Is it time to have your trust reviewed?
I have a lot of people tell me they have a trust or that their parents had a trust done and that their estate planning is complete. Some of them come to see me for a review to verify that everything was prepared correctly. The great thing about a consultation is that I can get all the information and in one sitting I can either confirm that everything looks great and they don’t need to worry, or identify problems and suggest immediate solutions to fill in any gaps in their plan.
In my experience at least 9 out of 10 plans that I have reviewed were not comprehensive. Some of them are not properly funded. Some don’t leave assets to beneficiaries the way people intended. Some are missing legal provisions that could be important in certain circumstances. Many times, the point of the trust is to avoid probate at death, but unbeknownst to the person, assets will go through probate.
As a Certified Elder Law Attorney, credentialed through the National Elder Law Foundation, I have experience not only in drafting fully comprehensive estate plans, but also in reviewing plans previously prepared to check for potential issues. If you have been wondering about the accuracy or completeness of your or a loved one’s plan, schedule a consultation with our office.
-Lisa Hostetler Brown, CELA
