Do Trustees Have to Provide Accountings for Irrevocable Grantor Trusts in Florida? When dealing with Florida trusts, one of the most common questions we hear is: “Does a trustee have to provide accountings to a beneficiary of an irrevocable grantor trust when the settlor can still change the beneficiaries and…
Yes A Spendthrift Provisions Can Protect Against Civil Judgments What is a Spendthrift Provision? One of the best forms of asset protection we can provide is through a trust that contains a spendthrift provision. In a revocable trust, a spendthrift provision has some significant benefits such as protection against your…
Every trustee of a Florida Trust may have a fundamental duty to keep the trust’s beneficiaries informed of the administration of the trust. Florida Statute Section 763.0813 provides that a trustee must keep the qualified beneficiaries of the trust “reasonably informed of the trust and its administration.” The statutes do…
For a trust to be legally valid, it must have six elements. One of these required elements is that the settlor of the trust, or the person that creates the trust, must intend to create the trust. For a court to recognize this element, there must be a manifestation of…
Can a grantor be a trustee? The Irrevocable trust is one of the most valuable tools for estate planning and Florida asset protection that is available. These trusts are not only a great way to pass assets outside of probate, but also allow assets to be protected from creditors. For…
Incentive trusts are important to consider with estate planning. One of the best tools in estate planning for encouraging positive behavior is through an “incentive trust.” An Incentive trust is a trust like any other, which rewards the beneficiaries when they meet certain objectives or goals in their lives. Many…
A trust can be amended it a number of ways depending on whether the trust is revocable or irrevocable. Usually, an irrevocable trust cannot be modified unless there is a judicial modification or the trust terms allow for a modification. A recent court ruling in Florida now provides that a…
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…
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…
The duties of a trustee vary depending on the laws of the state in which the trust is situated and the extent of the trustee’s powers provided for in the trust agreement. In some cases where there are conflicts between the terms of the trust and the state laws, the…