Category Archives: Trust Planning
Keeping a trust a secret could violate state law
If your estate plan includes one or more trusts, you may have a good reason for wanting to keep them a secret. For example, you may be concerned that, if your children or other beneficiaries knew about the trust, they might spend recklessly or neglect educational or career pursuits. Despite your good intentions, however,… Read More »
Only certain trusts can own S corporation stock
S corporations must comply with several strict requirements or risk losing their tax-advantaged status. Among other things, they can have no more than 100 shareholders, can have no more than one class of stock and are permitted to have only certain types of shareholders. In an estate planning context, it’s critical that any trusts… Read More »
Have you taken state estate taxes into account?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has doubled the federal gift and estate tax exemption, with inflation-adjustments projected to raise it to $11.18 million for 2018.This means federal estate taxes are a concern for fewer families, at least in the short term. (The doubled exemption expires December 31, 2025.) But it’s important to consider how… Read More »
Preserve wealth for yourself and your heirs using asset protection strategies
There are many techniques you can use to protect your assets, from giving them to loved ones to placing them in offshore trusts. It’s important to understand that asset protection isn’t about evading legitimate debts, hiding assets or defrauding creditors. Rather, it’s about preserving your hard-earned wealth in the face of unreasonable creditors’ claims,… Read More »
Properly planning for incapacity requires specific estate planning strategies
Most estate plans focus on what happens after you die. But without arrangements for what will happen in the event you become mentally incapacitated, your plan is incomplete. If an accident, illness or other circumstances render you unable to make financial or health care decisions — and you don’t have documents in place to… Read More »
Update your estate plan to reflect your second marriage
If you’re in a second marriage or planning another trip down the aisle, it’s vital to review and revise (if necessary) your estate plan. You probably want to provide for your current spouse and not inadvertently benefit your former spouse. And if you have children from each marriage, juggling their interests can be a… Read More »
The write stuff: A letter of instructions
When you draft an estate plan, the centerpiece is your will or living trust. Such a document determines who gets what, where, when and how, as well as tying up the loose ends of your estate. A valid will or living trust can be supplemented by other legally binding documents, such as trusts (or… Read More »
Who should own your life insurance policy?
If you own life insurance policies at your death, the proceeds will be included in your taxable estate. Ownership is usually determined by several factors, including who has the right to name the beneficiaries of the proceeds. The way around this problem is to not own the policies when you die. However, don’t automatically… Read More »
National Estate Planning Awareness Week
According to a recent AARP survey, 6 out of 10 adults do NOT have Estate Plans. Out of those surveyed, 47% say they simply just “haven’t gotten around to it.” No matter your age, profession, marital status, or whether you have children, EVERYONE needs Estate Plans and should not put it off any longer!… Read More »
Have you properly funded your revocable trust?
If your estate plan includes a revocable trust — also known as a “living” trust — it’s critical to ensure that the trust is properly funded. Revocable trusts offer significant benefits, including asset management (in the event you become incapacitated) and probate avoidance. But these benefits aren’t available if you don’t fund the trust…. Read More »