I often craft estate plans without the use of a trust and achieve the exact same outcomes as if one was in place. Trusts in some circumstances are an added expense, unnecessary and over the top. My firm believes putting folks in a trust only if, it’s perfectly appropriate or absolutely needed. Whether a trust is appropriate or necessary depends on you and your families circumstances. Below is a list, à la Jeff Foxworthy, to see if a trust is…
About fifty percent of the trusts that come across my desk are unfunded. Funding a trust simply means placing assets in a trust. Either by creating accounts to hold assets or by making the trust the owner of assets through titling Funding Trusts is essential to having a trust. Actually, I believe it’s the most important part of having since a trust. Since, an unfunded trust is not a trust at all, but rather a stack of papers. Here’s a…
Under the appropriate circumstances, a revocable living trust is the perfect estate planning document. Sometimes, however they can be overkill or underused. Whether a trust is the right document for you depends much upon your assets and family circumstances. Also much depends on whether you as the maker and trustee are willing and able to do so. Here’s some things to consider before using one in your estate plan. A Trust Is Not A Will Replacement If you have a…
Nursing home care is expensive. On average about $8000 a month in the Denver area. Medicaid will help you pay for it; but first your must “spend down” enough of your assets to qualify for Medicaid. You likely won’t have to sell your home if you enter residential care. Medicaid however, will make a claim against your estate during probate to recover the funds it used on your behalf. This process is known as estate recovery. And it may result…