Which Trust, Revocable or Irrevocable?

September 27, 2023

Kiplinger’s recent article entitled, “What to Consider When Deciding Between a Revocable and Irrevocable Trust,” explains that, as a legal entity, a trust can own assets such as real estate, brokerage accounts, life insurance, cars, bank accounts and personal belongings, like jewelry. Yet, which trust should you consider, revocable or irrevocable?

You transfer over the title and ownership of these assets to the trust. The instructions state what should happen to that property after you die, including who should receive it and when.

A revocable trust keeps your options open. As the grantor, you can change or revoke the trust anytime. This includes naming a different trustee or beneficiary. This gives you leverage over the inheritance. If your beneficiary doesn’t listen to you, you can still change the terms of the trust. You can also even take your assets back from a revocable trust. There are typically no tax consequences for doing so because only after-tax assets can be placed in a trust while you’re alive.

If a revocable trust seems much like owning the assets yourself, that’s because there’s really little difference in the eyes of the law. Assets in your revocable trust still count as part of your estate and aren’t sheltered from either estate taxes or creditors. However, it’s a smoother financial transition if something happens to you. If you die or can no longer manage your financial affairs, your successor trustee takes over and manages the trust assets according to your directions in the trust documents.

The second reason to have a revocable trust is that the trust assets bypass probate after you die. During probate, a state court validates your will and distributes your assets according to your written instructions. If you don’t have a will, your property is distributed according to state probate law. If you own homes in multiple states, your heirs must go through probate in each one. However, if that real estate is in a revocable trust, your heirs could address everything in your state of residence and receive their inheritance more quickly.

The contents of your revocable trust also remain private and out of bounds, whereas estates that go through probate are a matter of public record that anyone can access.

An irrevocable trust is harder to modify, and even revocable trusts eventually become irrevocable when the grantor can no longer manage their own financial affairs or dies. To change an irrevocable trust while you’re alive, the bar is high but not impossible to overcome. However, assets in an irrevocable trust generally don’t get a step up in basis. Instead, the grantor’s taxable gains are passed on to heirs when the assets are sold. Revocable trusts, like assets held outside a trust, do get a step up in basis so that any gains are based on the asset’s value when the grantor dies.

It is a wise idea to work with an estate planning attorney who will help you consider which trust you should use, a revocable or irrevocable kind. If you would to read more about trusts, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Kiplinger (July 14, 2021) “What to Consider When Deciding Between a Revocable and Irrevocable Trust”

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Carefully Consider naming Contingent Beneficiaries

September 18, 2023

If you’ve been married or in a longstanding relationship, it’s almost certain your initial beneficiary will be your spouse or partner. If you have children, it’s likely an easy decision to make them contingent or successor beneficiaries to your estate. More often than not, children inherit equally, explains the article “PLANNING AHEAD: The problems we have naming contingent beneficiaries” from The Mercury. Carefully consider naming contingent beneficiaries when designing your estate plan.

To avoid conflict, parents often decide to name children equally, even if they’d prefer a greater share to go to one child over another, usually because of a greater need. This is, of course, a matter of individual preference.

However, as you move down the line in naming a successor or contingent beneficiaries, you may encounter some unexpected stumbling blocks.

If there is a beneficiary who is disabled, whether a child, grandchild or more distant relative, or even a spouse, you have to determine if naming them is a good idea. If the disabled individual is receiving Medicaid or other government assistance, an inheritance could cause this person to become ineligible for local, state, or federal government benefits. An estate planning attorney with knowledge of special needs planning will help you understand how to help your loved one without risking their benefits.

A Supplemental Needs Trust may be in order, or a Special Needs Trust. If the person’s only benefit is Social Security Disability—different from Supplemental Security Income or some others—they may be free to inherit without a trust and will not impact benefits. Social Security Disability recipients cannot work in “substantial gainful employment.”

Another issue in naming successor and contingent beneficiaries is the choice of a trustee or manager to handle funds if a beneficiary cannot receive benefits directly. A grandparent will sometimes be reluctant to name a son-in-law or a daughter-in-law as trustees for minors if their daughter or son predeceases and the inheritance is intended for a minor or disabled grandchildren. The grandparents may be concerned about how the funds will be used or how well or poorly the person has handled financial matters in the past.

The same concern may be at issue for a child. A trust can be structured with specific parameters for a grandchild regarding the use of funds. If a supplemental needs trust is established, the trustee must understand clearly what they can and cannot do.

