Category Archives: Living Trusts

Best of Blog: Thanksgiving Post – How to Talk Finances with the Family

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Roger Billings

Following is a Thanksgiving post from November 2010 on communicating with family about finances during the holidays: Estate planning is a gift.  Ideally, executing a will or trust is unselfish.  The intent is to benefit the heirs, while the planner … Continue reading →






Posted in Best Of Blog, Estate Planning, Living Trusts | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Best of Blog: Thanksgiving Post – How to Talk Finances with the Family

What is a Pour-Over Will? – Estate Planning Basics

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Roger Billings

  It is time to get back to basics. A Living Trust takes the place of a Will. The Trust specifies how the estate is going to be disposed and who has the responsibility for carrying out its instructions. See … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Estate Planning Basics, Living Trusts, Probate, Trust Funding, Wills | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on What is a Pour-Over Will? – Estate Planning Basics

The Bottom Line for Estate Plans

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Roger Billings

Lynn Balou, a financial planner in the San Francisco Bay area, published an update of important points to consider in estate planning. Her final exhortation summarizes well the purpose and effect of a good estate plan: Bottom line: Each of … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Living Trusts, Wills | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Bottom Line for Estate Plans

Adding Your Child to Your Bank Account is Not Such a Great Idea

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Roger Billings

A common means of avoiding probate is to put your child’s name on all of your accounts. This can create some serious problems, not least of which is if a creditor goes after your child’s assets and is able to … Continue reading →






Posted in Beneficiary Designations, Estate Planning, Living Trusts, Probate | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Adding Your Child to Your Bank Account is Not Such a Great Idea

Not All Deeds Are Created Equal: An Estate Planning Vocabulary Tip

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Roger Billings

  “Great acts are made up of small deeds.” Lao Tzu In the legal world, the word “deed” is confusing. Used by itself, it usually refers to a document transferring title to real estate. There are different types of such … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Living Trusts, Real Estate, Trust Funding | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Not All Deeds Are Created Equal: An Estate Planning Vocabulary Tip

When to Update

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Roger Billings

  What is the point of doing an estate plan if I am just going to update it later? My answer to this frequent questions is that if you know for certain that you are for going to live another … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Living Trusts | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on When to Update

Steve Jobs Died Without Owing Estate Tax: A New Urban Legend?

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Roger Billings

  After the death of Steve Jobs last week, opinions started circulating that he was so smart that he even knew how to avoid paying estate taxes better than anyone else. Jobs was smart and he seems to have done … Continue reading →






Posted in Celebrity Probates, Charitable Giving, Estate Planning, Federal Estate Taxes, Living Trusts, Trust Funding | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Steve Jobs Died Without Owing Estate Tax: A New Urban Legend?