What is a Living Trust?
In most instances, people name themselves as the trustee in charge of managing their trust’s assets. This permits you to remain in control of your assets during your lifetime even though your assets have been put into the trust. You may also elect to name a successor trustee who will manage the trust if you ever become unable to serve as trustee. A living trust is an important part of your estate plan.
What can a living trust do for me?
You can name a trustee to take over the trust’s management for your benefit if you ever become unable or unwilling to manage it yourself. And at your death, the trustee, similar to the executor of a will, would then gather your assets, pay any debts, claims and taxes, and distribute your assets according to your instructions. Unlike a will, however, this can all be done without court supervision or approval.
Should everyone have a living trust?
Finally, anyone who wants court supervision over the administration of his or her estate should not have a living trust. The greater the value of your assets (particularly if you own real estate), the greater the need for a living trust. And having a living trust could be important in the event of an accident or sudden illness.
How could a living trust be helpful if I become incapacitated?
How this would be accomplished might depend on whether your assets were separate or marital property. New York is an equitable division state, which means each spouse owns the income he or she earns during the marriage, and also has the right to manage any property that’s in his or her name alone.
If you are married, assets acquired by either you or your spouse while married or in the partnership and while a resident of New York are equitable division property.
On the other hand, any property that you owned before your marriage or that you received as a gift or inheritance during the marriage would probably be your separate property.
In New York, equitable division property could be managed by your spouse. If you own separate and you become incapacitated, such assets could be managed by an agent or attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney.
Without planning, however, your separate property assets would be subject to a court proceeding called a guardianship. During the guardianship process, a judge could determine that you were unable to manage your own finances or to resist fraud or undue influence. The court would then appoint someone (a guardian) to manage your assets for you. And the guardian would report back to the court on a regular basis.
Your guardian might be someone whom you previously nominated. Or, if no one had been nominated, it might be your spouse, registered domestic partner or another family member. If none of those persons are available, then it might be the public guardian.
guardianship proceedings are designed to help protect you at a time when you are vulnerable or incapable of managing your assets. However, they are also public in nature and can be costly because of the substantial court intervention. In addition, guardianship proceedings may be less flexible in managing real estate or other interests than a well-managed living trust.
How could a living trust be helpful at my death?
If your assets (those in your name alone) are not in a living trust when you die, they would be subject to Surrogate’s Court. Surrogate’s Court is a court-supervised process for transferring assets to the beneficiaries listed in one’s will. After your death, a petition would be filed with the court (usually by the person or institution named in your will as the executor). After notice is given, a hearing would be held. Then your will would be admitted to Surrogate’s Court and an executor would be officially appointed. An inventory of your assets would be filed with the court and notice would be given to your creditors so they could file claims. The process would end once the court approved a final distribution of assets.
Surrogate’s Court can take more time to complete than the distribution of property held in a living trust. In addition, assets tied up in Surrogate’s Court may not be as readily accessible to the beneficiaries as those held in a living trust. And the cost of a Surrogate’s Court is often greater than the cost of managing and distributing comparable assets held in a living trust.
Who should be the trustee of my living trust?
You might choose a spouse, adult child, domestic partner, other relative, family friend, business associate, or professional fiduciary to be your trustee. The professional fiduciary could be a licensed, registered individual, or a bank or trust company licensed by the State of New York. You may also name co-trustees.
As an estate planning lawyer, we can discuss your choices. There are many issues to consider. For example, would the appointment of one of your grown children cause a problem with his or her siblings?
What conflicts of interest would be created if you name a spouse, child, business associate, or partner as your trustee? And will the person named as your successor trustee have the time, organizational ability and experience to do the job effectively?
How are my assets put into the living trust?
Deeds to your real estate must be prepared and recorded. Bank accounts and stock and bond accounts or certificates must be transferred as well. These tasks are not necessarily expensive, but they are important and do require some paperwork.
A living trust can hold both separate and community property. This makes it convenient for spouses and registered domestic partners to plan for the management and ultimate distribution of their assets in one document. While registered domestic partners have many of the same rights as spouses, be aware that federal tax law does not provide the same tax benefits for domestic partners as it does for spouses.
