A recent real-life case demonstrated the importance of estate planners and trustees staying alert. Essentially, the founder’s (the estate planner) daughter reached maturity, and her new attorney ...

Naming your trust as the beneficiary of your IRA could have terrible tax consequences. This single fact does not mean you should never name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA or other retirement ...

Readers of my column know I emphasize the importance of naming beneficiaries for every IRA account. Many ask under what circumstances they should consider naming a trust as an IRA beneficiary. In a ...

Should you name your living trust as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy? Is it better to name specific individuals as direct beneficiaries? This decision can have significant implications ...

The end of the calendar year often brings family into focus as we look to spend time with loved ones for the holidays. Though it may not feel like the best time to contemplate one’s demise, the season ...

You might not have thought much about beneficiary designations - but they can play a big role in your estate planning. When you purchase insurance policies and open investment accounts, such as your ...

You might not have thought much about beneficiary designations — but they can play a big role in your estate planning. When you purchase insurance policies and open investment accounts, such as your ...

The original SECURE Act changed the game for payouts for most IRA beneficiaries, including trusts. Congress eliminated the stretch IRA deferral advantage and replaced it with a 10-year rule, requiring ...

Beneficiaries receive assets without probate when named in trusts or insurance. Immediate designation of beneficiaries ensures asset transfer according to wishes. Types of beneficiaries vary, ...

Revocable trusts can go by other names like living trusts, inter vivos trusts or even “loving” trusts, but their purpose is the same: to address the problems that traditional last wills and testaments ...