With this in mind, we will describe the basic features of a living trust, then describe the advantages and disadvantages of living trusts and wills. Whether or not a living trust is better for you than a will depends on whether or not the additional advantages are worth the cost. There is currently an interest in living trusts as a substitute for last wills (hereafter "will"
After you have crafted a valuable estate plan incorporating the goals mentioned above and providing for your legacy through protecting an inheritance to your family, the next step is to strengthen your legacy by bestowing upon your family the principles you value in your life. Some of these goals include saving on death taxes when parents have passed away, making it possible to avoid death taxes entirely when the children pass away and protecting a child’s inheritance from all possible creditors, including bankruptcy and divorce. In our Cartersville estate planning practice at Asset Protection & Elder Law of Georgia, we focus on protecting our clients and their assets, whatever their unique circumstances may be. Christina will inherit the estate outright (with full ownership of the property and assets) if she survives her father. Whether any planned tax result is realized by you depends on the specific facts of your own situation at the time your tax return is filed. And while it can take time to ponder the details, the results can be worth it and future generations may thank you for your efforts. Estate and Business Planning Because that’s the case, it is important that your family be provided for through a quality estate plan. We are here to help you trust document preparation during your time of need and we can help you plan everything, from establishing your nursing home care plans to building your will or trust. At Asset Protection & Elder Law of Georgia, we understand that all of this can be overwhelming for seniors and their families. Ensuring that children and grandchildren benefit from the family legacy is an important goal for many of our clients. Dr. Smith’s grandchildren became the sole beneficiaries of the trust after Christina’s death. The future is always unpredictable — no one knows how family events will unfol
Legally, the trust holds the title, but practically, you remain in charge while you’re alive in your capacity as the trustee. This means you can buy, sell, or use the property just as before. The term revocable means you can change or dissolve ("revoke") the trust at any time. But what exactly is a revocable trust, and is it right for you? Estate planning is about more than deciding who receives your assets when you pass away — it’s about creating a smooth process that protects your loved ones and your wishes. This article is intended to provide general information only and does not describe any specific MetLife product, service or featur
Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management (WIM) offers financial products and services through affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. Please consult your tax and legal advisors to determine how this information may apply to your own situation. In other words, your legacy trust can be tailored according to your wishes while avoiding estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, effectively. Here are some features to help trust document preparation determine whether a legacy trust may be right for yo
Prepare for Open Enrollment An estate plan, which includes documents such as a will and a healthcare directive, is important no matter your financial standing. All these estate planning documents play an important part in helping ensure your wishes are carried out during your life and after you die. Don’t forget to trust document preparation communicate with your loved ones when you’re making financial decisions that affect the whole family. The information and content provided herein is general in nature and is for informational purposes onl
Comprehensive Financial Planning Steven collaborates with attorneys, CPAs and financial advisers to design tax-efficient solutions that preserve and protect multigenerational wealth. Steven Bowles, CLU®, is the founder of Catalyst Advisory, an independent wealth transfer and estate planning advisory firm. Heirs can benefit equally from a pool of assets without dividing and splitting everything apart, which often results in lost value. This may involve a family LLC, a trust or shared governance of family assets. Dividing assets, especially illiquid ones like real estate and businesses, often forces a sale. Estate planning typically involves splitting everything evenly among the heirs, so they can do with their inheritance as they please. Invest in insurance to protect family wealth But families who successfully preserve their wealth typically spend more time and energy on tax strategy and protecting their wealth than selecting the right investments. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Permanent life insurance can be a good diversification play, offering protection along with cash value and an investment component. It provides excellent liquidity so your heirs can pay taxes without selling trust document preparation assets (very important if you own a business or a real estate portfolio). In this environment, it is essential to be strategic, calculated and prepared to protect the family assets and take full advantage of the opportunities availabl