An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) is a planning tool that can help Thermalito residents manage life insurance proceeds in a way that protects family wealth, reduces estate tax exposure, and provides clear direction for beneficiaries. At Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman we assist clients in evaluating whether an ILIT fits into a broader estate plan that may include revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney and health care directives. This overview explains the purpose of an ILIT, how it works, and how our firm helps clients implement tailored trust arrangements in accordance with California law and client goals.
Choosing to create an ILIT involves careful consideration of timing, ownership of the life insurance policy, and the trust provisions that will control distribution and administration. Our approach emphasizes practical planning steps, including funding the trust, naming trustees and beneficiaries, and coordinating the ILIT with other documents like certification of trust and pour-over wills. We explain trade-offs such as potential loss of policy owner controls after transfer and the insurance company requirements for ownership changes. Our goal is to provide clear, actionable information to help Thermalito families make sound choices for long-term financial stability and legacy protection.
An ILIT can deliver several important benefits, including keeping life insurance proceeds out of the taxable estate, providing creditor protection for beneficiaries, and enabling customized distribution terms that reflect the family’s financial needs and circumstances. For many clients in Butte County, an ILIT serves as a way to ensure liquidity at a key moment following a death while preserving wealth for long-term purposes such as education, care for a trusted person, or charitable gifts. We emphasize clear drafting and trustee guidance so proceeds are administered in keeping with your wishes, and we coordinate with retirement plan trusts, special needs trusts and other tools when appropriate.
Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman provides estate planning guidance to Thermalito and surrounding communities with a focus on practical, client-centered solutions. Our attorneys work closely with clients to design trust arrangements that reflect family dynamics, asset types, and long-term objectives. We prepare comprehensive estate plans that may include revocable living trusts, certification of trust, pour-over wills, and ancillary documents like HIPAA authorizations and guardianship nominations. By combining careful document drafting with clear communication about administration and tax considerations, we help clients move forward confidently with plans that protect their families and their assets.
An ILIT is a trust created to own life insurance policies and hold proceeds outside a grantor’s taxable estate for distribution according to trust terms. The trust becomes the policy owner, and gifts are typically made to the trust to cover premiums. Proper timing and drafting are required to avoid unintended estate inclusion; transfers must be completed well before death to meet applicable rules. We walk clients through the process of selecting trustees, establishing beneficiary designations, and aligning the ILIT with other estate plan elements so the arrangement functions as intended under both state and federal rules.
Key steps in establishing an ILIT include creating trust documents, transferring or issuing a life insurance policy in the trust’s name, funding the trust to pay premiums, and documenting gift transfers correctly for tax purposes. Trustees have ongoing administrative duties such as managing trust funds, coordinating premium payments, and distributing proceeds in accordance with the trust terms. When clients also have retirement plans, property interests, or special needs considerations, we coordinate the ILIT with other planning instruments to prevent conflicting designations and to provide a cohesive plan for estate liquidity and legacy goals.
An ILIT is a trust that cannot be revoked or altered by the grantor and that owns one or more life insurance policies. Once established, the trust holds policy ownership and beneficiary rights, and the trustee administers proceeds after the insured’s death. The irrevocable nature generally removes the policy value from the grantor’s estate for tax purposes, but it also means the grantor relinquishes control over the policy and trust assets. Carefully drafted trust provisions provide instructions for distributions, successor trustees, and administrative powers to ensure the trust will serve the intended purpose for beneficiaries over time.
An effective ILIT includes clear trustee appointment terms, funding instructions for premiums, beneficiary designations, and distribution provisions that reflect the grantor’s intentions. It also sets out administrative processes such as record keeping, tax reporting, and procedures for replacing a trustee if needed. When the trust owns a policy, the trustee must manage interactions with the insurance company and ensure premiums are paid on schedule. We draft provisions to address practical scenarios such as beneficiary incapacity, creditor claims, and coordination with other trust instruments so that the trust operates smoothly and predictably.
Understanding the terminology used in trust planning reduces confusion and helps you make informed decisions. Important terms include grantor, trustee, settlor, beneficiary, irrevocability, policy assignment, premium funding, and estate inclusion rules. Knowing how each term affects the structure and outcome of your plan allows for better coordination with revocable living trusts, will provisions, and powers of attorney. We provide plain-language explanations and examples so clients in Thermalito can grasp the practical implications and choose options that align with their goals and family circumstances.
