Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
For parents with young children, naming the guardian who will raise their children upon the parents’ passing can be one of the most important and foundational questions of an estate plan. And in fact, because this decision is...more
As its name implies, an irrevocable trust cannot be revoked by the person who establishes the trust. Typically, an irrevocable trust also cannot be changed by a trustee or beneficiary. The irrevocable nature makes the trust a...more
Maybe a friend or a relative has recently passed away and you just received a communication informing you that you have been named as a trustee. You have no idea what this role entails, and you feel overwhelmed having no...more
If you have been named as the trustee of a trust, you may be wondering what your responsibilities are and how you can fulfill them. This article offers an overview of trustee duties and highlights the legal risks of serving...more
Many trusts are established with the goal of protecting assets and ensuring the longevity of those assets for future generations. A trustee then may wonder if they have the authority to withhold money from a beneficiary who...more
Things change; a periodic review of your estate plan is an important part of plan maintenance. Your basic estate plan (will, trust, powers of attorney, etc.) can be amended whenever necessary. It’s important to consider your...more
The Texas Supreme Court held that arbitration clauses in trust documents may be enforced regarding claims by beneficiaries against trustees. In Rachal v. Reitz, a beneficiary sued a trustee for failing to provide an...more
When we take seemingly mundane tasks and turn them into a game – like who can pick up the toys on the floor the fastest – those tasks suddenly become more fun and easier to accomplish. The gamification process works so well...more
When a family member or friend asks you to become their trustee, it conveys a high level of trust in you. However, many of our clients tell us that they did not fully understand the enormity of the job when they accepted it....more
David F. Johnson, lead writer for the Texas Fiduciary Litigator blog, discusses in this two part series many of the interesting and complex issues that arise from trustees making trust distributions to beneficiaries. The...more
Trustees constantly deal with the characterization of receipts and disbursements for the purposes of calculating fiduciary accounting income. Fiduciary accounting income is not the same as taxable income; taxable income is...more
Effective January 1, 2020, the new Illinois Trust Code (ITC) will replace the Illinois Trusts and Trustees Act, ushering in several changes of note for fiduciaries. In light of the ITC, fiduciaries and estate planners should...more
A Texas federal court certified a class in an ERISA action brought by participants in one plan, but alleging class claims on behalf of participants in many different plans sponsored by different, unaffiliated employers. See...more
Can a California trustee require a beneficiary to sign a release in order to get a distribution from a trust? A question like this appeared recently on the AVVO “Free Q&A” page and makes for a perfect blog topic....more
In Marshall v. Ribosome L.P., a beneficiary of a trust sued a limited partnership of which the trustee was a partner. No. 01-18-00108-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 3787 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] May 9, 2019, no pet. history)....more
The death of a loved one or close friend is a traumatic experience. In addition to the emotional anguish, those who are charged with dealing with the decedent’s personal and financial affairs following death are often left...more
Acting in the best interests of the trust and the trust beneficiaries, a trustee has the duty to protect and preserve trust assets and, generally, to make the assets productive. In making investment decisions and managing...more
If you are considering taking on the responsibility of serving as the trustee of a special needs trust, you will probably have questions about the trustee's role. Trustees of special needs trusts have many important...more