Trusts are a way to protect assets from probate and may be used in estate planning. A common type of trust is a living trust, where assets are legally protected while the owners are alive. Assets may be put in a trust for a child who can access them only after reaching a certain age. Trusts may be revocable or irrevocable.
Do Revocable Trusts Need a Separate Tax ID Number?
Do Revocable Trusts Need a Separate Tax ID Number? Q: I have a question regarding my mom’s revocable trust. My brother and I are the beneficiaries of the trust. The home was put on the market while my mom was alive but she has since passed. We actually received an offer for the home on [...]
Should I set up a trust or use a transfer-on-death (TOD) deed?
Should I set up a trust or use a transfer-on-death (TOD) deed or instrument? That's what one of Ilyce's readers wrote in to ask how she should manage her estate. To read more Q&A like this one, sign up for Ilyce Glink's Love, Money + Real Estate newsletter. Should I set up a trust? Q: [...]
What to Know About Transferring Property to Beneficiaries
What to know about transferring property to beneficiaries. This reader wants to know if it’s better to transfer the title or go through probate. Q: I’ve enjoyed reading your recent article in our local newspaper on the differences between using a will and a quitclaim deed in order to pass property to heirs or family [...]
Revocable vs Irrevocable Trust: Which is Better
Revocable vs irrevocable trust: which is better. The difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts and the purpose each serves in estate planning. Q: I am divorced and have two grown daughters. I am placing my house in a trust. My attorney is recommending an irrevocable trust. Which do you prefer, revocable or irrevocable and why? [...]
What Happens When You Sell a Property in a Trust?
What happens when you sell a property in a trust? This reader wants to know about the $250,000 gain exclusion and other tax implications. Q: My wife passed away this past year and our home is titled in her trust with me as trustee and my children as beneficiaries upon my passing. Is my cost [...]
Avoid Probate With Transfer On Death (TOD) Deed
A Florida homeowner asks how to avoid probate for her estate. She wants to leave her condo to her son but does not want him to pay probate costs. Can she set up a transfer on death deed so that her son avoids probate? Probate laws vary by state and so she should consult an estate attorney to better understand Florida probate laws.
Back Taxes Overpaid From Incorrect Assessment
The county assessor's office incorrectly classified a single-family home as a three-family building. With the mistake corrected, the homeowner wants to know if she can receive a refund for the overpayment of back taxes.
Power Of Attorney Does Not Control All Assets
A woman tries to reclaim assets after her father's death. Before dying he lived with his mother and gave her power of attorney to handle his affairs. The woman says her grandmother passed on a car and house when the father left them to her (his daughter). What can the woman do to get the car and the house back? What rights did the power of attorney give to the grandmother?
Property Inheritance Saves More Taxes Than Quit Claim Deed
Learn about property estate planning including repair and maintenance duties. Is using a quit claim deed or an irrevocable trust a better option? Inheriting property saves more on taxes than signing a quit claim deed.
Today on The Ilyce Glink Show — August 17, 2008
Listen now to hear author John Ventura talk about estate planning include transfer on death deeds, probate and trusts. Ilyce also interviewed enrolle...