The grantor is the person who creates the trust and transfers assets, such as ownership of a life insurance policy, to the trust. In the case of an ILIT, the grantor gives up ownership rights to the policy and sets the terms under which the trustee will manage and distribute proceeds. The grantor’s intent, as expressed in the trust documents, shapes trustee responsibilities and beneficiary entitlements. Proper documentation and timing of transfers are essential to achieve the desired tax and estate planning results while ensuring that the grantor’s wishes are clearly reflected in the trust terms.
The trustee is the individual or entity appointed to hold legal title to the trust assets, manage the life insurance policy, handle premium funding, and distribute proceeds according to the trust instruction. Trustees have fiduciary duties to administer the trust responsibly and in beneficiaries’ best interests. Trustee powers are defined in the trust instrument and should include authority to interact with insurance carriers, invest trust funds when appropriate, and maintain necessary records. Choosing an appropriate trustee and outlining contingency plans supports smooth administration during stressful times for the family.
A trust is labeled irrevocable when the grantor cannot unilaterally revoke or reclaim the trust assets. For ILITs, irrevocability is a key factor in keeping policy proceeds outside the taxable estate. Transfers must meet timing requirements to avoid estate inclusion under applicable IRC provisions. This concept affects how and when policies are assigned or issued to the trust and whether the grantor retains certain rights that could pull the asset back into the estate. Proper planning ensures that the policy ownership and trust terms align with estate tax objectives and the grantor’s intentions.
Beneficiary designations within an ILIT identify who will receive policy proceeds and under what circumstances. Distribution provisions can provide for lump sums, staged payments, or trust-held funds to be used for education, health care, maintenance, or other specified purposes. Careful drafting prevents unintended consequences such as causing the proceeds to be reachable by creditors or disinheriting intended recipients. Clear language about successors, contingencies, and conditions for distributions helps ensure that proceeds are used as intended and that obligations such as premiums are managed effectively by the trustee.
When evaluating an ILIT, it is important to compare it with alternatives such as retaining policies in one’s estate, naming individual beneficiaries directly, or using revocable living trusts with different ownership structures. Each option offers trade-offs relating to control, tax treatment, creditor protection, and administrative complexity. For example, keeping a policy in the estate may simplify ownership but can increase potential estate tax exposure. We help clients weigh these trade-offs, considering family needs, asset composition, and timing, so they can select the approach that best balances protection, flexibility, and administrative requirements.
In situations where life insurance proceeds are modest relative to the overall estate or where estate tax exposure is unlikely, a limited approach such as naming beneficiaries directly or using simpler trust arrangements can be appropriate. This path reduces administration and ongoing trust maintenance while still providing liquidity for immediate expenses. Clients with straightforward family structures and minimal creditor concerns often find direct beneficiary designations more efficient. We assess the overall estate picture and advise when a simplified plan achieves client goals with less cost and complexity while maintaining needed protections.
Some individuals prefer to retain ownership and decision-making authority over their life insurance policies, especially when they anticipate changes or want the ability to change beneficiaries easily. Retaining ownership avoids irrevocable transfer and preserves operational flexibility for policy loans, premium adjustments, or other changes. While this may forfeit some estate planning advantages such as removing proceeds from the taxable estate, the trade-off can provide peace of mind and control. We counsel clients on the practical consequences of this choice and document their intentions to reduce future disputes or confusion.
For individuals with larger estates, complex asset portfolios, or significant creditor exposure, a comprehensive ILIT can protect life insurance proceeds from estate inclusion and provide structured distributions that withstand claims against beneficiaries. Comprehensive planning coordinates the ILIT with other instruments such as retirement plan trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts tailored to family needs, and special needs trusts when necessary. A well-drafted trust, aligned with other documents and funding strategies, helps preserve value for intended recipients and reduces the risk of unintended tax or creditor consequences for family members.
Families with blended households, children from different relationships, family members with disabilities, or beneficiaries who require managed distributions often benefit from a comprehensive trust-based approach. An ILIT can be tailored to provide income, specific distributions, or trustee-managed funds to meet ongoing needs while protecting assets from mismanagement or external claims. Integrating the ILIT with guardianship nominations, special needs trusts, and pour-over wills ensures that the estate plan functions cohesively and that the grantor’s long-term intentions for family care and legacy are respected.
