Once your revocable living trust has been created, you need to “fund” the trust with your assets. A trust that is not funded is useless as a vehicle to avoid probate. If you have gone to the time and expense of preparing a trust, you certainly don’t want your heirs…
Celebrities are always providing estate planning lessons for the rest of us. Gary Coleman who died in Utah in May at age 42 is the latest celebrity whose estate planning was a disaster. There are at least 3 wills, maybe more, that have been found and the fight has already…
You hear the term “estate” used alot in the context of estate planning but there are many variations: gross estate, net estate, probate estate, non-probate estate, trust estate. How do all these terms differ? The value of your estate at the time of death is called your “gross estate”. This…
At Scott C. Soady, A Professional Corporation, we encourage families or individuals to create an estate plan, consisting of a will or a revocable living trust so your loved ones know how you want your assets distributed. An interesting off shoot from traditional estate planning is an ethical will. Have…
As you prepare your estate plan, many of the decisions you have to make relate to your children. You may not have thought about how you would want your estate distributed to your minor children if something should happen to you. Would it go to your children equally? Should it…
It is true that in todays society, you can prepare your own will or trust using the internet or a book on estate planning. The question is whether you should! Kiplinger magazine has a quiz to test your knowledge of what makes money savings sense and what doesn’t. Such questions…
When a person dies in San Diego, the Probate Court will determine to whom the assets of the decedent will be distributed based on the laws of “intestate” succession. “Intestate” means that the decedent died without a will or a trust. Before you decide to file a probate proceeding without…
Joint tenancy is a type of ownership where two or more people share an interest in personal property or real estate, usually with a right of survivorship. Three brothers, for example, may decide to purchase a hunting cabin together and own it in joint tenancy. The last surviving brother will…
Previous blog posts have discussed the fact that in 2010 there is no federal estate tax imposed on a person’s estate, no matter how large the estate. In 2009, the federal estate tax was levied on estates over $3.5 million. In 2010 there is no estate tax because Congress failed…
Choosing a successor trustee for your revocable living trust is an important decision. The choice of the individual or entity who will manage your assets, possibly invest your assets, ensure that the provisions of your trust are carried out after your death with the appropriate distributions to your beneficiaries is…