A trust can be a great way to ensure that a person’s assets are managed effectively after they pass—without having to go through the laborious probate process. The actual course of administering the trust, though, is not without its own complications. While many...
You took charge of your estate. You met with your lawyer, drafted a will, filled out an advanced directive for healthcare, and maybe even set up some kind of trust. You’re all set, right? Well…if you haven’t updated your estate plan in a while, the answer is probably...
There are some situations where DIY is okay. Making a birdhouse out of popsicle sticks after watching a few YouTube tutorials is a perfectly acceptable DIY project. On the other hand, DIY wills and trusts are rarely good ideas. Take poor Jane Doe*, as an example. Her...
If the concept of a “trust protector” is new to you, you’re not alone. Up until the 1990s, the role was familiar almost exclusively in the context of offshore trusts established in tax havens, such as Panama or the Cook Islands. Individuals establishing such trusts...
For many folks, trust funding is an alienating concept. Often, when we think of trust funds, we think of privileged socialites flexing their fancy lifestyles, and while this is a reality, it represents only a sliver of the ways trusts are used. Misconceptions like...
Estate planning is a hard topic to talk about, but no matter your age or wealth, it is smart to have a plan in place should the unexpected happen. Basic estate planning starts with a will, which deals not only with your property but with other important decisions, as...