What happens if you’ve run out of beneficiaries? For those with small families or who live into their 90s, many family members and friends have passed before them. These seniors may be more vulnerable to scams or new “friends” whose genuine interest is in their assets. In these cases, an estate plan prepared by an experienced estate planning attorney will need to consider this when mapping out the distribution of their estate, however large or small, to follow their wishes. Carefully consider naming contingent beneficiaries when designing your estate plan. If you would like to learn more about beneficiaries, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: The Mercury (Aug. 28, 2023) “PLANNING AHEAD: The problems we have naming contingent beneficiaries”

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Choosing an Executor can be a Difficult Decision

September 13, 2023

Choosing an executor can be a difficult decision. Planning for death-related events isn’t as much fun as planning a weekend getaway. Therefore, you’d be forgiven for procrastinating. However, that doesn’t mean you can put off naming an executor forever, says a recent article from AARP, “7 Things to Know About Appointing an Executor.”

Your executor needs to possess the stamina, patience, and persistence to complete the tasks of this role. If they don’t, having your estate administered may become difficult or impossible. Serving as an executor can be harder than people think. Problems begin when someone names a family member just because they are family—which is not the best reason.

It’s best to name someone rather than no one, advises the article. You can always change the executor if they decide they don’t want the responsibility or die before you. If you don’t name anyone, the court will decide for you, It may not be someone you know or the last person you want to handle your estate.

Things can get even more complicated if you don’t leave clear instructions, including where to find your important documents, the keys to your home and car and usernames and passwords to various digital assets. Instead of making everything harder for the ones you love, it’s best to make it easier.

There are seven main tasks for the executor to complete. The first is planning the funeral. You can make that easier by expressing your wishes to your executor and leaving the information in documents. Don’t add it to your will—the executor may not see the will until long after you’ve been buried or cremated.

The executor must obtain a death certificate, find the will and retain an estate planning attorney. The death certificate is issued by your county of residence and is signed by the physician who verified your death. If you’ve had a valid will prepared, your property will be distributed according to the terms of the will. Assets in trusts or accounts with beneficiary designations will go directly to your heirs. Everyone should review their beneficiary designations regularly and update as needed. The beneficiary designations surpass any wishes in the will.

Notify the probate court. Your executor or attorney will need to petition the probate court in the area where you live. They’ll complete a form to obtain a Letter of Administration or Letters Testamentary. These are used to prove that they are the court-approved executor.

Inform all interested parties. Deaths must be reported to employers, Social Security, friends, and family members. Anyone who might have an “interest” in the estate needs to be notified. In some jurisdictions, this requires publishing a death notice in the local paper several times shortly after the person has passed. Banks and other financial institutions also need to be notified.

Pay all debts and file taxes. If applicable, the executor must settle all obligations with creditors and file income, inheritance, or estate taxes.

Create an inventory of assets and plan for distribution. This includes probate and non-probate assets. This includes assets that are jointly owned or held in trust. Next, the executor determines what is sold, kept, donated, or discarded.

Distribute assets among beneficiaries. This occurs only after any estate liabilities, including taxes and paying creditors, are settled.

Complete the final accounting and all required forms. Your executor must dissolve existing accounts and ensure that the court has everything needed to settle your estate.

Your will helps your loved ones navigate the process of settling your estate. Include clear instructions in a letter of intent, so they know what accounts they must deal with. Above all, make sure that the person you name to serve as executor can handle the tasks and the family dynamics accompanying grief.

Choosing an executor can be a difficult decision to make. Consult with your estate planning attorney. He or she will have the experience and expertise to help you make an important decision. If you would like to learn more about the role of the executor, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: AARP (Aug. 8, 2023) “7 Things to Know About Appointing an Executor”

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Lady Bird Deed is a Tool to transfer Real Property outside of Probate

September 12, 2023

Enhanced life estate deeds, also called Lady Bird deeds, can be a great tool to transfer ownership of real property at death outside of probate. This type of deed got its nickname when President Lyndon B. Johnson used one to convey property to his wife, Lady Bird.

Florida Today’s recent article entitled, “Real estate transfers: Is a ‘Lady Bird deed’ right for me?” explains that Lady Bird deeds are a type of life estate deed designed to automatically transfer property ownership upon the death of the original owner to another individual. However, they don’t require the original owner to give up use, control, or ownership of the property while alive.

