I just read a recent Wall Street Journal article titled, “Trying to Control Your Heir’s Behavior from the Grave Often Backfires.” It was a short read, but it raised a number of issues for me. Here are some of my thoughts: Powder keg of emotions I think the article misses a major point. Most of… Read More »
Posts Categorized: Trusts
Grantor-Retained Annuity Trust Works Well With Stocks
This article is Part of a series exploring the various types of trusts that may benefit you. Today’s topic is Grantor-Retained Annuity Trusts (GRAT). Do you own stock, especially stock in a start-up company? If so, a Grantor-Retained Annuity Trust might be right for you. The GRAT is an irrevocable trust that transfers wealth without… Read More »
Irrevocable Trusts Protect Loved Ones Assets
This article is part of a series exploring the various types of trusts that may benefit you. Today’s topic is irrevocable trusts. Signing away ownership of assets can feel antithetical to you when you start to think about creating an estate plan that gives you control of what happens to your accumulated assets and meets… Read More »
Should Jointly Held Assets Go Into a Trust?
We’re often asked by new clients whether they should put jointly held property into a revocable trust (a.k.a. living trust). The answer is often yes. However, what ends up going into that trust depends on the structure by which the assets are held jointly by the client, as well as the structure of the trust… Read More »
Do Trustees Have a Duty to Decant?
The irrevocable trust is a powerful protection tool. If written properly by an experienced estate planning attorney, it can secure your wealth and property for intended loved ones for generations to come. But you can’t anticipate everything – including whether an heir will divorce and possibly expose a large portion of trust assets to an… Read More »
Estate Plans Aren’t Just About Avoiding Probate
Avoiding probate, reducing taxes, providing for heirs, and protecting a family business. These are the more popular reasons that most clients share when they start talking about why they want to establish an estate plan. However, there are several other less-discussed reasons that might prompt you to establish an estate plan. Recently, WealthManagement.com published an… Read More »
How a Trust Protector Can Be Your Forever “Watchdog”
Estate plans don’t always sync up with real life. If you don’t make a point of keeping your plan current, let alone adaptable to the future, changes in family circumstances or even the law can prevent your plan from achieving what you intended. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone to fill the gap, if… Read More »
Love Your Pet? Guarantee It Can Live the Good Life without You
Why You Should Include Your Pets in Your Estate Planning People may have laughed at Leona Helmsley, and more recently Joan Rivers, for setting up her dogs to live the (very) good life without her. But the fact is, including furry family members in estate plans is on the rise: a good thing, given an… Read More »
The Recession, Financially Troubled Beneficiaries and Your Client’s IRAs
As our struggling economy tries to sputter back to life, we still see its impact on our clients’ families. The stress of the real estate market crash and the wreckage of the lingering recession has left deep financial scars. There is still a desire by better off (note, not well off) grandparents and parents to… Read More »