Many parents and grandparents want to pass their wealth to their children while they are still alive. Gifts to children or grandchildren can be a good way to reduce a taxable estate. At the same time, you can control when…

There are various benefits to creating a testamentary trust. This article discusses the benefits of adding a testamentary trust to your estate plan. What Is a Testamentary Trust? A testamentary trust allows a testator to manage wealth by giving a trustee…

The grantor of a living trust often serves as trustee during his or her lifetime, appointing a successor trustee to step into that role when the grantor dies or becomes incapacitated. The grantor of a revocable trust is free to…

The most common and most significant estate planning error is failing to plan at all. About half of U.S. adults don’t even have a will, arguably the most basic estate planning document. Unfortunately, many of those who have taken basic…

Trusts can be a powerful tool for protecting assets, passing property to loved ones after your death, or providing for a loved one who is disabled or incapacitated. You can work with your trust attorney to create a framework that…

Serving as the administrator of an estate is more complex than many people anticipate. Whether you’re choosing the administrator you’ll name in your will or have been appointed administrator and are unsure of your responsibilities, it’s important to understand the…

Many people opt for a living trust over more traditional means of estate planning because of benefits such as: A smoother, shorter transition after death Lower costs of administration after death Flexibility during the grantor’s lifetime Greater ability to control…

Although many people equate “estate planning” with having a will, there are many advantages to having a trust rather than a will as the centerpiece of your estate plan. While there are other estate planning tools (such as joint tenancy,…

With Republicans in control of Congress and the presidency, there is talk of eliminating the federal estate tax.  In 2017 the tax affects only estates over $5.49 million, meaning that for more than 99 percent of Americans, it's already been repealed.…

When a loved one suffers from a mental illness, one small comfort can be knowing that your trust can take care of them through thick and thin. There are some ways this can happen, ranging from the funding of various…