The rules that surround our retirement plan accounts and IRA’s can be tricky, especially when it comes to determining an individual’s required minimum distributions, or RMDs. RMDs are the minimum amounts that a retirement plan account owner must withdraw as required by the federal government. Generally, a person is required…
Naming a trust as a beneficiary of life insurance policy can have a huge benefit for people with large estates that are not taxable. It is also a great way to protect the insurance proceeds from future creditors and to help beneficiaries better manage their assets There are a few…
The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that an inherited IRA is not a “retirement account” for purposes of protection under the Bankruptcy code. This now means that inherited IRAs are available to satisfy creditor’s claims in order to pay off debt. The court characterized an inherited IRA as money that…
In Florida, the assets of an estate can be transferred in three different ways upon the death of the estate owner. Some assets are transferred freely without a court’s approval by contractual terms. A court will also provide limited administration for an estate worth under $75,000. Finally, there is a…
Here at the Law Office of David Goldman, we wanted to list some of the more important clauses that might be used in a Florida will or Florida Living Trust. Every person who makes a will or trust has different circumstances and therefore every will or trust is designed with…
There are many ways that a settlor, or a person who creates a trust, can help to prevent creditors from attacking the assets he or she leaves a beneficiary through a trust or a will. One of the best ways to protect a trust’s assets is through a spendthrift clause.…
Most people assume when they receive an inheritance, either through a will or a trust, that they must accept it. This is actually not the case as a beneficiary is also allowed to disclaim, or not to accept, the inheritance. Refusing an inheritance may seem like an alien concept, but…
A common estate-planning problem arises when parents with young children die or become incapacitated. Usually when one parent dies, the second parent assumes custody, but if the second parent is also not available the issue is who has the right to and who will raise the minor children. The best…
A will is an important tool in the estate planning process that allows a testator, a person who creates a will, to distribute the assets of an estate in the manner is deemed most appropriate. If no will is present, a testator’s estate is executed by the rules of intestate…
The estate executor or personal representative is one of the most important roles in managing a loved one’s estate after death. Serving as an executor comes with many responsibilities, but knowing what to expect will make the transition into this important role much easier. The following checklist can be helpful…