Posted on Mon Dec 21, 2015, on Trusts
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My only asset is a large individual retirement account (IRA). I am 79 years old and am worried that, in the next few years, I may have to move into assisted living or a nursing home. Can I move my IRA into an Irrevocable Trust to shelter it from creditors?
Posted on Fri Nov 27, 2015, on IRA Trust
If you have named your children as beneficiaries of your individual retirement account (IRA), you have likely made a mistake that exposes the IRA to your children’s spouses, to their creditors and to easily avoidable future inheritance and estate taxes. Forming and naming an IRA Trust for your child as the beneficiary easily corrects this mistake.
Congress requires that all qualified retirement plans—including IRAs, SEP-IRAs, 401(k) plans, and 403(b) plans—must allow an IRA Trust to be named as a beneficiary. By doing so, Congress allows you to form an IRA Trust for your child that allows the Inherited plan to remain tax-deferred.
Posted on Thu Nov 19, 2015, on Estate Planning
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My friend died and his executor is allowing his hosting account to lapse. Could he have set aside funds to maintain his website?
It is possible to set up a trust to maintain the cost of a website. This needs to be carefully done to provide checks and balances to make sure the trustee carries out your intent. I find a trusted Protector an excellent and inexpensive tool. If a person has a website that he wishes to continue after death, it is important to make sure access data is easily available to the executor.
Posted on Wed Oct 21, 2015, on Estate Planning
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: What if my future son-in-law refuses to sign a prenuptial agreement? Can he claim a share of what I leave my daughter?
If your daughter marries her fiancé without a prenuptial agreement, and commingles with her husband’s assets what she inherits from you, then—in a divorce—she may lose a share or all of her inheritance. Further, if she dies after receiving the inheritance, she may give all of her inheritance to her husband who is free to then leave those assets as he sees fit at his death.
Posted on Sun Oct 18, 2015, on Trusts
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: There seem to be many different types of trusts. Which one is the best to avoid probate?
Trusts are very flexible estate planning tools. They can be used to avoid creditors, shelter assets from divorce, reduce taxes, and to avoid probate. To avoid probate in New Jersey, you could use a Revocable Living Trust or you could use any number of different Irrevocable Trusts.
Posted on Fri Oct 16, 2015, on Estate Planning
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: The term “Anchor Baby” is in the news, referring to parents coming to the USA to have a baby that automatically qualifies for citizenship simply by being born on American soil. Given that this is completely legal, and given that these parents obviously care about their child’s future and don’t want the child to be left in the USA without support, how can these parents plan ahead for the child’s care?
Any person on earth is able to form a protective trust in the United States for their child. The trust has to have a connection to the United States, so it will require a trustee located in the United States.
Posted on Wed Oct 14, 2015, on LGBT Estate Planning
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I want to leave my long time partner my house. However, at his death I want it sold so the money can pass to my nieces. How can I make sure this happens?
This is a common issue with gay and lesbian couples. Often, one partner owns the house and—though they want their partner to be able to live in the house until the partner’s death — there is a concern about putting the house into the surviving partner’s name.
Posted on Tue Oct 13, 2015, on Trusts
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: What if my son-in-law refuses to sign a prenuptial agreement? Can he claim a share of what I leave my daughter?
If your daughter marries without a prenuptial agreement, then commingles what she inherits from you with her husband’s assets, then she may well lose some or all of that inheritance after a divorce. Further, when she dies, she may well leave all of her inheritance to her husband, who is then free to leave those assets as he sees fit at his death.
Posted on Sat Sep 26, 2015, on LGBT Estate Planning
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I love my partner, but she is terrible with money. If I leave her an inheritance, it will be spent quickly and she will be left with nothing. How do I leave her an inheritance but protect it for her?
Recognizing your partner’s inability to handle money allows you to set up an estate plan that can help make sure that your partner will always have enough money. There are many ways to set up a trust for his benefit. The best option will depend on what type of assets you have and how much flexibility you wish to give the Trustee.
Posted on Fri Sep 4, 2015, on Trusts
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My second husband and I live in a house that I own outright. If I die, I want him to be able to live in the house as long as he chooses, but I want my children to inherit the house when he moves out or dies. How do I keep them from evicting him from the house?
Avoiding conflict between children from the first marriage and the second spouse can be challenging, but if you are honest about the personalities involved, there is usually a way to satisfy everyone. One option in your case is to form a trust in your will that holds your house.
Peter Klenk is the founding member of Klenk Law, a seven attorney boutique estate planning law firm. We serve clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Florida. Peter Klenk received his Masters 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!
Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter was excellent. He explained everything very clearly and is super friendly. My wife and I originally tried using a lawyer through group legal coverage, but unfortunately the old adage - "you get what you pay for" - applied to the other lawyer, and we decided to go with a real professional.
When it came down to picking the right attorney to handle my affairs, I knew right away it was this firm. From speaking to their secretary to speaking to Peter I knew I was making the right decision. After only a few mins Peter knew right away what I was looking for and handled all my questions professionally and even gave me great feedback that put my mind at ease. All that without even giving a single penny! So of course I hired him! So far so good...
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Great friendly staff
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Like another reviewer, I contacted Peter through his website using the free consultation link, for a question regarding PA inheritance taxes. The question was quite technical and difficult to explain, and the answer was nowhere to be found on the web. Peter grasped precisely what I was asking, and provided a clear, helpful response (with a touch of humor) the very next day.
Answered my question quickly and referred me to a colleague that could handle my problem
Mr. Klenk, quickly understood the circumstances presented and provided clear and concise advice. This advice provided me with the information I required to progress the case to my advantage.
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Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter explained things in a way that was easy to understand. Everything was done in the time frame he said it. Could not have been better!
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Peter Klenk made a complex subject understandable and allowed us to move forward with our estate planning. He was patient with our questions and creative in the solutions he proposed.
Peter explained a complex subject very clearly, helped us to decide the best approach to managing our estate and then made it very easy for us to execute the required documents. He will be a valuable resource for years to come and clearly has a great understanding of estate law that will lead to innovative solutions for us. I would unhesitatingly recommend him for estate planning.
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Always professional and very responsive. Everyone on the staff that I have worked with. I look forward to continuing our relationship.
Surprisingly easy
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Peter and his associates made things easy for us.
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