What Is a Trust Protector? Traditionally, the three roles that must be filled when setting up a trust are the settlor (also called a grantor, trustor, or trustmaker), the trustee, and the beneficiary. All three roles are necessary to create a trust that functions...
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Estate Planning Lessons We Learned from US Presidents
Several US presidents made noteworthy contributions to our country. As with any discussion that involves politics, a discussion about US presidents risks generating a variety of opinions about which reasonable minds can disagree. However, politics is not today’s...
Helping Clients Create an Up-to-Date Inventory
If you have already done estate planning by creating a will or trust, then you have taken a very important step toward ensuring that if you become incapacitated or die, your loved ones will know how to help manage your financial and legal affairs. However, simply...
Using a Standby Supplemental Needs Trust to Protect Your Loved Ones
We all plan for “just-in-case” scenarios. When packing for our week-long vacation, we throw in a rain jacket even though the weather forecast is sunny—just in case. When planning for the future, it is also important to consider what will happen just in case one of...
Before Your Real Estate Sale or Purchase Closing
Two Essential Things to Add to Your Real Estate Closing Moving Checklist There is a lot to think about before your sale or purchase closing: along with organizing and packing up all of your belongings, there is also starting and stopping utilities, mail forwarding,...
Things to Remember When Pulled Over by a Police Officer
Maybe your heart sinks a little as you catch a glimpse of flashing lights in your rearview mirror. A little rattled, your mind begins racing as you wonder, “Oh no, what should I do now?” Your experience of being pulled over will be a little less stressful if you...
The Death of Anne Heche: Lessons for Estate Planning
Anne Heche’s recent accidental death was a disturbing reminder of how the everyday can quickly turn into the tragic. While driving through the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles on August 5, 2022, Heche was involved in a car crash and succumbed to her injuries a...
Wills vs. Revocable Trusts – Trusts Win
Right now, the estate tax exemption surpasses $10 million (doubled if a client is married), and although it is due to revert back to $5 million (adjusted for inflation) in 2026, many clients believe their revocable trusts have become obsolete. The truth is, a...
Why a Trust Is the Best Option to Avoid Probate
Ideally, when someone passes away, the paperwork and material concerns associated with the deceased’s passing are so seamlessly handled (thanks to excellent preparation) that they fade into the background, allowing the family and other loved ones to grieve and...