Estate Planning

I have heard that creating an estate plan that includes a trust will save my family money by avoiding probate, but are there other advantages of putting together an estate plan?

In addition to the significant cost savings of avoiding probate, a thoughtful estate plan also allows you to do all of the following: - protect and provide for the care of your children or other loved ones - provide for management of your own finances and care if you...

Q: I already have a trust and I am going to open a new bank account. How can I make sure that the new bank account is part of my trust estate and that it does not end up in probate?

A: Any time you open a new bank account that you want to include in your trust, be sure to title the bank account in your name as trustee of your trust. This will ensure that the account is administered as part of your trust estate and that it is not subject to...

Q: I created my trust 6 years ago and just purchased another piece of real estate. Do I need to do anything special to make sure the new property is part of my trust?

A: Yes you do! This is what we estate planning attorneys refer to as "trust funding". In this case, you will need to make sure you sign and record a new grant deed showing your trust as the owner of the property! And remember, if you forget to do this, your...