When You Need The Best

Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust Attorney Serving Desert Shores, California

Comprehensive Guide to Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) in Desert Shores

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can be a powerful component of a thoughtful estate plan for residents of Desert Shores and the surrounding Imperial County communities. At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman, we help families understand how an ILIT can remove life insurance proceeds from a taxable estate, provide liquidity to pay final expenses, and protect assets for beneficiaries. This guide explains the fundamentals of ILITs, how they interact with other estate planning documents like revocable living trusts and wills, and the practical steps involved in establishing and funding an ILIT to meet a client’s goals while staying compliant with California laws.

Designing an ILIT involves careful coordination among trust documents, insurance policies, and powers of appointment to ensure the settlor’s intentions are met. An ILIT must typically be irrevocable once funded, which means the grantor gives up direct control over the policy and proceeds. Proper planning addresses potential gift tax implications, the timing of premiums and gifts to the trust, and the role of trustees and beneficiaries. Whether you are considering a new trust or modifying existing arrangements such as a pour-over will or trust modification petition, clear planning can help secure peace of mind for you and your family.

Why an ILIT Matters for Your Estate Plan

An ILIT serves multiple estate planning goals: it can remove life insurance proceeds from the taxable estate, provide a separate vehicle for distributing proceeds outside probate, and preserve funds for dependents, including those with special needs or trust arrangements. An ILIT allows the grantor to set distribution terms, designate successor trustees, and appoint protections for minors or vulnerable beneficiaries. For people with substantial life insurance policies or complex family situations, creating an ILIT can reduce potential estate tax exposure and ensure that insurance proceeds are managed and distributed according to long-term planning objectives rather than being subject to probate or contested claims.

About Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman and Our Approach to ILITs

The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman provides estate planning services across California with a focus on clear communication and practical strategies. Our team works with clients to design ILITs that align with broader estate plans, including revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and related documents such as powers of attorney and HIPAA authorizations. We take a collaborative approach, educating clients about trust mechanics, trustee duties, and funding methods while helping them choose provisions that fit family circumstances. We represent clients in Desert Shores and beyond, helping to prepare legal documents and coordinate with financial advisors and insurance carriers as needed.

Understanding How an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust Works

An ILIT is a separate legal entity created to own life insurance policies and receive death benefits for the benefit of named beneficiaries. Once the grantor transfers an existing policy or the trust purchases a policy, the trust becomes the policy owner and beneficiary, which typically removes the proceeds from the grantor’s probate estate. Trustees manage policy premium payments and trust distributions according to the trust terms. Because an ILIT is irrevocable after funding, initial decisions about beneficiary designations, trustee selection, and distribution schedules are important and often coordinated with other estate planning documents to achieve tax efficiency and orderly transfer of wealth across generations.

Establishing and maintaining an ILIT requires attention to funding mechanics, gift tax rules, and timing. The grantor usually makes annual gifts to the trust to cover premium payments, and careful documentation of those gifts is necessary. If premium gifts are structured properly and the trust holds the policy for the required time period, the policy proceeds may avoid estate inclusion for federal estate tax purposes. Trustees must also maintain records, manage beneficiary distributions, and follow trust language. Coordination with life insurance carriers ensures premium payments are timely and ownership transitions are completed without unintended tax consequences or lapses in coverage.

Defining an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust is a legal trust that is typically created to own one or more life insurance policies on the life of the grantor. Once the trust is established and the grantor transfers or causes the trust to purchase the policy, the trust holds the policy and the proceeds are payable to the trust upon the insured’s death. The intent is to keep those proceeds out of the grantor’s probate estate and, in many cases, out of the taxable estate. The trust document specifies how proceeds will be used, who can receive distributions, and who serves as trustee, with provisions tailored to the grantor’s family and financial goals.

Key Elements and the Process for Creating an ILIT

Key elements of an ILIT include the trust document, designation of trustee and successor trustees, funding instructions or purchase arrangements for insurance policies, beneficiary designations, and distribution powers. The process begins with drafting the trust document to reflect the grantor’s objectives, followed by the transfer of existing policies or acquisition of new policies in the trust’s name. The grantor typically makes regular trust gifts to cover premiums and the trustee documents receipt of those gifts. Trustee responsibilities include paying premiums, maintaining records, and making distributions according to the trust’s terms, while considering tax and legal requirements.

Key Terms and Glossary for ILITs

Understanding ILITs requires familiarity with several legal and financial terms. This glossary covers common phrases such as settlor or grantor, trustee, beneficiary, funding, gift tax, estate tax inclusion, pour-over will, HIPAA authorization, and various trust types like special needs trusts or irrevocable life insurance trusts. Clear definitions help clients make informed decisions about document language, trustee powers, and coordination with other estate planning instruments. Knowing these terms helps you evaluate options and communicate effectively with legal counsel when designing an ILIT tailored to your family’s needs and financial circumstances.