A comprehensive approach to ILIT planning can offer tax efficiency, creditor protection, and customized distributions to beneficiaries. It also promotes clarity about administration responsibilities and contingencies such as successor trustees or changing family circumstances. By incorporating related documents like certification of trust, pour-over wills, and powers of attorney, the plan reduces the likelihood of conflicts and provides clear instructions for handling policy proceeds, retirement benefits, and personal property. This integrated strategy helps ensure that your wishes are carried out reliably and with minimal disruption to your family at a difficult time.
Comprehensive planning also makes it easier to address special situations such as providing for a beneficiary with limited capacity, creating a pet trust, or preserving assets for a charitable intention. The trust instrument can impose spending standards, provide for education or health care expenses, and control timing of distributions to accommodate different generations. Ongoing trustee support and clear language in trust documents help reduce disputes and provide a framework for prudent administration so the intended purposes of the policy proceeds remain protected and effective over the long term.
One primary benefit of an ILIT is the potential to remove life insurance proceeds from the grantor’s taxable estate when transfers are properly structured and timed. This preservation of wealth can be particularly meaningful for families with significant assets who wish to transfer value to heirs with minimal tax erosion. The trust can also define how proceeds are used and safeguard them against beneficiaries’ creditors in many circumstances. Thoughtful coordination with other estate planning tools ensures the full benefit of estate tax planning while addressing practical distribution goals.
An ILIT allows the grantor to create distribution rules that reflect the family’s needs and values, such as staged distributions over time, payments for education, or funds held for a beneficiary’s long-term care. This control can protect proceeds from imprudent spending or external claims and can support multi-generational objectives. The trustee’s responsibilities can be tailored to provide oversight and guidance, preventing abrupt depletion of assets and preserving resources for intended purposes. Carefully drafted distribution provisions make it clear how proceeds are to be used and provide mechanisms to resolve disputes or unforeseen circumstances.
Timing matters when creating an ILIT. Transfers or new policy issuances should be completed well before the date of death to avoid estate inclusion rules; planning early reduces the risk of unintended tax consequences. Proper documentation of gifts used to pay premiums and consistent record keeping support the administration of the trust and provide the clarity needed for trustees and beneficiaries. We advise clients to coordinate beneficiary designations, confirm insurance company procedures, and maintain clear records so the trust functions as intended for the family’s long-term benefit.
An ILIT should not exist in isolation. Coordinate the trust with revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and any special needs or retirement plan trusts. This coordination prevents conflicting designations and aligns the overall plan with tax, creditor protection, and beneficiary needs. Review beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies, and update related documents together to ensure consistency. Regular reviews, particularly after major life events, help keep the plan current and reflective of changing family circumstances and financial goals.
Consider an ILIT if you are seeking ways to manage life insurance proceeds outside your taxable estate, provide structured support for beneficiaries, or protect funds from creditor claims. Individuals with substantial life insurance policies, complex family situations, or specific distribution goals often benefit from the predictability and protection an ILIT can provide. The trust can be tailored to support education, long-term care, or other ongoing needs, and it can be integrated with other estate planning tools to ensure your intentions are carried out effectively for the people you care about most.
An ILIT is also worth considering when beneficiaries may face financial challenges, when you wish to limit direct lump-sum distributions, or when you want to preserve assets for future generations. It provides a mechanism to appoint a fiduciary to manage proceeds responsibly and to define clear instructions for distribution in a way that aligns with your values. Before moving forward, it is important to understand the trade-offs—particularly the relinquishment of direct control—and to plan timing and funding carefully to achieve desired tax and estate outcomes.
Common circumstances that make an ILIT attractive include significant insurance holdings, blended family dynamics, potential estate tax exposure, beneficiaries with special needs, or the desire to create a lasting legacy. Families planning for generational wealth transfer, charitable giving, or managed distributions often use an ILIT as part of a broader plan. We review each client’s financial picture and family goals to determine whether an ILIT will meet objectives and how to structure it with other documents such as pour-over wills, HIPAA authorizations, and guardianship nominations to create a cohesive estate plan.
When life insurance proceeds significantly increase the size of an estate, the potential for estate tax consequences grows. An ILIT can be an effective tool to remove those proceeds from the taxable estate when transfers and funding are handled correctly. This planning can preserve more value for beneficiaries by reducing tax exposure and providing a framework for distributing proceeds according to your wishes. We evaluate the estate composition, projected tax implications, and timing requirements to recommend the best approach for protecting family wealth and ensuring orderly administration.
