Skip to Content

We are a Veteran Owned Business, providing 20% discounts for Veterans, First Responders, Elementary and High School teachers. Please contact us to set up a phone or Zoom meeting. Taking care of you and your family, It's What We Do!

Marital Trusts

What is a Marital Trust?

A Marital Trust, or as it is sometimes called, the “A Trust,” is an Irrevocable Trust designed to hold the deceased spouse’s assets that exceed the amount that can be sheltered from death taxes. The Marital Trust assets are not taxed at the first spouse’s death, but they are part of the second spouse’s estate. If the second spouse is not wealthy, this allows the use of both spouses’ exemptions without actually giving the less wealthy spouse ownership.

What is the Purpose of a Marital Trust?

The Marital Trust shelters the assets from the surviving spouse’s creditors and future spouses. The Bypass Trust can also be crafted to ensure that the property passes to the deceased spouse’s children or family at the surviving spouse’s death, keeping them out of the hands of the second husband/wife.

Typical Estate Questions About Marital Trusts:

Here are some questions clients, beneficiaries, and Trustees ask:

How does the Marital Trust protect a beneficiary from death taxes?

The Marital Trust allows a married couple to act as a team, maximizing their combined estate and generation-skipping tax exemptions.

What are the pros of the Marital Trust?

Tax avoidance, asset protection and providing the opportunity to keep assets within the family bloodline.

What are the cons of a Marital Trust?

The Marital Trust has a tax ID and must file a separate tax return.

Can Anyone be a Marital Trust Beneficiary?

The surviving spouse must be the only beneficiary.

Can only a Spouse be a Marital Trust Beneficiary?

Yes, to meet the estate and generation-skipping tax requirements, the spouse must be the sole beneficiary.

Reasonable Prices | Years of Experience | We Make Trusts and Estate Planning Easier

If you have any questions about Marital Trusts or any other estate planning topics, feel free to contact us to schedule a free consultation. For more than two decades Klenk Law has focused only on Estate Law. We’ve seen it all, and this experience allows us to explain complex estate law and planning techniques clearly and concisely. We make it easy for you to understand Marital Trusts and Estate Planning so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.

What Our clients are saying

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Qiana Wright

Great friendly staff

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Alan Kaplan

Peter has done our family's trust and estate work since our children were born. He is not only extremely knowledgeable and honest, but makes sure that our arrangements remain current with the changing legal landscape. I would give him my highest recommendation as a professional in his field.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Kevin K.

I was referred to Peter after my divorce to put documents together to protect my assets. He suggested a number of documents that would help protect my children and their future. Also, he put together wills, power of attorney and living wills. I initially spoke with him on the phone, he took 30-40 minutes to understand my situation and explain the benefits of having such documents. After a week or two, I met with him in his office and signed the documents. Everything else was remote phone calls and emails. He re-explained these documents and what whom to share. I am in good hands.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

A Google User

Peter Klenk & Associates is my go-to firm for estate planning and advice in probate and estate administration. Peter and his attorneys are top-notch and exceptionally responsive. Peter has the knack of being able to explain extremely complex tax and estate planning issues in a manner that clients are easily able to understand and comprehend allowing them to confidently make important decisions.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Stephen T.

Peter and his staff handled all of our needs in a very professional and timely matter.

Let us put our expertise to work for you.

Free consultation within 24 hours.