Everything You Need to Know About Beneficiary Designations
In Gordon v. Gordon, a couple created a revocable trust and named a friend, who provided financial advice, as successor trustee. No. 03-22-00454-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 3611 (Tex. App.—Austin May 23, 2024, no pet. history)....more
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania held that an exemption to the application of PA Realty Transfer Tax Section (RTT) for no or nominal consideration from a trust under Section 1102-C.3(9.1)1 applies not only to transfers...more
There’s a good chance that your estate plan includes a revocable trust — sometimes known as a “living trust.” This type of trust can help your estate avoid probate, guard your privacy and provide protection in the event...more
Most US homeowners and business owners understand the importance of an estate plan; they just never seem to get around to completing the task. What do you need to know about a trust? Why are trusts a central component of any...more
Because so many things can change with time, we recommend that our clients review their estate plans every three to five years and update plans as needed. These periodic reviews help to ensure that your affairs are in order,...more
There is much to commend in O’Brien, Proposing a Model Antilapse Clause, 48 ACTEC L. J. 257 (2023), particularly its flagging of the doctrinal and practical flaws in Uniform Probate Code §2-707, which would apply the...more
In International Rescue Committee v. Trustee of the Wylie Street Emergency Fund, 537 P.3d 30 (2023), the Supreme Court of Idaho cited Black’s Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019) as authority for the proposition that “a person can...more
In the recent case In Laureen Gordon Revocable Trust, the Michigan Court of Appeals digs into these questions. Gordon Trust involved a fight between an uncle and his niece and nephew primarily over the distribution of family...more
I. SYNOPSIS- Ed was a vibrant and healthy 85-year-old. One day, he decided to sign an advance healthcare directive providing that if his physical condition ever declined, he wished to remain in his home as long as...more
What is a Trust? A Trust is a legal entity involving three roles: The Grantor or “Trustor”, the Trustee, and the Beneficiary. The Grantor (the creator of the trust) will give the Trustee the right to hold and manage property...more
Did you know that actions can be taken after you die (i.e., post-mortem) to achieve the best results possible for your testamentary plan? Some estate plans are intentionally structured to give your beneficiaries and your...more
Preparing for 2026 - Four ways to build flexibility into your estate plan - January 1, 2026, is a significant date for estate planning. On that day, the federal gift and estate tax exemption amount set by the Tax Cuts...more
There may have been a time in your life when you had a piggy bank for your child – a fun and interactive way for you to teach money management, patience, and basic math. The money went in, but it was often difficult to...more
We’ve been your dogged reporter on the ever-growing logjam in the Courts of Appeal on trust modification procedure. We’ve followed the twists and turns that courts have taken as they’ve tackled the question of what happens...more
In the most recent installment of the McGuireWoods Fiduciary Advisory Services annual multipart series on recent fiduciary cases, developments in the law concerning various topics are examined through the following... ...more
Oh, the things you hear at cocktail parties: “Everyone should have a revocable trust,” “It’s easy to change your residence to Florida for tax purposes – just count days and get a Florida license,” “Make all your trusts...more
In re Esther Kratzer Revocable Trust & In re Wendell Kratzer Revocable Trust, Docket Nos 357860, 357861 (Mich Ct App Mar 23 2023) (unpublished). Wendell and Esther Kratzer, husband and wife, had four children including...more
Recent headlines about bank closures have prompted people to check their personal bank accounts to make sure the balances are under the $250,000 FDIC insurance limits. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an...more
Prompted by recent news coverage detailing the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank New York, some of our clients have asked us the question: What is my exposure in the event of bank failure? In response to this...more
Attention-grabbing headlines declare that Priscilla Presley is challenging Lisa Marie Presley’s trust. The facts of the case, as they appear in the court filing, are not as dramatic as the headlines, but the controversy...more
Revocable trusts can simplify asset management during life and facilitate and make private asset transfers at death. You may think that your estate planning work is done when you sign your revocable trust agreement, but, to...more
Retitling your assets to conform with your desired plan is essential to successful estate planning. Whether this means changing ownership of an asset altogether, adding a joint owner, or changing a beneficiary designation,...more
On January 30, 2023, the Minnesota Court of Appeals issued an opinion in In re Eva Marie Hanson Living Trust addressing the ability of an attorney-in-fact to amend a revocable trust on behalf of an incapacitated trust...more
On January 12, 2023, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued its decision in In re Claeys Revocable Living Trust, 2023 Westlaw 175242, No 360054 (Mich Ct App Jan 12 2023), which considered whether a trust beneficiary was...more
On December 22, 2022, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a fascinating opinion which dealt with protection of the rights of a charitable beneficiary under the decedent’s trust. Estate of Evelyn R Ragsdale v. Bishop, Docket...more