If you are concerned that an immediate lump sum could be misapplied or if beneficiaries require ongoing support, an ILIT can provide staged distributions or trustee-managed payments for specific purposes such as education or health care. The trust terms can include standards for distributions and procedures for administering funds in a way that balances beneficiary needs with long-term preservation. This structure can prevent premature depletion of assets and provide oversight to ensure proceeds continue to serve intended family purposes over time.
For families with a beneficiary who has disabilities or special needs, an ILIT can be integrated with a special needs trust or other arrangements to provide supplemental support without jeopardizing eligibility for public benefits. The trust can fund care, therapies, education, and other needs while preserving access to benefit programs that are means-tested. Proper drafting and coordination with public benefits rules are essential to protect the beneficiary’s interests. We help families design plans that provide meaningful support and respect eligibility constraints to maximize available resources.
Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman offers estate planning services to Thermalito residents with a focus on practical, personalized guidance. Whether you are considering an ILIT, need revisions to an existing revocable living trust, or require associated documents such as pour-over wills and powers of attorney, we provide attentive support through each step. Our team explains options in plain language, prepares documents tailored to your situation, and coordinates with financial advisors and trustees to help ensure a smooth transition when the time comes. We are available to discuss your goals and how an ILIT might fit into your overall plan.
Clients choose our firm for clear, practical counsel on estate and trust matters, including life insurance trust planning. We focus on understanding family dynamics, asset composition, and long-term goals so documents reflect real-life needs. Our approach emphasizes thorough drafting, coordination across plan components, and careful attention to administrative details like funding and trustee powers. We work with clients to anticipate potential challenges and to provide a durable plan that reduces ambiguity for trustees and beneficiaries when decisions must be made under pressure.
We assist with every aspect of implementation, from drafting the ILIT document to coordinating transfers or new policy issuances and documenting gifts used to pay premiums. Our firm prepares related estate planning documents including certification of trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and HIPAA authorizations so that the entire plan functions together. We also provide guidance on trustee selection, record keeping, and periodic reviews to keep the plan current as circumstances change. This attention to detail helps families preserve assets and ensure their wishes are carried out.
Communication and responsiveness are central to our client service. We explain complex rules in straightforward terms, answer questions about timing and tax implications, and are available to meet with trustees and family members as needed to explain administration procedures. For Thermalito residents, our practical counsel aims to minimize confusion and streamline the steps necessary to establish and maintain an ILIT. We also coordinate with financial advisors and insurance carriers to ensure transfers and premium arrangements are completed properly and documented for future reference.
Our process begins with a consultation to understand your objectives, family situation, and existing estate documents. We then recommend whether an ILIT is appropriate, draft trust documents, and assist with transferring or issuing life insurance policies to the trust. After funding steps and beneficiary designations are completed, we provide guidance for trustees on premium payment procedures and record keeping. Periodic reviews ensure the ILIT remains aligned with changes in law and family circumstances. Our goal is a seamless implementation that protects your intentions and supports your family when matters arise.
The first step involves a detailed meeting to gather information about your assets, insurance policies, beneficiaries, and long-term objectives. We discuss the pros and cons of an ILIT compared to other options, explain timing and tax implications, and consider coordination with revocable trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. This stage sets the foundation for drafting trust terms that reflect your wishes and anticipates administration needs. Clear communication during planning helps avoid surprises and ensures the trust will operate as intended when it becomes active.
We review any existing revocable living trusts, wills, beneficiary designations, and powers of attorney to identify conflicts or opportunities for coordination. This review ensures that the ILIT complements your overall estate plan and that designations on insurance and retirement accounts align with trust objectives. If updates are needed to pour-over wills, certification of trust, or other documents, we recommend amendments to maintain consistency. Careful coordination reduces the risk of unintended consequences and clarifies the roles of trustees and agents under related documents.
We assist in selecting trustees and drafting trust provisions such as distribution standards, successor trustees, and powers to manage trust funds. Trust terms are tailored to support desired outcomes like staged distributions, support for a dependent, or charitable gifts. We also include procedures for record keeping and premium funding to facilitate practical administration. Clear and precise language reduces ambiguity and helps trustees carry out duties without unnecessary disputes or delay.
