Marital Trust Planning – Making the Most of Your Money

Marital Trust planning is important for those couples that are worried about protecting surviving family members, especially children, and avoiding estate taxation.


Marital Trust planning will be the use of trusts to achieve the goals of asset preservation and family protection. The term, “Marital Trust” is utilized in this post to go over both marital trusts and non-marital trusts

Just what is a Marital Trust? There are essentially three varieties of marital trusts. QTIP (Qualified Terminal Interest Property) Trusts, Estate Trusts and General Power of Appointment Trusts. Each carries a specific targeted goal, though the good reason that someone would think about Marital Trust is always to look after their surviving spouse and kids.

A QTIP Trust, typically, is funded upon the death of one spouse and directs payments of great interest income on at the very least an annual basis on the surviving spouse. The remainder from the trust then passes upon the death in the surviving spouse on the children of the initial Grantor. The benefit of this trust is it allows someone with children from your previous marriage in order that those youngsters are deliver to, while providing to get a surviving spouse. An Estate Trust essentially does the ditto, but necessitates the remainder to become undergone the surviving spouse’s estate, giving the surviving spouse greater discretion from the allocation in the original asset. A General Power of Appointment Trust is appropriate should there be no children and gives the surviving spouse access to the full amount from the trust in their lifetime.

The most crucial portion of a Lgbt estate planning to keep in mind is it will not shield assets from estate taxation. They simply postpone the taxation event until the death in the surviving spouse, as there is a unlimited marital exemption upon the death in the first spouse. Assets within a marital trust pass be subject to any applicable estate tax guidelines. This is especially important for QTIP Trusts because they may contain assets earmarked for him or her in the Grantor, but are potentially diminished by estate taxation. To shield assets from estate taxation, you must have a Lgbt estate planning.

Just what is a Non-Marital Trust? Non-Marital Trusts in many cases are referred to as “Credit Shelter Trusts” or “Bypass Trusts.” These trusts permit the Grantor to offer income for their surviving spouse, while ultimately passing assets on the Grantor’s children

Bypass Trusts are irrevocable trusts that could be created throughout the time of the Grantor or in the Grantor’s Last Will and Testament. If they are created in a Grantor’s Will, they become irrevocable upon the death in the grantor. The trust is funded by having an amount equal to the annual exclusion applicable in the year in the Grantor’s death. In 2017, the annual exclusion amount is $5.49 million dollars. A surviving spouse will have entry to interest income from the trust along with the trust principal, but only for your surviving spouse’s health, education, maintenance or support. Upon the death in the surviving spouse, the trust remainder passes on the original Grantor’s children tax-free.

One important note with Bypass Trusts is that the IRS carries a three year reminisce period for tax-free transfers. That means that in the event the surviving spouse dies within several years in the original Grantor’s death, the assets will be be subject to estate taxation. Also, if the family residence is transferred right into a Bypass Trust, it will have the stepped-up value since the date in the Grantor’s death. However, in the event the value of the residence continues to increase, any gain attributed from the date in the Grantor’s death on the distribution to beneficiaries will be be subject to capital gains tax. A Bypass Trust cannot claim the $250,000.00 personal capital gains exemption.

Surviving spouses in many cases are named as trustees, that makes compliance with tax requirement critical in the the drafting of Bypass Trusts and in their execution as soon as the original Grantor’s death. That’s why it is crucial to see by having an experienced estate planning attorney when considering Marital and Non-Marital Trusts. Remember that the strong basic estate plan’s and a must for virtually any family.

For more information, email me at [email protected] or visit www.timeforfamilies.com.

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