Trusts

Who Should Run the Family Trust?

Published on: February 4, 2015 | by Ettinger Law Firm

When a trust is created, most often the creator turns to a trusted friend, relative, or confidant to oversee it. This makes a lot of sense to most people because the purpose of a trust is often personal in nature, and the creator wants someone to run the trust that has been a part of their life for many years. However, things like friendship, family drama, and emotions can all complicate the decisions that a trustee makes for a family trust in regards to carrying out the terms of the trust.

Use of Non-professional Trustees

The use of non-professional trustee has been growing as more people set up trusts to operate during their own lifetimes. A lot of these creators do not believe that they need to hire a professional because they can keep an eye on the trust while they are still alive. People are creating lifetime trusts for a variety of reasons. Many are looking ahead at minimizing estate taxes if their assets are above the $5.43 million exemption limit ($10.86 million for a couple). Others are attempting to minimize the level of current state taxes on their assets or gain financial control of their legacy.

Three Important Estate Planning Questions to Ask Your Spouse

Published on: August 22, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Estate planning is not many couples’ idea of fun, but it is necessary to ensure that your loved ones are cared for after you are gone. An experienced estate planning attorney can handle drafting the proper documents and explaining the law behind estate planning; however, there are three important questions that you should address with your spouse or significant other regarding an estate plan.

How well does my spouse know my estate planning attorney?

If you are the one in charge of the estate planning process and the finances of the family, it is possible that your spouse has never met, or only met once, your estate planning attorney. Perhaps they met to briefly sign some papers, but the client/advisor relationship is not very strong.

Back to the Basics: What is the Difference Between Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts?

Published on: May 1, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

While many New York residents familiar with and have an existing will in place in the event of their death, most people do not realize that estate planning documents extend far beyond a last will and testament. The world of estate planning documents includes not only living wills and advanced medical directives, but also trusts. Trusts offer several benefits associated with them, and come in two forms: revocable and irrevocable.

Benefits of Having a Trust

Trusts can not only provide for loved ones upon death, but they can provide for the person who created the trust during their lifetime. This is important in cases where the creator has a health issue, a mental disability or incapacitation, and other scenarios. Trusts can be administered without the need to involve a probate court, and can therefore protect privacy as to the contents of the trust. Trusts also serve as protection of assets for trust beneficiaries, and offer a wide variety of options in creating them to suit different needs.

What is “Donor Intent” & How Does It Affect a NY Estate Plan

Published on: April 22, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Charity is an important part of an estate plan for New York families. Many residents have important causes that symbolize their own values and morals, including social, political, economic and religious non-profit groups. Donating funds via a will or trust is common for estates of all sizes–this is not just for the wealthy. Even relatively small donations can have a significant impact. In addition, giving funds to valued causes is a key way to pass on a final lesson to future generations.

There are many different ways to give assets to a charity at death. In the simplest form, funds can be given for the charity to use in any way it chooses. However, many donors have more specific wishes, often wanting to direct funds for very specific uses.

Understanding Donor Intent

Developments with the New York Estate Tax

Published on: April 9, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

We often discuss the importance for local families to account for the New York estate tax. Far more media coverage is given to the federal tax, and some local residents are under the mistaken assumption that the state law mirrors the federal. It currently does not. Even families who do not have asset to trigger the federal tax may still need to plan appropriately for the New York tax on estates.

However, if current plans are carried out, in a few years .there may be much more congruence between the state and federal rules. That is because earlier this month New York changed exemption levels for the estate tax. Previously, assets over $1 million were exposed to the tax at a 16% top rate. Now, however, the exemption level is raised to slightly more than $2 million ($2,062,500). Not only that, but that level is set to steadily increase or five years until, in 2019, the exemption level matches the federal exemption amount at that time (projected to be $5.9 million).

Important Provisions in the Estate Tax Law

Do Not Act Too Quickly After a Passing

Published on: April 2, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Much of estate planning involves preparations that can streamline matters in the aftermath of a death. The probate process can be long and drawn-out, forcing families to wait months before working out the basic details of asset transfer. Alternatively, by using trusts, the process can be far more seamless, saving time and taxes. Trusts are important for all New York families, not just those with significant assets.

While it is prudent to handle legal and financial details in a timely fashion following a death, as a practical matter, it is important to not “overdo” it. A helpful article from Mondaq offers a few thoughts on ways that family members can “jump the gun” and cause more complications by rushing to deal with various matters.

Causing More Complications

Don’t Leave Your Planning Up to a Coin Toss

Published on: March 25, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

A headline-grabbing story last week in the New York Post offers a good reminder of the need to be crystal clear in certain estate planning situations to avoid drawn-out legal battles.

According to reports, two siblings are engaged in a dispute over how to divide up an inheritance that they are to split from their uncle. The two men are the nephews of David Barrett, a well-known Manhattan interior designer who passed away in 2008 at the age of 85. Per the terms of Barrett’s estate planning, his $5.6 million estate is set to be split between the two men.

However, the division of those assets into two is apparently not going smoothly.To help determine how the various assets are to be split, an executor of the estate apparently recommended that a coin toss be used. For example, to determine ownership of a painting valued at around $45.000 a coin toss was performed, with the younger brother winning.

Marriage Matters – A Reminder of the Tax Benefit

Published on: February 28, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Earlier this week we discussed the tragic death of New York actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. There are many estate planning lessons to take away for Hoffman’s situation, including the need to update a will after every life event. Hoffman unintentionally left out two of his children by not updating his will to include them specifically–his oldest son is named directly as a beneficiary of a trust.

Yet another lesson that fellow New Yorkers can take from the case is the role that marriage can play in these matters.

Companions vs. Spouses

Using a “Life Estate” in a New York Estate Plan

Published on: February 25, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Property rights and rules are some of the most complex (and arcane) areas of the law. Of particular importance for estate planning purposes, property rules allow different individuals to each have different “interests” in the same piece of property. It is not necessarily as simple as one person owning each piece property. This presents unique opportunities for estate planning, often providing different options to structure an inheritance, save on taxes, and otherwise best protect the varying interests of all those in a family.

For example, consider the possibility of a “life estate” to pass on real property (a home or land). This tool is easiest to understand in the context of property interests in a family home. The family home is often the largest asset within one’s estate. Protecting the home from potential estate taxes or being spent down to qualify for Medicaid is an important part of many New York estate plans.

Beyond simply transferring ownership to a family members or putting provisions in a will to pass it on to another. One option is the life estate. The life estate is a deed that essentially breaks up the interests in the home–at least for a time. The senior passes on ownership of the home, but they retain the right to live in the property for the remainder of their life. In other words by using a life estate deed, seniors keep some interest for themselves.

Can Your Heirs Work Together?

Published on: February 21, 2014 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Creating a will and drafting trust documents are forms of “transactional law.” That means that, unlike litigation, the purpose is not necessarily to “win” in a conflict over another. Instead, the purpose is to put plans into place that explicitly avoids conflict down the road.

When doing this work it is critical to understand the details of the law to ensure documents are crafted and structured in ways that meet legal requirements and have the intended legal effect. But, in many cases, particularly estate planning issues, knowledge of the law alone is often insufficient to help prevent conflict. That is because, these issues are wrought with emotions. The interplay of family values, personal relationships, resentments, financial stress, and other matters are all wrapped up in the process. Working to prevent conflict therefore requires consideration of all of these issues in addition to simple knowledge of the letter of the law.

Feuding Siblings