Living Trusts

MONEY IN IRA MAY BE LEFT DIRECTLY TO HEIRS OR TO TRUSTS

Published on: March 18, 2016 | by Ettinger Law Firm

MONEY LEFT IN IRA AT TIME OF PASSING NOT SUBJECT TO NORMAL IRA RULES

This blog previously discussed the Supreme Court case of Clark v. Rameker and the legal implications of money remaining in an IRA at death, that is in turn left to the heirs of an estate. Putting aside the potential tax implications, if any, with passing on an account with an easily ascertainable value, passing on an IRA can strip the IRA of its legal protections, such keeping it from the reach of judgment creditors. It should be noted that this discussion does not include leaving money in an IRA to a spouse, which the law allows special treatment for, by allowing the spouse to roll it over into a regular IRA account upon the death of the owner of the IRA and treat it as if it were his/her own IRA.

With respect to all other types of heirs, with an inherited IRA, the owner can withdraw from the IRA prior to reaching the age of 59 and one half years old. If the IRA is not inherited the owner would normally face a ten percent penalty if did this. In addition, the owner of an inherited IRA must withdraw the entire balance within five years of the original owner’s passing or take annual minimum distributions, allowing the bulk of the money to sit in the account and grow tax free. The money is only taxed to the recipient upon withdrawal. Most importantly, the owner cannot add funds to the IRA account. To maintain certain protections, such as keeping the money in the IRA out of the hands of judgment creditors and to minimize the tax liability, it may be wise for the testator to leave the money in the IRA to an IRA trust or conduit trust.

TRUST MODIFICATION IN NEW YORK

Published on: March 9, 2016 | by Ettinger Law Firm

THE PROBLEM AND THE LAWS RESPONSE

Sometimes when a person creates a trust they do not know all of the material facts, indeed cannot know all of the material facts regarding what is in the beneficiary’s best interest. Perhaps the trust expressly states that the beneficiaries cannot receive payment from the trust until they reaches 25. What happens if one of the beneficiaries is diagnosed with a medical condition with treatment that is not covered by his/her health insurance? Surely it would seem appropriate to allow the trustee or the beneficiaries to modify the terms of the trust. Situations such as these have always been an issue since the creation of trusts and Courts have dealt with this issue, with reported opinions going back centuries. One famous case that allowed for the beneficiaries to reform or modify a trust, Saunders v. Vautier, came out of England in 1841.

The principles outlined in the case helped to dictate the common law throughout Anglo-American law, namely that as long as the beneficiaries are all of the age of majority and not under legal disability a Court should allow a party to modify the terms of a trust. But unfortunately life is so much more complicated than that. Look at the tragedy of Bobbi Kristina Houston. Following Whitney Houston’s passing, her daughter (Bobbi) stood to inherit her estate in stages with the first disbursement of approximately eight million dollars at the age of 21. Bobbi’s grandmother Cissy Houston and aunt Marion Houston both sought to reform the terms of the trust granting Bobby Houston such sums, arguing that she, the beneficiary, would be at heightened and unacceptable risk of undue influence of third parties. When there is an allegation of undue influence, it is often the case that the trustor or settlor is alleged to have been under undue influence, not the beneficiary that may fall prey to undue influence. The need to reform a trust may have more mundane reasons such as mistake. Take the not uncommon example of a trust created in a will, called a testamentary trust, of a husband and wife, who, other than their names and other identifying information, have identical wills. At the signing of the wills by the parties, they mistakenly sign each other’s will and not their own.

HOW REVOCABLE IS MY IRREVOCABLE TRUST

Published on: December 27, 2015 | by Ettinger Law Firm

IRREVOCABLE TRUSTS COSTS AND BENEFITS

Trusts are valuable estate planning devices that allow for the transmission of wealth with lower tax liability. When proper estate management is picked, they also allow for the creation of future income, potentially allowing for the life of the trust in perpetuity. Trusts also allow for the beneficiaries to benefit from the income of the corpus of the trust, yet insure that their creditors cannot obtain the income producing assets itself. The same also applies for a financially irresponsible beneficiary, in that it provides income but prevents the financially irresponsible beneficiary from squandering the income producing asset. One of the most popular types of trusts is the irrevocable trust. As with anything in life, there are upsides and downsides; one of the downsides to an irrevocable trust is that in most circumstances, and, more particularly, most states, an irrevocable trust is usually irrevocable. Unwinding an irrevocable trust when it no longer functions as it should, due to, for example, a major change in the estate and gift tax law is possible but must be done correctly, whereby the assets from the trust may be transferred or gifted to the beneficiaries or the settlor if still alive.