The beneficial receiver of the property upon death doesn’t get any immediate rights or ownership interests in the property. Their consent isn’t needed to sell, convey, or change the use of the property while the original owner is alive. The Lady Bird deed is rendered obsolete if the original owner sells or conveys the property in their lifetime. However, if the original owner passes away, the property subject to the Lady Bird deed is automatically conveyed to the beneficial recipient without needing to pass through probate.

With a traditional Life Estate deed, the original owner must give up control when adding a beneficial recipient. This means the original owner is prohibited from selling, conveying, or encumbering the property without explicit consent from the beneficial recipient. The original owner also can’t change or end a traditional Life Estate deed without consent from the beneficial recipient.

Here are the benefits of a Lady Bird deed:

Properties can be conveyed at death without having to pass through probate.
The original owner remains in full control of the property while they’re alive.
Recording a Lady Bird deed doesn’t impact the current owner’s homestead protection and exemptions.
Any property subject to a Lady Bird deed doesn’t violate Medicaid’s five-year look-back period and isn’t subject to gifting taxes or penalties, since the beneficial owner doesn’t immediately possess any ownership rights.

Here are the downsides of a Lady Bird deed:

Doesn’t circumvent the Florida statute that requires homestead property to be conveyed first to a surviving spouse or minor children.
Doesn’t protect non-homestead properties from any judgment liens issued against the original owner during their lifetime.

A Lady Bird deed can be an effective tool to transfer real property outside of probate. However, as in any real estate transaction or estate planning endeavor, it is necessary to have a knowledgeable estate planning attorney to discuss your desired outcome and best course of action for your specific situation. If you would like to learn more about real property and estate planning, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Florida Today (June 9, 2023) “Real estate transfers: Is a ‘Lady Bird deed’ right for me?”

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The Safe way to Pass on Family Heirlooms

August 30, 2023

Family feuds are more likely over Aunt Josephine’s jewelry than the family home. Putting sticky notes on personal items before you die or expecting heirs to figure things out after you’ve passed often leads to ugly and expensive disputes, says a recent article from The Wall Street Journal, “Pass On Your Heirlooms, Not Family Drama. The safe way to pass on family heirlooms is via a trust of will.

Boomers handling parents’ estates and assessing their personal property are having more conversations around inheritance and heirlooms. However, there are better ways to plan and distribute property to avoid family fights over cars, jewelry, furniture and household items.

The person you name to handle your estate, the executor, typically distributes personal property. Therefore, pick that person with care and clarify how much power they will have. An example of this comes from a police officer in Illinois who has been settling his father’s estate for nearly two years. His father owned more than twelve vehicles, a water-well drill rig and two semitrailers of car parts and guns dating back to the Civil War. He also listed 19 heirs, including stepchildren and friends. He told his son he knew he could handle everyone and the stress of people who “aren’t going to be happy.”

If you want a particular item to go to a specific person, make it clear in your will or trust. Describe the item in great detail and include the name of the person who should get it. A sticky note is easily removed, and just telling someone verbally that you want them to have something isn’t legally binding.

Without clear directions, one family with five siblings used a deck of cards and played high card wins for items more than one sibling wanted. Only some families have the temperament for this method.

In one estate, two sisters wanted the same ring. However, there were no directions from their late parents. An estate settlement officer at their bank had a creative solution: a duplicate ring was made, mixed up with materials from the original ring, and each daughter got one ring.

The safe way to pass on family heirlooms is via a trust of will. Ask your estate planning attorney how to address personal heirlooms best. In some states, you can draft a memo listing what you want to give and to whom. It is legally binding, if the memo is incorporated into a will or trust. If not, the personal representative can consider your wishes. Make sure to sign and date any documents you create.

Get heirlooms appraised to decide how to divide items equitably, which to sell and what to donate. If heirs don’t want personal property, they can donate it and use the appraisal to substantiate a tax deduction. Appraisals will also be needed for estate tax and capital gains tax purposes. If you would like to learn more about personal property, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: The Wall Street Journal (July 30, 2023) “Pass On Your Heirlooms, Not Family Drama”

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The Estate of The Union Season 3|Episode 10

The Estate of The Union Season 2|Episode 9 is out now!

August 29, 2023

The Estate of The Union Season 2|Episode 9 is out now!

All good musicians eventually have a Greatest Hits album. We’ve got one too!

We send our blog out most business days and we track which blog entries are the most popular. The posts we did on the new tax rules regarding “Grantor Trusts” and our article on “How to Leave Assets to Minors” were the BIG Winners. Given how popular each of the posts were, we have dedicated an entire episode of our podcast to them.

