Often times when clients make an appointment with our law firm, they have a very specific estate planning concern or issue. They may have a particular focus in mind, such as updating a will or avoiding probate. With a plethora of details to consider, it is often challenging for individuals to adequately address all aspects of their personal “big picture”, i.e. their complete estate.
*This article has been re-posted with permission from the author Harry S. Margolis.
Whether it’s an honor or a burden (or both), you have been appointed trustee of a trust. What responsibilities have been thrust upon you? How can you successfully carry them out?
Here are some do’s and don’ts to get you started:
Many clients frequently come to me and ask if they should have a trust. Sometimes they are not even sure what a trust is and, more often than not, they do not understand how a trust works.
Although my mother always told me to never answer a question with a question (sorry mom!), my initial response is a question – what are you looking to accomplish by having a trust?
A “life estate” is an ownership interest that a person retains in real property while transferring a remainder interest to one or more individuals.
Life estates are sometimes used as a planning technique by individuals who wish to safeguard their residence or other real estate.
In a recent case, a New York trial court has ordered BNY Mellon to pay back a Special Needs Trust nearly $180,000 for its failure to ensure that the trust’s beneficiary qualified for public benefits. In Liranzo v. LI Jewish…