WHY TO MODIFY OR REVOKE?

The 3 Generation Rule – Legacies the Last

Published on: June 26, 2013 | by Ettinger Law Firm

You’ve built a nest egg after years of consistent work, prudent planning, strategic risk, a lot of focus, and a bit of luck. You want to retire peacefully and provide a legacy that will hopefully secure some degree of wealth for you family for generations to come.

But what are the odds of wealth making it decades (or even centuries) after you are gone? If history is any indication, most inheritances won’t make it long at all. Wealth surviving into the third generation only happens in one out of ten cases. As a recent Senior Independent story on the subject reminded, this principles takes the form of an often-used refrain: “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.”

The story points out that over the course of their lifetimes about two-thirds of Baby Boomers in the United States will inherit about $7.6 trillion. Yet, those same individuals will lose about 70% of that wealth before passing any of it on to their own children or other relatives.

The DuPont Case, Mental Illness, and Wills

Published on: April 26, 2013 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Residents are often warned to complete their estate planning–wills and trusts–before it is “too late.” Most assume that the planning is only “too late” if they die before getting it done. But that is a mistake. In many cases “too late” actually refers to losing the competency to create the legal documents. As a practical matter, it may even mean before one even has the appearance of mental health issues, because even a hint of problems may open the door to legal challenge from others.

Estate planning is about ensuring one’s wishes are carried out and maximizing the preservation of assets without controversy. Limiting that controversy includes completing the planning early and efficiently, minimizing the risk of problems down the road. Thought of in that way, “too late” is far earlier than simply “before you die.”

John duPont Estate

Is the IRS Going to Crack Down on Non-Cash Charitable Deductions?

Published on: January 28, 2013 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Our estate planning attorneys often help New Yorkers create trusts that are used to pass on assets to charities. When structured properly, gifts to favorited causes is both a great way to give back and a smart financial move to save on taxes and ensure that your long-term inheritance wishes are met.

A Charitable Remainder Trust, for example, is sometimes a prudent estate planning tool. This is particularly useful for those with assets that have significantly appreciated who wish to save on taxes while generating an income stream on something that will eventually go to charity. Essentially, this works by creating a trust that is managed by the charity to which the asset will go. The trustee (the charity) then pays you a portion of the income generated by the trust for so many years or the rest of your life. Upon your passing the charity retains the principal.

These trusts have many benefits. They can take assets out of one’s estate for estate tax purposes. Also, income tax deductions can be taken on the fair market value of the interest that remains in the trust. By using appreciated assets, the capital gains tax can also be avoided.

Estate Planning, Values, & Spirituality

Published on: November 21, 2012 | by Ettinger Law Firm

A perennial hot-button topic in estate planning and the creation of inheritance documents involves the passing on of personal values. Of course, the majority of work related to estate plans invovles physical assets: who gets the house, the bank accounts, the stocks, the insurance, the family china, and more. Making these allocations efficiently and saving on taxes are the hallmarks of these preparations. But our team often discusses the other aspects of estate planning, including setting in place material that ensures one leaves a legacy for those they are leaving behind.

This often includes spiritual issues but can just as well include secular notions like hard work, the importance of charity, and other values.

But how are these issues woven into an estate plan?

