Estate planning is an essential process that involves the management and distribution of an individual's assets after their death. Trusts are a popular estate planning tool that can help individuals protect their assets and better ensure that their loved ones are...
Trusts
Can you choose how your heirs spend their money?
If you use a will, it gives you the ability to decide who gets your assets. Consider your investments or other financial assets, for example. You can use the will to state which heirs are supposed to inherit this money and you can divide up the percentage that is...
What is an irrevocable trust?
An irrevocable trust is a legal vehicle that you can use to protect your assets from creditors and predators. It is also a great way to reduce estate taxes. However, there are some drawbacks to using an irrevocable trust. What are the pros and cons of an irrevocable...
What a trust can do for your children
As a parent, your children are your top priority. Whether you have a newborn, a toddler or a teen, your love for your children and desire to see them succeed will not falter. While much of your focus will be on playing an active role in their upbringing, you also want...
Incentive trusts allow you to influence future behavior
If you'd like to influence what your heirs do after you pass away, you may think that you don't have all that many options. You can give them instructions in the will regarding what you'd like them to do with your assets, but you can't really influence how they live...
The benefits of an irrevocable trust
The thought of giving up the control and management of your assets to a third party may have probably never crossed your mind. However, when making your estate plans, setting up an irrevocable trust should be something you should consider. While you may not have a say...
3 different approaches to naming a trustee for your estate
Adding a trust to your estate plan can protect your assets from creditors, help you qualify for Medicaid or give you more control over the inheritance that family members receive. However, all of the careful planning for your trust will become meaningless if you don't...
Is a ‘spendthrift’ trust the answer to your estate problems?
You love your child, but you aren’t blind to their problems. Maybe they have a substance abuse disorder, a gambling problem or just make one poor financial decision after another in life. You want to provide for them after you’re gone, but you’re worried that...
How estate planning can help those with special needs
Estate planning is all about looking to the future, in the hopes of providing security one for oneself and loved ones. The appropriate use of the tools of estate planning can facilitate that, and one key category of tools is the trust. Trusts can help with the passing...