After the trust is drafted and signed, we coordinate the transfer or issuance of the life insurance policy into the ILIT, confirm beneficiary designations, and document any gifts used to pay premiums. This step may include communicating with insurance carriers, financial institutions, and advisors to ensure ownership and payment arrangements are properly recorded. We also advise on any necessary gift tax filings or documentation and provide trustees with the records and instructions they need to manage the policy and trust funds effectively going forward.
Proper coordination with the insurance company is essential when transferring policy ownership or issuing a new policy to the ILIT. We handle communications to confirm ownership changes, update beneficiary designations, and verify premium payment procedures. We also work with banks or trustees to ensure funds for premiums are transferred timely and documented appropriately. Maintaining clear lines of communication reduces administrative friction and helps trustees fulfill their duties without interruption in coverage or confusion over payment responsibility.
Documenting gifts used to fund premiums, retaining receipts and trust account records, and keeping copies of insurance correspondence are important steps for long-term administration. We provide guidance on record retention and prepare documentation useful for tax compliance and future trustee reference. Good record keeping supports clarity about funding sources, helps prove the trust’s history if questions arise, and facilitates efficient distribution of proceeds when the time comes. Trustees receive a checklist and instructions to maintain thorough trust records.
Once the ILIT is operational, trustees must manage premium payments, respond to beneficiary inquiries, and administer distributions according to the trust terms. Periodic reviews are advisable to confirm policy performance, assess whether trust provisions remain aligned with circumstances, and update related documents as law or family circumstances change. We offer ongoing support for trustees, assist with administration questions, and recommend revisions when appropriate to preserve the trust’s intended benefits and ensure consistent application of the grantor’s instructions.
We provide trustee guidance to help manage records, handle premium payments, and carry out distributions consistent with trust language. Trustees often face situations requiring interpretation of distribution standards or coordination with advisors; having clear guidance reduces the risk of disputes and ensures the trust operates predictably. We can meet with trustees to explain responsibilities, review documentation, and assist with communications to beneficiaries so administration proceeds smoothly and according to the grantor’s intent.
Life changes and legal developments can affect the suitability of an ILIT and related documents. We recommend periodic reviews to assess whether the trust’s provisions remain aligned with goals, whether policy terms continue to serve needs, and if beneficiary designations or other instruments require updates. These reviews help maintain an effective plan and provide opportunities to address gaps or improvements in trust administration. Regular attention to the plan ensures that it continues to protect family interests over time.
An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust is a trust that owns one or more life insurance policies and cannot be revoked by the person who establishes it. The trust becomes the owner and beneficiary of the policy, and the trustee administers proceeds according to the trust terms after the insured’s death. Because the trust is irrevocable and the insured no longer owns the policy, properly structured transfers can keep the proceeds outside the taxable estate. This helps provide a controlled, protected source of funds for beneficiaries while aligning distributions with the grantor’s intentions. Setting up an ILIT typically involves drafting trust documents, transferring or issuing the policy in the trust’s name, and arranging funding to pay premiums. It is important to plan transfers in advance and document gifts used to pay premiums so the intended estate tax treatment is achieved. Trustees have ongoing duties like maintaining records, paying premiums, and coordinating distributions, and those duties should be clearly described in the trust instrument to facilitate smooth administration.
Transferring a policy to an ILIT can remove life insurance proceeds from the grantor’s taxable estate when transfers and timing meet applicable rules. Generally, the transfer must be completed well before death to avoid inclusion under estate tax provisions. If a policy is newly issued directly to the ILIT, estate inclusion concerns are typically minimized. Proper documentation of gifts used for premium payments and clear ownership records are essential to achieving the desired tax treatment. Timing, however, is critical. Transfers made close to the date of death or transfers that leave certain retained rights with the grantor may result in estate inclusion. It is important to coordinate the transfer with legal counsel and financial advisors to ensure the trust and related actions align with tax objectives and are properly documented to support the intended outcome.
Choosing a trustee involves balancing personal knowledge of family dynamics with administrative capability. Some clients name a trusted family member or friend who understands the family’s needs, while others appoint a corporate fiduciary or professional trustee to handle administrative duties and long-term management. The trustee should be someone who is reliable, organized, and able to follow the trust’s terms regarding distributions and communications with beneficiaries. It is also important to name successor trustees and to provide clear guidance about decision-making authority and procedures for handling disputes. Including provisions that allow for co-trustees or an adviser can combine personal familiarity with professional administrative support, helping ensure effective long-term management of the trust and its assets.
