Trusts and Your Estate Plan

How We Can Help

We help create your Wills, Trusts and and comprehensive Estate Planning solutions tailored to your specific needs and goals. Our dedicated team is here to support you in developing personalized Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, and robust Estate Plans.

You're Unique, So Your Plan Should Be Too.

We listen carefully to what you need.  We work closely with you to create a strategy that effectively protects your assets and ensures the future well-being of your family.  With our guidance, we can help you develop and maintain family privacy and fulfillment of your your wishes.

Protecting Your Family And Your Future

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What is a Trust?

A Trust holds your money or property in a special way. It helps you avoid probate and keeps your plan private. It's a strong tool to help you and your family.

A trust functions as a legal arrangement where assets, such as money or property, are placed in a "bucket" to hold your assets.  You create specific instructions in case of incapacity or death as to how your trust assets should be distributed.  It can avoid probate and is a private family matter.  Essentially, it's a strategic tool for protecting your children, wealth management and ensuring that your assets are handled according to your wishes, without interference from the State or Court.

 

 

Effective Trusts & Estate Planning Services

A trust may offer you a variety of advantages, such as:

  • Avoiding Probate
  • Protecting Adult Children from their Potential Mistakes
  • Minimizing or Avoiding Tax Consequences
  • Keeping Financial Information Private
  • Setting Money Aside for Your Children and Grand Children
  • Setting Aside Money for Potential Disability or Long-Term Care
  • Assisting with Supplemental Needs or Special Needs
  • Obtaining Medicaid for yourself or a loved one

Types Of Trusts

  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Living Trust
  • Joint Trust
  • Spendthrift Trust
  • Irrevocable Trust
  • Medicaid Trust
  • Land Trust
  • Testamentary Trust

Are Estate Plans Necessary For Everybody?

Links and Resources

Charitable Giving Options Under the New Tax Law

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

The new tax law makes it harder to claim a tax deduction for charitable contributions. While charitable giving should not be only about getting a tax break, if you want to reap a tax benefit from your contributions, there are a couple of options. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act, enacted in December 2017, nearly…

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2019 Will Bring Social Security Beneficiaries the Biggest Increase in Eight Years

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

The Social Security Administration has announced a 2.8 percent increase in benefits in 2019, the largest increase since 2012. The change will put an additional $468 annually in the pocket of the average retired beneficiary. Cost of living increases are tied to the consumer price index, and an upturn in inflation rates and gas prices…

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5 Things to Know to Reduce Your Tax on Capital Gains

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

Although it is often said that nothing is certain except death and taxes, the one tax you may be able to avoid or minimize most through planning is the tax on capital gains. Here’s what you need to know to do such planning: What is capital gain? Capital gain is the difference between the “basis”…

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Keeping Track of Your Will

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

Once you’ve taken the step to create a will and get your estate plan in order, you need to figure out what to do with the will itself. It is important to keep track of the location of your current will as well as any old wills, and to ensure that your loved ones know…

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The New Tax Law Means It’s Time Review Your Estate Plan

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

While the new tax law doubles the federal estate tax exemption, meaning the vast majority of estates will not have to pay any federal estate tax, it doesn’t mean you should ignore its impact on your estate plan. In December 2017, Republicans in Congress and President Trump doubled the federal estate tax exemption to $11.18…

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How to Handle Sibling Disputes Over a Power of Attorney

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

A power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents, but when one sibling is named in a power of attorney, there is the potential for disputes with other siblings. No matter which side you are on, it is important to know your rights and limitations. A power of attorney allows someone…

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Aretha Franklin’s Lack of a Will Could Cause Huge Problems

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

According to court documents, legendary singer Aretha Franklin did not have a will when she died, opening up her estate to public scrutiny and potential problems. Failing to create an estate plan can cause lots of headaches for heirs, in addition to unnecessary costs. Franklin, who died August 16, 2018, at age 76, left behind…

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Understanding Tenancy: The Different Ways to Co-Own Property

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

When two or more individuals own property — whether it’s a condominium, a home, or a piece of land — the relationship between the owners is very important. The form of ownership of the property affects how property is transferred to someone else. It is important to make sure you have the right form of…

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What Happens If You Die Without a Will?

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

We all know we are supposed to do estate planning, but not all of us get around to it. So what happens if you don’t have a will when you die? Your estate will be distributed according to state laws, which may or may not be the way you want it to be distributed. Dying…

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Fear of Losing Home to Medicaid Contributed to Elder Abuse Case

By Andrea Jakob | December 30, 2019
Estate Planning, Wills And Trusts

A California daughter and granddaughter’s fear of losing their home to Medicaid may have contributed to a severe case of elder abuse. If the pair had consulted with an elder law attorney, they might have figured out a way to get their mother the care she needed and also protect their house. Amanda Havens was…

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“Leave A Legacy, Not A Mess”

Emerald Publications – September, 2007

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