In this edition of The Estate of the Union, Brad Wiewel expands on both of these topics in a way that makes them a bit easier to understand and perhaps implement.

In each episode of The Estate of The Union podcast, host and lawyer Brad Wiewel will give valuable insights into the confusing world of estate planning, making an often daunting subject easier to understand. It is Estate Planning Made Simple! The Estate of The Union Season 2|Episode 9 is out now! The episode can be found on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. If you would prefer to watch the video version, please visit our YouTube page. Please click on the links below to listen to or watch the new installment of The Estate of The Union podcast. We hope you enjoy it.

Texas Trust Law focuses its practice exclusively in the area of wills, probate, estate planning, asset protection, and special needs planning. Brad Wiewel is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. We provide estate planning services, asset protection planning, business planning, and retirement exit strategies.

Complexities of Determining Who is a Descendant

August 28, 2023

Not using specific names and terms open to definition could significantly impact who might inherit from your estate or trust. The complexities of determining who is a descendant can make beneficiary distribution more difficult. There are situations where some people may choose to deliberately restrict or expand the definition of the group, which might be included in these definitions, explains the article “Who Is Your Descendant: Intentional Limitations Or Broadening Of Definitions In Your Will Or Trust” from Forbes. For some people, creating a new role of a special trust protector who holds a limited or special power of appointment to determine who should be included or removed from the definition of “issue” or descendant is worth considering.

What might arise if the wish only considers children descendants if they belong to a particular faith? Is this type of legal restriction permitted? Clauses limiting heirs to members of a particular faith or a sect within the faith may raise questions about the constitutionality of the clause. Potential heirs excluded under such provisions have argued that a religious restriction on marriage violates constitutional safeguards under the Fourteenth Amendment protecting the right to marry.

Courts have held clauses determining if potential beneficiaries qualify for distributions based on religious criteria enforceable, if the potential beneficiaries have no vested interest in the assets. Another court upheld the provisions of a will conditioning bequests to their sons as long as they married women of a particular faith.

These decisions are narrowly tailored to the specific fact patterns of the cases, since individuals are generally allowed to disinherit an heir with the exception of a spousal elective share or a community property interest. The courts have reasoned that the restriction is not on the heir to marry but on the right of the testator to bequeath property as they wish.

An alternative approach to addressing the complexities of determining who is a descendant is to create a single trust for all heirs, mandating the funds in the trust be used for the cost of religious education, attending religious summer camps, taking relevant religious studies, religious institutional membership, etc. The trust could use the assets to encourage religious observance. However, it may only partially address the question. What about the remainder of the assets—should it be used for all heirs regardless of religious affiliations?

An estate plan compliant with Islamic law may involve a different determination of who is a descendant. The Sharia laws of inheritance are similar to the intestacy statute. One-third of the estate may be distributed as the decedent wishes. However, the remainder must be distributed as mandated under Islamic law. The residuary inheritance shares after the first third are restricted to Muslim heirs. Additional laws prescribe specified shares of the estate to be distributed to certain heirs, depending upon which heirs are living at the moment of the decedent’s death.

Suppose you or a family member is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ). The law may not address the unique considerations regarding who may be considered a descendent. Special steps may be needed to carry out your wishes as to who your descendants are. What if you view a particular child as your own, but share no genetic material with a child? Children may be adopted or born through surrogacy, so neither parent nor only one parent is biologically related to the child. While some states may recognize an equitable parent doctrine, this may be limited and not suffice to protect the testator.

The many new complexities of determining who is a descendant are complicated and evolving. Changing family structures and religious beliefs based on different values all impact estate planning. A special trust protector may make decisions when uncertainty arises from provisions in a will designed to carry out the wishes. This is a relatively new role and not permitted in some states, so speak with your estate planning attorney to protect your wishes and heirs. If you would like to learn more about beneficiary designations, please visit our previous posts.

Reference: Forbes (Aug. 4, 2023) “Who Is Your Descendant: Intentional Limitations Or Broadening Of Definitions In Your Will Or Trust”

Image by Charles McArthur

Category: Heirs

Which Trust, Revocable or Irrevocable?

Carefully Consider naming Contingent Beneficiaries

Choosing an Executor can be a Difficult Decision

Lady Bird Deed is a Tool to transfer Real Property outside of Probate

The Safe way to Pass on Family Heirlooms

The Estate of The Union Season 2|Episode 9 is out now!

Complexities of Determining Who is a Descendant

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