published monthly — currently in the 4–5% range. Related - [SLATs](/trusts/slats) - [Irrevocable Trusts](/trusts/irrevocable) - [Founders Pre-Exit Planning](/estate-planning/founders-pre-exit) - [QSBS Stacking](/qsbs-stacking) Next Step ### Talk to Legacy Counsel. Fixed-fee estate planning for clients in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. [Start Intake](/get-started)[Book a Consultation](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning) Drew Jacobs is licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice or an offer to represent you in a jurisdiction in which we are not licensed. **Prospective Client Disclaimer.** Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not send confidential or time-sensitive information until we have signed an engagement letter. We will review your submission and follow up to discuss whether we can represent you. By submitting, you consent to be contacted about your inquiry. Estate Planning & Legacy Counsel Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel. 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All rights reserved. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. **Jurisdiction.** Drew Jacobs is licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio . Estate planning is highly state-specific — laws governing wills, trusts, probate, estate and inheritance tax, and asset protection vary materially by jurisdiction. We represent clients whose residence, primary assets, or business interests are situated in NY, NJ, or OH. For matters involving other states, we coordinate with qualified local counsel. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice or an offer to represent you in a jurisdiction in which we are not licensed.