From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: “I have been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimers. I have heard that setting up an “unfunded trust” for long-term care might be a good idea. What is an unfunded trust and how is a trustthat is unfunded useful?”
When planning for Alzheimers, the term “unfunded trust” refers to a Revocable Living Trust which you set up but in which you currently put no assets. Because it is currently not “funded” with any assets, we call it an “unfunded trust.”
From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Life Insurance is a Non-Probate Asset, Unaffected by You Will:
“My sister went to jail, so mother changed her Will and gave me the entire estate. She forgot to remove my sister from her life insurance. Now I hear life insurance is a Non-Probate Asset. Who gets the life insurance?”
From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: “I have heard stories about Power of Attorney abuse and theft. So, where do I keep my Power of Attorney?”
Power of Attorney abuse is a real problem. A typical durable general power of attorney gives your “Agent” the authority to access your accounts and sell your assets. These capabilities are essential so your Agent can take care of you. But, they are also powers that can lead to theft and fraud.
From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: How do I disinherit my son? “My son is good for nothing bum, and I want to cut him out of my will. Can you tell me how to disinherit my son from my entire estate? I live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.”
From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: “What is a Spousal Limited Access Trust?”
A Spousal Lifetime Access Trust, or SLAT, holds and shelters your gifts for your spouse’s benefit.
Ask a Question” mailbag: “Can my son use my power of attorney to give away all my property?”
A Durable Power of Attorney gives your “Agent” the right to make financial decisions on your behalf during your lifetime. Each power of attorney can be unique. I need to examine your actual document to answer the question, can your son use that particular document to legally make gifts to himself, but here are some facts. A durable power of attorney can give your son the right to make unlimited gifts. In other words, your Power of Attorney could allow your son to legally leave you penniless.
From Our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Can a non-citizen spouse inherit land from me, a US citizen, even while a non-resident? My wife lives in India, but I have property in my name here in the United States.
The IRA Trust, An Underutilized Estate Planning Tool.
To ensure that your money passes on only to your direct descendants, consider forming an IRA Trust.
All qualified plans (IRA, Roths, 401ks, SEPs, TIAA-CREF, etc.) allow you to name a beneficiary to receive the plan at your death. But, if this person is your child, they will have the chance to defer income tax recognition by converting the plan into an “Inherited IRA”. BUT, with an “Inherited IRA” your child, not you, has the ability to name a beneficiary. And it is likely this beneficiary will be your daughter-in-law or son-in-law rather than your grandchildren.
Ask a Question” mailbag: I need life insurance as part of my estate plan to cover the cost of my son’s college tuition and pay off the mortgage. What policy best fits my needs?
First, focus on the reasons for why you are purchasing life insurance. Life insurance is an excellent Estate Planningtool, but only if you are clear as to its purpose.
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: “My mother lives in Philadelphia and is getting divorced. Does she need an estate lawyer in PA? Does divorce and estate planning go together?”
Peter Klenk is the founding member of Klenk Law, a seven-attorney boutique estate planning law firm. We serve clients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Peter Klenk received his Master’s in Taxation, LL.M., from NYU Law School and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served his country in the Navy JAGC during Desert Storm. Easy to talk to, feel free to call Peter for an appointment. We will make the process as easy as possible!
"I worked for Peter Klenk for 4 wonderful years. I can’t speak highly enough of everyone at the firm. Everyone truly cares about their clients and has a strong sense of responsibility to get things done right. I would highly recommend Klenk Law!"
Flora Novick
Can't recommend Attorney Daniella Horn and paralegal Jackie Mettinger enough. They have been incredible to work with through the administration of my aunt's estate. They are knowledgable, patient, kind, and always quick to respond, and not to mention super affordable. Thank you so much for all of your hard work. I will definitely be recommending you to anyone who needs this type of help in the future.
Transparent approach and pricing, with prompt and professional response. They understand the various sensitivities of estate planning. Cannot recommend the firm more highly., go with Klenk
I had a wonderful experience with Peter and his team preparing my estate documents. The experience was very personalized and his team was very knowledgeable, polite, and patient through the process.
We worked with the firm to update our Estate Plan. The whole team made the process simple and easy. Thanks!
Very friendly and easy to work with - definitely a better experience than I've had with other lawyers! Peter is very detailed and thorough. I've worked on previous versions of my will with other lawyers, and he pointed out things they'd never mentioned. Fast turnaround and very responsive to emails and phone calls.
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