知识产权和你的财产

在制定遗产战略时需要考虑的诸多因素之一, 知识产权(IP)是最重要的，也是最容易被误解的. 这个短语本身可能有些令人困惑, 因为人们可能不知道它是否适用于他们或他们的资产. 为了弄清楚，让我们从定义它的确切含义开始 知识产权.

IP embraces four distinct areas of consideration: patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. 让我们更详细地看看每一个:

• 专利 是否有在美国注册的产权.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an original invention, such as a process or machine. 当专利局认为一项发明可以获得专利时, 发明者被授予专利，这有助于保护他们的投资. 这些包括 设计专利 (想想跑车或可口可乐瓶的独特形状)， 实用新型专利 (用于软件、应用程序和药品等)，以及 植物新品种专利 (e.g.(如玫瑰新品种或具有独特特性的果树).¹
  
  
• 商标 涵盖用于识别产品或服务的许多项目, 包括服务商标和商业外观. 商标所有人可以转让或者遗赠. 什么算商标? 想想麦当劳的金色拱门或与亚马逊相关的符号, 网飞公司, 迪斯尼, 以及其他媒体公司. 商标也可以延伸到颜色, 字体, 甚至是与产品或服务相关的特定词汇.¹(Companies are mentioned for illustrative purposes only and not as a solicitation for the purchase or sale of their securities. Any investment should be consistent with your objectives, time frame, and risk tolerance.)
  
  
• 版权 as defined by copyright law protect and guard the rights of creators of original works. 这还不包括你写推理小说的想法, 但, 如果你写那本小说, 你的作品自动拥有版权. 版权也适用于诗歌, 小说和非小说类作品, 音乐, 视觉艺术, 播客, 以及最有形的表达作品. 创作者拥有所谓的原创作品的作者身份, 他们凭什么获得版权, 他们可以选择在美国注册.S. 版权办公室. 虽然不需要注册，但它可以加强作者的权利. 版权资产可以在遗产策略下转让, 但这种保护不会永远持续下去(见下文)。.^1,2
  
  
• 商业秘密 belong to a company and may be defined as confidential business information that provides a competitive edge; this nonpublic knowledge has monetary value and provides information. 你可能会想到一些著名的商业秘密, such as the formula for Coca-Cola or Colonel Sanders' eleven herbs and spices for KFC. 拥有商业秘密的公司必须采取措施保护它, 因为一旦公之于众就不再受保护了. 与版权不同，商业秘密可以是有形的，也可以是无形的. 对程序员来说, 例如, the biggest secret in the tech business is probably Google's search algorithm. If you own a company, your trade secrets will need to be factored into your estate strategy. You can require beneficiaries to sign confidentiality agreements and make provisions for the continued preservation of trade secrets.¹(It bears repeating that the mention of any company is for illustrative purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of its securities.)

考虑到这一切, it's clear that IP represents a considerable amount of work on the part of you or the company that you run. 因为这个原因, it's important to incorporate it into your estate strategy in a way that continues to create value and meet your personal expectations.

知识产权可能是遗产中更有价值的资产之一, 但它也很难估值和管理. Your estate professionals should take an inventory of IP assets and consider having IP counsel assess their scope. It's also important to consider creators' personal preferences for the ongoing treatment of their IP to ensure it's managed according to their wishes. For instance, they might not want a song they wrote to be used to sell products.

在将知识产权纳入房地产策略之前, 确认所有权很重要, as the original inventor or creator may not be the sole owner of the rights to the invention or creative work. Joint inventors or creators may have agreed on various percentages of ownership. 另外, 该知识产权可能已被分配给另一个人或实体, 转让部分或全部权利. Employment agreements 也应该被审查 to determine which rights can be passed on to beneficiaries.³

知识产权的价值还取决于资产的剩余寿命. 专利 have a fixed term of either twenty years (for 实用新型专利) or fourteen to fifteen years (for 设计专利). 版权保护期为作者一生再加七十年, 但, 旧的版权, 这里有一个不同的界限. 2024年，所有1928年及更早的作品进入公有领域. 商标 and trade secrets can last indefinitely if they continue to be used or have commercial value.³ 请记住，IP规则是不断变化的, and there is no guarantee that they will remain the same in the years ahead.

虽然IP的价值可能在不断变化，但可以考虑某些基准. Past licensing agreements can provide insight into the value of the IP as well as whether the rights granted were exclusive or nonexclusive. Non-exclusive rights allow for potential expansion of licensing opportunities, 而专有权则有固定的价值和时间. 知识产权资产的其他估值, 比如待售, 税, 或者商业交易, 也应该被审查. 缺乏估值可能会对知识产权资产的价值产生负面影响.³

Certain types of IP, such as copyrights, are valued based on potential future revenue. Hiring a professional expert or appraiser in the specific field of the IP can determine present and future value. Descendants of copyright owners can terminate assignments of copyrights to regain bargaining power for creative works. Also, court decisions can render patents invalid, making them financially worthless. It's important for your estate professionals to consult with IP counsel to assess the risk of invalidation for patent assets.³

整体, protecting creators' personal legacies requires careful consideration of their wishes for their IP rights. 通过在遗产策略中加入具体的指示, you can ensure that their work is handled in a way that aligns with their personal preferences and helps preserve their legacy.

当你把你的知识产权纳入你的遗产策略时, you must carefully consider a number of factors to pass this legacy on to your heirs. 与财务团队合作, you'll be able to determine how best to incorporate your IP into that strategy so as to continue providing for your beneficiaries.

1. StFrancisLaw.2023年8月22日
2. 版权.2023年8月22日
3. AmericanBar.2023年8月22日

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