Premiums for a policy owned by an ILIT are typically funded by gifts from the grantor to the trust, which the trustee then uses to pay the insurance premiums. Crystallizing these gifts and documenting them properly helps maintain clear records for tax and administration purposes. Some clients set up a trust bank account or a separate premium funding arrangement to ensure timely payment and to avoid lapses in coverage. Clear procedures for transferring funds, documenting gifts, and maintaining receipts are important elements of the trust’s administrative framework. Trustees should keep detailed records of premium payments and communications with the insurance company, and the trust document should include direction on handling shortfalls, loans, or changes in premium structure to prevent unintended coverage gaps or administrative complications.
An ILIT can be structured to provide support for a beneficiary with special needs without jeopardizing eligibility for government benefits, provided it is coordinated with a properly drafted special needs trust or other planning vehicle. The ILIT can either fund a special needs trust or contain provisions that direct distributions in a manner consistent with benefit rules. Care must be taken to draft terms that supplement rather than supplant public benefits and to avoid language that could be interpreted as altering eligibility. Coordination with counsel experienced in public benefits rules is recommended to ensure compatibility with means-tested programs. Clear trust language, appropriate distribution standards, and proper administration can create a reliable source of supplemental support that enhances a beneficiary’s quality of life while maintaining access to important programs.
A primary downside of an ILIT is the loss of direct control over the policy, since the trust is irrevocable and the grantor cannot unilaterally change ownership or trust terms after execution. This can limit flexibility if circumstances change or if the grantor wants to adjust policy terms. In addition, there are administrative responsibilities for trustees and potential costs associated with trust maintenance, insurance carrier coordination, and trustee compensation if a professional trustee is used. There can also be tax filing or gift documentation obligations associated with funding the trust, and transfers near the date of death may not achieve the intended estate tax benefits. We help clients weigh these trade-offs and design plans that balance protection with an appropriate level of control and flexibility for their family situation.
Coordinating an ILIT with retirement plan assets requires careful consideration because retirement accounts often have beneficiary designations that operate outside the probate process and may interact with trust distributions. In many cases, aligning beneficiary designations and trust terms prevents conflicting instructions and ensures that retirement benefits and life insurance proceeds are distributed in a complementary way. Coordination can include using retirement plan trusts or adjusting beneficiary designations to match trust objectives. A comprehensive review of retirement accounts, beneficiary designations, and trust documents helps avoid surprises and ensures that tax and distribution consequences are understood. Collaboration with financial advisors and plan administrators may be necessary to ensure that designations and trust provisions work together effectively for the intended estate and legacy goals.
Recommended documentation when funding an ILIT includes copies of the trust instrument, evidence of policy ownership in the trust’s name, written records of gifts used to pay premiums, and receipts for premium payments. Keeping communications from the insurance carrier, premium invoices, and bank statements related to trust accounts provides a clear administrative record. Proper documentation supports tax reporting and demonstrates that the trust has been funded and administered according to plan. Trustees should maintain an organized file with trust documents, correspondence, and financial records, and provide beneficiaries with appropriate notices as required by the trust terms. Clear record keeping reduces the potential for disputes, simplifies administration, and ensures transparency during distribution and reporting phases.
It is advisable to review your ILIT and related estate plan periodically and after major life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant changes in assets, or changes in tax law. Regular reviews help confirm that trustee designations, beneficiary choices, and trust provisions still reflect current intentions and family circumstances. Most clients benefit from a review every few years or sooner when significant changes occur to their financial picture or family relationships. During a review, we assess whether policy terms remain adequate, whether funding arrangements are working smoothly, and whether coordination with other estate planning documents is intact. These reviews allow for proactive adjustments to maintain the plan’s effectiveness and to adapt to evolving needs while preserving the integrity of the trust structure.
Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman assists clients with the full range of ILIT services, including initial consultations, drafting trust documents, coordinating transfers or policy issuances, and providing trustee guidance for ongoing administration. We work with clients to integrate the ILIT into a comprehensive estate plan that may also include revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and special needs trusts. Our goal is to provide clear, practical counsel and thorough documentation to support long-term administration. We also coordinate with insurance carriers, financial advisors, and trustees to ensure transfers and premium arrangements are properly executed and recorded. For Thermalito residents, we offer personalized attention to explain options, outline trade-offs, and implement a plan tailored to family goals and financial realities so that beneficiaries receive the benefits intended by the grantor.
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