How to Maximize Family Privacy in Your Estate Planning
In this day and age of internet search engines, privacy is at a premium. The lack of privacy is further compounded by the general policy of having court proceedings in public. Some families may be full...
View ArticleWho Will Care for Hachi?
There are 86.4 million cats and 78.2 million dogs owned in the U.S., according to the American Pet Products Association. The Humane Society of the U.S. estimates that each year, 400,000 pets need to...
View ArticleA Trust Can Save You From a Court-Appointed Guardianship
It happens in even the most privileged of families. An aging parent is suffering from failing health. Unfortunately, no planning for incapacitation was ever put in place by the parent to name someone...
View ArticleGeorge Clooney’s New Movie Offers Informative, Entertaining Look at Trusts
George Clooney is starring in a movie about a family trust. Yes, you read correctly. “The Descendants”, which opened in select theaters last month, offers a great depiction of what the Trust industry...
View ArticleCould a Crummey Trust Still Work for You Under Today’s Tax Laws?
Sometimes, the old ways are best. Crummey Trusts – named after D. Clifford Crummey who won a fight with the Internal Revenue Service in the 1960s – are designed to protect life insurance from federal...
View ArticleBeyond Taxes – Basic Reasons Why You Should Consider a Living Trust
The Revocable Living Trust (RLT) is arguably the simplest and most powerful estate planning tool for wealth protection. All too often, individuals only consider the RLT as a tool to lessen their...
View ArticleUsing Living Trusts to Provide Divorce Protection for Your Kids
Clients often ask me: “My son is in a bad marriage. What happens if we die and he gets divorced? Does that mean his ex-wife gets some of our estate?” I usually answer this question by sharing one of...
View ArticleLiving Trusts Provide Protection for Potential Incapacity
A Living Trust is a powerful tool can help your estate avoid probate court (saving time, money and anguish) and how it can provide divorce protection for your children. Another way a Living Trust can...
View ArticleSome Helpful Advice on Choosing a Successor Trustee
When you create Revocable Living Trusts, you must choose someone trustworthy to assume the role of a Successor Trustee – the person who manages a Trust and its assets after you die or are...
View ArticleBest practices for establishing an appropriate trust
When people are contemplating how they would like their savings and property to be distributed after their death, they often think about whether a trust will assist their family members in avoiding a...
View ArticleHow to use a trust to retain anonymity as a Lottery winner
If you are fortunate enough to win the lottery, you may have difficulty concealing your newfound wealth unless you purchased your ticket in one of six states that permits you to remain anonymous. They...
View ArticlePreparing for the death of a loved one
Due to the unpleasant subject matter of death, people often neglect to financially prepare for the loss of a spouse, family member or loved one. It is wise for couples to plan for the worst so that in...
View ArticleWhen a beneficiary inherits toxic property
There are several problems that can arise when you discover that your property is contaminated. It may be contaminated because at one time it was the site of an auto repair shop, and was polluted with...
View ArticleBest practices for establishing an appropriate trust
When people are contemplating how they would like their savings and property to be distributed after their death, they often think about whether a trust will assist their family members in avoiding a...
View ArticleHow to use a trust to retain anonymity as a Lottery winner
If you are fortunate enough to win the lottery, you may have difficulty concealing your newfound wealth unless you purchased your ticket in one of six states that permits you to remain anonymous. They...
View ArticleThe benefits and risks associated with a beneficiary defective inheritor’s...
An unusual estate planning vehicle that has the potential to convert thousands of dollars into millions is the beneficiary defective inheritor’s trust (BDIT). The trust is intended to operate...
View ArticleThe advantages of using a trust protector
When establishing a revocable trust, it is advisable to designate a trust protector to supervise the administration of the trust upon your death. If there is more than one trustee, there is the...
View ArticleAre Living Trusts Necessary?
It’s common these days for us to get some push back from clients whenever we recommend Revocable Living Trusts (RLT). The resistance stems from the perception that many people have that RLTs are only...
View ArticleThe advantages of establishing a quiet trust
Many families are concerned about transferring wealth to their children because they feel the children are unprepared to manage their inheritance. In fact, just one-third of affluent parents have...
View ArticlePicking the Right Successor Trustee
Few people take the time to arrange in advance for someone else to handle their financial issues when they can no longer fully care for themselves. It’s an easy decision to put off, partly because it’s...
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