One of the greatest fears of older Americans is that they may end up in a nursing home. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 70 percent of Americans over the age of 65 will need long-term care services at some point in their lives; and 40% of them will [...]
If the decedent had established what is commonly referred to as a “Revocable Trust,” a “Living Trust” or a “Revocable Living Trust,” in certain circumstances, the trustee may be required to pay expenses of administration of the decedent’s probate estate, enforceable claims of the decedent’s creditors and any federal estate taxes payable from the trust [...]
One way to think about a trust is that the trust itself is a book of instructions. A grantor authors the trust, and provides instructions concerning the use of the grantor’s assets while the grantor is alive, including who is permitted to access the trust assets, and what will occur at the grantor’s incapacity and [...]
Marriage does not cancel a will in Florida, but a spouse acquired after the execution of your will may receive the same portion of your estate that he or she would have received had you died without a will (at least one-half). If you have moved to Florida from another state, it is wise [...]
A personal representative should always engage a qualified attorney to assist in the administration of the decedent’s probate estate. Many legal issues arise, even in the simplest probate estate administration, and most of these issues will be novel and unfamiliar to non-attorneys. The attorney for the personal representative advises the personal representative on the rights [...]
The account statement, stock certificate, title or deed will make some reference to the trust or to you as trustee. You might also elect to fund your trust by naming the trust as a beneficiary of life insurance or other similar arrangements. Your attorney and financial advisor may assist you with the transfer of assets [...]
In most instances, the revocable trust is ignored for federal income tax purposes during the grantor’s lifetime. The income and deductions are reported directly on your individual income tax return. The trust will use your social security number as its tax identification number. A revocable trust becomes a separate entity for federal income tax purposes [...]
Your plan hasn’t been updated to take into account the never-ending Estate Tax changes. Currently a single person can leave up to $5.6 million, and a married couple can leave up to $11.2 million, free of estate tax. Over the years, the estate tax exemption has gone from $600,000 per individual (in 2000) to its [...]
