Trust Administration

Trust Administration

The law office you choose is one of the most important decisions you will make as Trustee.

Estate settlement involving a revocable living trust is generally easier than going through the probate process — in part, because it’s faster. Also, the successor trustee can access accounts immediately, which is more convenient than waiting for authorization from the probate court. However, even with a trust, settlement includes many details and completion of all items including taking advantage of all tax benefits and maintaining detailed information to present to beneficiaries. Professional help can expedite the trust termination process, insure that all tax benefits are utilized, minimize potential liability for the acting trustee(s), and help in maintaining records to share with beneficiaries.

We will assist clients with:

  • • Trustee notifications
    • Notices to creditors
    • Asset identification, inventory, and valuation
    • Asset and liability allocation
    • Transfer document preparation
    • Management and preservation of all Trust assets
    • Distribution and termination advisement

The trustee or successor trustee of a trust estate has taken on quite a job. This job will certainly be easier than the circumstance where decedent died with no estate planning documents in place. The successor trustee must organize the decedent’s affairs and administer the Trust estate in an efficient manner, while complying with all state and federal laws. Trustees are accountable to the decedent’s creditors, including the IRS, as well as the beneficiaries. Often there is pressure from beneficiaries to quickly make distributions. When a trustee is inexperienced in these matters, he or she must look to competent guidance. Although, a trustee may decide to handle matters without the assistance of an attorney, he or she should meet with an attorney with experience in estate planning, probate and trust administration initially to ascertain what will be required. The law office you choose is one of the most important decisions you will make as Trustee.

Thank you so much for your patient professionalism...

in helping walk us through the process of developing our trust. You are a very pleasant person to work with and I'm delighted to recommend you after our experience with your firm. We are anxious to recommend you and look forward to doing business with you again as we amend our agreement and consider future business ventures.

S.B. and E.B

Thank you for helping us...

figure out life logistics in the least painful way possible. We dreaded dealing with our estate plan, which you made an enjoyable experience. We especially appreciated the touch of humanity you brought into meetings, phone calls and emails.

G and B

You made a seemingly daunting task pleasurable

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you.  Thank you for doing a great job preparing my will and Trust.  You made a seemingly daunting task pleasurable.  I had been meaning to get this goal accomplished for a long time and I am glad that I selected you to finally complete it.  I appreciate your knowledge, wisdom and expertise.

RG, Royal Oak, Michigan

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