Life Insurance Trusts
It is important to use a separate trust that is specifically designed to own a life insurance policy. By using a Life Insurance Trust, family members can be provided with liquidity at death that may be needed to pay debts and expenses, taxes, or any other cash need. This limits the need for a “fire-sale” of a decedent’s assets to meet the estate’s obligations in time.
Most importantly, a properly structured Life Insurance Trust will keep the policy proceeds out of the taxable estate for estate tax purposes. A life insurance policy owned individually will be included in the taxable estate.
Estate Planning videos
- Does my will have to be notarized?
- How can an estate plan make things easier on my family after I die?
- How can I leave my estate to my spouse tax free?
- How can I remove assets from my estate without being subject to estate or gift taxes?
- How much does estate planning cost?
- Is signing a will a formal process?
- Must I leave something to my spouse and my children in my will?
- Should I consider life insurance during the estate planning process?
- What benefits does a trust offer?
- What does a proper estate plan include?
- What effect does a subsequent marriage, divorce, or child have on a will?
- What is a charitable remainder trust?
- What is a health care proxy?
- What is a holographic will?
- What is a life insurance trust?
- What is a living will?
- What is the effect on my estate planning documents if I move?
- What makes a will legal?
- What other probate avoiding techniques are there in addition to revocable living trusts?
- What should I do if I realize that my parents do not have an estate plan in place?
- What’s the difference between inheritance tax and estate tax?
- When should an estate plan be reviewed?
- When should I review my existing will?
- Where should I keep my estate planning documents?
- Who needs estate planning?
- Will my estate be subject to any taxes and if so what types of tax?
- Do I need a lawyer for estate planning or can I hire a paralegal or another non-attorney to assist me?
- Are there other ways of leaving property to my beneficiaries other than through a will or a trust?
- Are there alternatives for managing property when a person becomes incapacitated?
- Do I need a new trust or will if move to a new state?
- Do I need a living will, health care power of attorney, or financial power of attorney?
- Can a spouse be cut out of a will?
- Can a child be cut out of a will?
- Are there techniques available to reduce or avoid estate taxes?
- Can I make a handwritten will if I do not have much property?
- Can I appoint the same person as personal representative, trustee, and guardian?
- Can a will be changed or revoked?
