Law Office of Ellen A. Barnett, P.L. (800) 517-5210 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
trusts
A Trust is a legal agreement created by a person for the benefit of the beneficiaries. Trusts are fantastic estate planning techniques because, depending on the type of trust used, trusts can reduce estate taxes, protect assets from the creditors of the beneficiaries, prevent beneficiaries from attaining full control over the assets before they are ready to handle the responsibility, ensure proper investment and management of assets, and provide significant flexibility with respect to distribution provisions.
The Law Office of Ellen A. Barnett, P.L. provides advice and services for all types of revocable and irrevocable trust matters, including:
- Living Trust – a trust created during your lifetime and designed to avoid the expense and delays associated with probate, while also protecting you from a guardianship proceeding in the event you become incapacitated. While alive and not incapacitated, you remain in control of the assets and can change the trust at any time.
- Testamentary Trust – a trust created under your Will.
- Life Insurance Trust – a trust designed to hold life insurance policies, the proceeds of which will not be subject to estate tax, thereby providing a greater financial benefit to your beneficiaries.
- Qualified Domestic Trust (“QDOT”) – a trust utilized to preserve the marital estate tax deduction when the surviving spouse is not a U.S. citizen.
- Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (“GRAT”) – a trust utilized for the purpose of transferring appreciating assets to beneficiaries at a reduced gift tax cost thereby reducing the size of the grantor’s taxable estate.
- Charitable Trust – a trust designed to fulfill charitable inclinations while also providing the grantor with income, gift or estate tax benefits.
- Pet Trust – a trust designed to provide for the care and well being of your pet after your death.
In addition, the Law Office of Ellen A. Barnett, P.L. also provides advice and services for trustees in fulfilling their fiduciary and administrative duties to the beneficiaries.
We understand and appreciate that every client's objective is to ensure that personal and financial matters are appropriately handled upon death or disability.
To learn more about establishing a trust or if you have questions regarding the administration of a trust, please contact the Law Office of Ellen A. Barnett, P.L. at (800) 517-5210 or (954) 960-6880, or complete our "Contact Us" page.