Money Management Skills

(backadmin) #1
76

Lecture 11: Fundamentals of Estate Planning


% Many have criticized the use of living trusts because they can
be costly to create and, in some cases, are more expensive than
VLPSO\WUDQVIHUULQJDVVHWVWKURXJKWKHSUREDWHSURFHVV2QHEHQH¿W
however, is simplicity and the use of a trustee who can immediately
JLYHPRQH\WRKHLUVDFFRUGLQJWRWKHZLVKHVRIWKHGRQRU,I\RX¶G
carefully listed out everything on a will, it may accomplish the
VDPHWKLQJ%XWPRVWSHRSOHGRQ¶WGRLW

% Wealthy individuals will often have a corporate trustee who charges
DIHHXVXDOO\DVDSHUFHQWDJHRIDVVHWVXQGHUPDQDJHPHQW8QOHVV
the surviving spouse or heirs have extensive investment experience,
it may be wise to place assets in the hands of a trustee who manages
DVVHWV EHIRUH DQG DIWHU GHDWK %XW WKDW DOVR UHTXLUHV WKDW WKH
EHQH¿FLDULHVDVNIRUSHUPLVVLRQZKHQWKH\QHHGVRPHPRQH\

% Trusts can be used to make sure that money passes from the estate
WRWKHSHRSOH\RXWKLQNGHVHUYHLW)RUH[DPSOHDVRFDOOHG4WLS
trust provides an income stream for your surviving spouse during
his or her lifetime while allowing you to decide in advance who
ZLOOUHFHLYHWKHUHPDLQLQJIXQGVDIWHU\RXUVSRXVHGLHV

% Trusts that go into effect after death, also known as testamentary
trusts, can also be used to help take care of those who otherwise
might not be able to take care of themselves—and that includes
\RX<RXFDQHVWDEOLVKVRPHRQHWRPDNHGHFLVLRQVRQ\RXUEHKDOILQ
FDVH\RXVXIIHUIURPVHQLOHGHPHQWLDRUJHW$O]KHLPHU¶VRUEHFRPH
RWKHUZLVHXQDEOHWRFDUHIRU\RXUVHOI

% ,Q JHQHUDO HVWDEOLVKLQJ JXDUGLDQVKLS FDQ EH D OHQJWK\ OHJDO


SURFHVV²DQGH[SHQVLYH%XWDJXDUGLDQVKLSDJUHHPHQWFDQDYRLG


WKLVSUREOHP(VWDEOLVKLQJJXDUGLDQVKLSIRU\RXUVHOILVHDV\(DFK


state has a form that lets you transfer responsibility for your care to
VRPHRQHHOVHXQGHUVSHFL¿FFLUFXPVWDQFHV,I\RXGRQ¶WKDYHLWD
VSULQJLQJSRZHURIDWWRUQH\GRFXPHQWFDQKHOSVRPHRQHWDNHRYHU

% Obtaining guardianship of minors or disabled adults is an expensive
DQGOHQJWK\SURFHVV8VXDOO\WKHVXUYLYLQJSDUHQWZLOOEHQDPHGDV
Free download pdf