Mike Wallace’s Passing Reminder of Planning Needs for Dementia

Published on: April 13, 2012 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Dementia refers to the loss of cognitive ability to a degree beyond what is expected from normal aging. It is not a specific disease but simply a phrase to collectively refer to a set of symptoms. In later stages of the condition, the affected may have severe impairments, becoming disoriented in time and place. They may also be unable to understand who they are or who is around them. Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps the most common form of dementia, but there are many others including semantic dementia vascular dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Dementia is far more common among the geriatric population. For example, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, one out of every eight Baby Boomers will get Alzheimer’s disease after they turn 65. However, “early onset dementia” can also occur, affecting those under 65 years old. The risks posed by dementia and the uncertainty with which it strikes makes it common sense for elder law estate planning efforts to be put into place ahead of time to guard against the risks. As a Forbes article notes, the recent passing of veteran newsman Mike Wallace is a reminder of this.

Wallace’s son, news anchor Chris Wallace admitted that his father suffered from dementia in his later years. “Physically, he’s okay. Mentally, he’s not. He still recognizes me and knows who I am, but he’s uneven,” the son explained. Our New York elder law estate planning lawyers know that many local residents have families in the same situation. Fortunately for the Wallace family, planning had been conducted to account for this possibility.

Careful Consideration Required Before Selecting a Successor Trustee in Estate Plan

Published on: September 28, 2011 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Local residents usually take the time to craft a New York estate plan because they wish to prepare for disability, save estate taxes, and avoid the probate process. In most cases these goals are best met through the use of a living trust. The trend over the past several decades is for middle class families to craft trusts instead of wills for their inheritance planning. As our New York elder law estate planning attorney Bonnie Kraham explained in an article published this week in the Times Herald-Record, unlike wills, trusts are private documents that do not need to be filed with the Surrogate’s Court. No costly, stressful, time-consuming probate process needs to be undertaken upon one’s death when a trust is used.

Instead of court involvement, a trust is usually administered by a successor trustee. Upon the death of the original trustee (the individual who created the trust), the successor trustee must inform the beneficiaries of the situation, gather and invest the grantor’s assets, notify creditors, pay taxes, and distribute assets per the trust provisions.

Attorney Kraham notes that the trustee who administers the trust has a variety of other obligations. They must remain loyal to all beneficiaries, including the contingent beneficiaries–acting impartially between them at all times. Also, the trustee must ensure that trust property produces income. Therefore it is incumbent upon the trustee not to keep large amounts in non-interest bearing accounts or allow a home to sit vacant. At the same time, all investments must be prudent, and a sound overall investment strategy must be employed. This typically requires diversification which balances both income production and investment safety. Other trustee duties include the filing of tax returns, distribution of trust income, handling of expenses, and the maintenance of proper records.

Many Middle Class Families in New York Use Trusts in Estate Plan

Published on: September 6, 2011 | by Ettinger Law Firm

One of our New York estate planning attorneys, Bonnie Kraham, Esq., recently authored an article that shares information on the increasing use of trusts in the estate plan of many local middle class families. The story was published in this weekend’s Times Herald-Record, and explains the various types of trusts that residents can use and the way that each holds and transfers property. Unfortunately, there remains a misconception among some local community members that creating a New York trust is a project only for the wealthy. That is not the case. As attorney Kraham notes, there has been a “living trust revolution” over the past few decades where many middle class families have discovered the ways in which these legal entities can be used to avoid probate, save taxes, and protect assets.

All trusts begin with a written agreement, and each includes at least three necessary parties. These include a “grantor” who creates the trust, “trustee” who manages the assets, and “beneficiaries” who use the trust assets. For example, the three roles may be filled when a senior couple creates a trust (grantors) to be managed by their lawyer (trustee) to provide for the couple’s children (beneficiaries). The three roles need not be filled by different individuals, however. Often a grantor will also act as beneficiary, so that they can still use those assets while they are alive. Following the written agreement which establishes the trust, assets are transferred into the entity by way of “retitling.” This involves changing the name on accounts, mutual funds, and stock certificates to the name of the trust, and transferring title to property to the trust.

The two main types of trusts are testamentary and living. Testamentary trusts are created only after an individual’s death pursuant to their will, while living trusts are created while a grantor is still alive. Living trusts are an increasingly common way for many families to transfer assets at death. Among other benefits, a living trust can help families avoid probate, saving time and expense in closing the estate.