Trusts are not cookie-cutter documents. In fact, they can be rather unwieldy, especially in explaining the functions to a client and then having the client comply with the trust terms. This course delves into best practices. Given common scenarios, what are the best trusts to use? And how can the client be best protected?
Learning Objectives
- Understand the organization of the Internal Revenue Code, the Treasury Regulations, and Revenue Rulings
- Identify the circumstances when a client may want to consider requesting a private letter ruling
- Differentiate between primary and secondary pieces of authority
- Understand the steps to the tax research process and the parts of a tax research memorandum
Major Topics
- Key concepts of trusts, including recent trends; best practices; jurisdiction; and ways to avoid pitfalls
- Decanting Federal estate tax exemption and remaining relevance of trusts
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts
- The role of family dynamics
- Choice of trustee and other fiduciaries
- State trust-friendly considerations
- Charitable trusts
- Delaware Statutory Trusts
- Powers of attorney
- Pet Trusts – the emerging necessities
- State, county, and local issues
- Portability QTIP issues
- Creditor considerations
- Potential IRA problems
- Problems with re-titling assets