What Trusts are Available for Estate Planning?

Trusts are an essential part of most estate plans, even the plans of people with moderate wealth. You need to know the basics of trusts, especially the key terms and concepts of the most widely-used types of trusts.

What’s the Difference Between an Inter Vivos Trust and a Testamentary Trust?

Estate planning offers tools to establish and maintain effective control over cash, investments and real estate assets during a person’s lifetime and upon death. While wills and beneficiary designations work well to ensure that an estate plan meets the unique needs of the individual establishing the plan, each has its limits.

Do I Need to Be Wealthy to Set Up a Trust?

If you’ve heard of trust funds but don’t know what they are or how they work, you’re not alone. Many people know just one key fact about trust funds: they’re set up by the ultra-wealthy as a way to protect passing on significant sums of money to family, friends or entities (charities, for example) after they pass away.

How Do I Revoke a Revocable Trust?

The basic steps involved in revoking a revocable trust are fairly simple and include the transfer of assets and an official document of dissolution.

Fixing an Estate Plan Mistake

Sometimes, despite best intentions and best efforts, an estate plan leaves unintended problems for heirs, trustees and others to solve. For example, a trust may have become outdated because of changes in tax laws, the birth or death of family members, or special circumstances like an heir’s disability.

How Can I Upgrade My Estate Plan?

Everyone’s heard the stories of celebrities who died without a proper estate plan in place. It’s been a hot topic in the last few years with Prince and Aretha Franklin serving as unfortunate faces of the phenomenon. However, it’s not just freewheeling entertainers.