If you own real estate in another state, you might (depending on that state’s law) transfer that asset to your trust as well to avoid probate in that other state. You should consider changing the beneficiary designations on life insurance to the trust. As for the beneficiary designations on a qualified plan (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should seek a qualified professional’s advice because there are serious income tax issues.
What are the advantages?
The Law Offices of Michael J Spevack takes care of preparation of a complete plan for you that is effective now and takes care of issues that may come up during your life as well in the event of your passing.
A trust is simple to set up and we take care of preparing all the documents for your to create the trust and put a Peace of Mind Planning package together for you.
A revocable living trust is less expensive in the long run because it can completely avoid the need for the probate process (assuming all creditors are known). In addition, trusts are very difficult to contest and prevent unintentional disinheriting along with other problems associated with joint ownership.
If you own property in a different state, a living trust eliminates the need for probate in that state.
A living trust can be instantly transferred to another trustee should anything happen to you (see example above). A living trust is private; it is confidential and is not displayed in public records. A living trust allows you to appoint someone to maintain the trust property for young beneficiaries and minors.
There is no need to hire a lawyer again when you want to distribute your estate. Living trusts also provide significant tax benefits.
What are the disadvantages?
Setting up the trust requires a fair amount of initial paperwork.
However, our firm handles all the documents to prepare it for you.
The initial consultation only takes about 45 to 60 minutes for most people. We make it simple and fast for you.
Setting up the trust also requires a transfer of ownership for all property you want to have in the trust (called “funding”). This sometimes includes titles for real estate, financial accounts etc. However, our firm takes care of the preparation of the deed to transfer your New York real estate into your trust.
We also provide you with direction for transferring title to financial accounts as well.
The only real drawback to a trust is that there is no cut-off date for creditors to bring claims against your trust and that you cannot designate a guardian for any minors through a living trust (However, this can be done quite easily in a “pour-over” will that is added to your trust).
If I have a living trust, do I still need a will?
Your will can nominate guardians for your minor children as well. Any assets held in a trust for your children would still be managed by the trustee.
Will a living trust help reduce the estate taxes?
Will I have to file an income tax return for my living trust?
What other estate planning documents should I have?
This power of attorney, however, cannot replace a living trust because, among other things, it expires when you die. It cannot provide instructions for the distribution of your assets after your death. You might also consider setting up an advance health care directive / durable power of attorney for health care. This allows your attorney-in-fact to make health care decisions for you when you can no longer make them for yourself. In your advance health care directive, you may state your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment, organ donation and funeral arrangements as well.
A health care directive also allows an authorized agent to access your medical information, which could be important in light of strengthened federal privacy laws.
What other kinds of trusts are there?
Testamentary trusts are trusts that are based on instructions in your will; such trusts are not established until after the probate process. They do not address the management of your assets during your lifetime. They can, however, provide for young children and others who would need someone to manage their assets after your death.
Irrevocable trusts are trusts that cannot be amended or revoked once they have been created. These are generally tax-sensitive documents. Some examples include irrevocable life insurance trusts, irrevocable trusts for children, and charitable trusts.
You will need a notary public
You need to sign all of your estate planning documents in front of a Notary Public and 2 witnesses who are not family members. Our law firm provides for a Notary to complete your documentation or we can arrange for a Notary to come to your house to help you make the arrangements.
When we deliver the documents to you, we provide a detailed instruction letter giving you step by step guidance on everything you need to do such as recording the real estate deeds, transferring your bank account to your trust as well as any titled property like automobiles, rental homes, boats, etc.
Experienced Attorneys
Professional Approach
Recognizing that every client is unique with specific needs, I approach each client with understanding and respect for their particular case.
Our Philosophy:
My Law Practice philosophy is centered around two very important aspects of legal representation.
First & Foremost: I believe that Every Client Matters!
Secondly: I believe that everyone deserves experienced legal representation at an affordable cost.
With those two objectives as the foundation for what I offer, my Legal Practice Services are always affordable.
You can count on the Undivided Attention of a team that prizes relationships over profits!
