Mom and Dad, a lovely couple in their early 50s, meet with me to discuss their estate planning. Mom shares, “our two children—ages 23 and 25—are special and productive. One just graduated law school and the other finishes medical school next spring.” Dad jumps in, “when we die, split all of our asset equally among our kids.”
And so, I ask, “would you like them to receive their inheritance outright or in trust?” Mom answers nicely, but firmly, “like I said, our children are fantastic. We want to give them full access to their inheritance. No interest in tying it up in trusts.” To which I respond, “got it. But just to confirm—are you aware trusts can protect assets from taxes, divorce, and creditors?” Their interest piques. Dad says, “we hadn’t thought of that. Please tell us more.”
To read the full post, please visit our Future Wealth Navigator blog.