August is National Make-A-Will Month, a timely reminder to create or update your will. Whether you’re establishing a career, raising a family, or accumulating assets, having a will in place ensures your loved ones are...more
In 1998, Elizabeth died leaving a will that contained a trust for the benefit of her niece, Jean, for her life. Upon Jean’s death, the remaining trust assets were to pass to her other niece, Dorothy. Both Jean and Dorothy...more
In re Esther Kratzer Revocable Trust & In re Wendell Kratzer Revocable Trust, Docket Nos 357860, 357861 (Mich Ct App Mar 23 2023) (unpublished). Wendell and Esther Kratzer, husband and wife, had four children including...more
This blog has devoted a lot of real estate to the use of anti-SLAPP motions in California trust and estate litigation. Though the courts’ treatment of such motions is varied and oftentimes unpredictable, Californians can...more
Following our series on how to serve and protect yourself as a trustee for your family, it only makes sense to talk about the other side of the equation ─ being a beneficiary. Unlike trustees, who have very specific fiduciary...more
It is common practice when a trust is established for the economic settlor to provide a letter of wishes, addressed to the trustees of the trust, setting out their wishes with respect to the administration of the trust. For...more
Many family member trustees are uncertain about whether and to what extent they can use trust assets to obtain legal representation. For example, when two parents choose their daughter, upon their incapacity or death, to...more
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in 2020 each person may transfer up to $11,580,000 without incurring a gift or estate tax. This generous exemption amount will sunset at the end of 2025, which means that in 2026, the...more
Many clients create an estate plan, then put the documents safely away, until they are needed. However, they have forgotten to complete one final important step. Trust funding is the most overlooked estate planning tool....more