What Key Estate Planning Terms Should I Know?
Estate planning is an incredibly important tool, not just for the uber wealthy or those thinking about retirement. On the contrary, estate planning is something every adult should do.
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 are the Responsibilities of a Trustee?
A trustee is a manager of assets in a trust. The grantor creates the trust and appoints the trustee. A trustee has a ‘fiduciary duty’ to serve the grantor and not benefit personally.
No Time Like the Present Pandemic to Get the Estate Plan Going
There’s nothing like a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic to focus one’s thinking. This year has been one for the books.
Does a Beneficiary of a Trust Have to Pay a Tax?
Beneficiaries of a trust typically pay taxes on the distributions they receive from the trust’s income, rather than the trust itself paying the tax. However, these beneficiaries are not subject to taxes on distributions from the trust’s principal.
Different Trusts for Different Estate Planning Purposes
Trusts are legal entities that own assets, and all trusts are not alike. They are created by a written trust document with certain provisions that can vary from trust to trust.
Why Is Trust Funding Important in Estate Planning?
If you have updated your estate plan during the Covid crisis and even found a way to sign your documents while maintaining social distance, do not overlook the last step of trust funding.
Which Stars Made the Biggest Estate Planning Blunders?
The saying goes that anyone who does not learn from mistakes in the past, is doomed to repeat them. In estate planning, if you do not learn from other’s mistakes, you are likely to repeat them.
When Exactly Do I Need to Update My Will?
It is also important to realize that it isn’t merely “why” you are updating your will, but “when” you are updating that can make all the difference. Acting too late (or too early) may mean your changes are no longer appropriate or even immediately invalidated.
What Happens If I Don’t Fund My Trust?
If you have updated your estate plan during the Covid crisis and even found a way to sign your documents while maintaining social distance, do not overlook the last step of trust funding.