If you were recently informed that you are the Trustee of a trust and it is the first time you have served as a Trustee, you may be a little intimidated at the prospect of acting as Trustee. You might also be worried about your responsibilities and potential liability for errors. To better explain where you stand, the Port St. Lucie trust administration attorneys at Kulas Law Group explain when a … [Read more...] about If I Am a Trustee Can I Be Personally Liable for a Mistake?

To create a successful estate plan that will truly accomplish everything you want it to, you will likely need to incorporate a wide range of interconnected estate planning tools and strategies into your plan. One of the most common additions to a comprehensive estate plan is a trust. There are several different categories of trusts and numerous specialized trusts within each category. If … [Read more...] about How Can I Make Sure My Beneficiaries Use Assets Wisely?

One of your primary estate planning goals will probably be to ensure that you leave behind sufficient assets that your loved ones are well cared for when you are gone. You may also wish, however, to have some continued influence over your loved ones, even in your absence. The Vero Beach trust attorneys at Kulas Law Group explain how a trust can help you maintain control over the assets you gift as … [Read more...] about Can I Decide How Trust Assets Are Used?

For the average person, a Last Will and Testament is the first estate planning document they create. If you are planning to execute a Will for the first time, you should spend some time thinking about what terms you want to include in your Will. To help you, the Vero Beach estate planning attorneys at Kulas Law Group offer some common questions you may wish to consider when creating your … [Read more...] about Questions to Consider When Creating Your Will

The terms of your Last Will and Testament are usually highly personal and sensitive because it is in your Will that you typically distribute many of your estate assets. As such, you may not want the details of your Will to become public knowledge – even after you are gone. Toward that end, a Vero Beach estate planning attorney at Kulas Law Group explains whether the details of your Will remain … [Read more...] about Can I Keep the Terms of My Will Private?

If you are a beneficiary of a trust, it means that you have an interest in the assets held by the trust. It also means that the Trustee is required to communicate with you about trust business from time to time. As part of that obligation, the Trustee may send you a “Crummey Notice.” The Port St. Lucie trust lawyers at Kulas Law Group explain what a Crummey Notice is and what you should do if you … [Read more...] about What Should I Do If I Receive a Crummey Notice?

Trusts are a common addition to a well-rounded estate plan, due in large part to the fact that a trust can help accomplish a wide range of estate planning goals. If you plan to include a trust in your estate plan, you may be wondering if that trust can be contested like a Will can. To help answer that question, a Vero Beach trust attorney at Kulas Law Group discusses whether you can contest a … [Read more...] about Can a Trust Be Contested?

Tax avoidance should be one of the most important components of an estate plan for anyone with a moderate to large estate given that all estates are subject to federal gift and estate taxation upon the death of the taxpayer. Your estate will go through the legal process known as probate shortly after your death. During the probate process, your estate assets will be inventoried and valued. If the … [Read more...] about Is a Grantor Retained Income Trust Right for You?

Surprises following the death of a loved one are not typically welcome – particularly if the surprise relates to the decedent’s Last Will and Testament. For example, if the decedent attempted to make a deathbed Will just prior to his/her death, is that Will legal? A Port St. Lucie probate attorney at Kulas Law Group discusses whether a deathbed Will is valid in Florida. Is a Deathbed Will Exactly … [Read more...] about Is a Deathbed Will Valid in Florida?

When you initially sit down to create an estate plan, a Last Will and Testament may be all you need to ensure that you don’t leave behind an intestate estate in the event of your death. A Will can distribute your entire estate; however, as your estate and your family both expand, you may find that a Will is no longer sufficient to meet all your estate planning needs. At that point, you may decide … [Read more...] about What Is a Family Wealth Trust?