Grantor or Settlor

The grantor or settlor is the person who creates the trust and transfers assets or arranges for the trust to own property, such as a life insurance policy. In the context of an ILIT, the grantor is typically the insured person who funds the trust through gifts to cover insurance premiums or transfers ownership of an existing policy into the trust. The grantor’s decisions at formation determine the trust’s terms, beneficiary designations, and trustee selection. Because an ILIT is generally irrevocable once funded, the grantor gives up direct control over the trust assets and relies on the trustee to manage the policy and make distributions according to the trust language.

Trustee Duties and Responsibilities

A trustee is the individual or institution that manages the trust assets, pays premiums, handles recordkeeping, and distributes proceeds in accordance with the trust document. Trustees must act in the beneficiaries’ best interests and follow the terms of the trust while complying with relevant law. Trustee duties include maintaining accurate records of gift receipts and premium payments, filing necessary tax forms, communicating with beneficiaries, and ensuring the insurance carrier recognizes the trust as the owner and beneficiary of the policy. Selecting a trustworthy trustee is essential to ensure the ILIT operates smoothly over time.

Funding and Premium Gifts

Funding an ILIT typically involves the grantor making periodic gifts to the trust specifically to pay life insurance premiums. These gift transfers should be documented and may leverage annual gift tax exclusions when properly structured. The trustee must document receipt of gifts and use those funds to maintain the underlying life insurance policy. Timing matters because if the grantor retains certain powers or the trust is not funded properly, the insurance proceeds may be subject to estate inclusion. Proper funding helps ensure the policy proceeds pass through the trust as intended.

Estate and Gift Tax Considerations

Estate and gift tax rules can affect how an ILIT operates, particularly the potential to exclude life insurance proceeds from the grantor’s taxable estate. If the ILIT is arranged and funded correctly, and the grantor does not retain prohibited powers, the policy proceeds generally are not included in the estate for federal estate tax purposes. However, the timing of transfers and ownership changes matters, and gift tax rules may apply to premium gifts made into the trust. Advising clients on these rules and coordinating with financial professionals helps reduce unexpected tax consequences and supports the grantor’s overall estate planning goals.

Comparing Legal Options: ILITs Versus Other Strategies

When evaluating an ILIT against other estate planning choices, consider factors such as the size of your life insurance policies, tax exposure, probate avoidance, and desired control over distributions. Alternatives may include simply naming beneficiaries on the policy, holding policies inside a revocable living trust, or using payable on death designations for certain assets. An ILIT is distinct because it becomes the legal owner of the policy and can provide creditor protection and estate tax planning benefits. Choosing the right path depends on personal goals, family dynamics, and the interaction with other documents like pour-over wills or retirement plan trusts.

When a Limited Approach May Be Appropriate:

Modest Policy Value and Simpler Needs

If the life insurance policy has modest value and estate tax exposure is unlikely, a limited approach such as retaining the policy outside a trust with clear beneficiary designations may be adequate. For families seeking straightforward liquidity for final expenses or small inheritance amounts, avoiding the complexity of an ILIT can reduce administrative tasks. In such situations, ensuring beneficiary designations are up to date and coordinating with a revocable living trust or a pour-over will may deliver the desired results without the need for an irrevocable structure, especially for those who prioritize flexibility and simpler administration.

Desire to Retain Control Over Policy Ownership

Some individuals prefer to retain ownership and control of their life insurance policy while they are alive to preserve flexibility, change beneficiaries, or adjust coverage levels. When retaining such control is important, keeping the policy in the grantor’s name or inside a revocable trust may be preferable to transferring it irrevocably into an ILIT. This approach allows the owner to make changes as circumstances evolve, though it may not provide the same estate tax or creditor protection benefits as an ILIT. Deciding between control and tax or creditor planning requires careful consideration of personal objectives.

Why a Comprehensive Legal Approach Benefits ILIT Planning:

Complex Family or Financial Situations

A comprehensive legal approach is advisable when family structures, beneficiary needs, or financial holdings are complex. Families with multiple marriages, blended heirs, minors, or beneficiaries who receive public benefits may require carefully tailored trust provisions to protect legacy goals and avoid unintended consequences. Coordinating an ILIT with other trusts such as special needs trusts, retirement plan trusts, or irrevocable life insurance trusts helps create consistent plans for asset distribution, tax planning, and long-term care funding. Thorough planning addresses potential conflicts and codifies decision-making processes for trustees and beneficiaries.

Significant Insurance or Estate Tax Exposure

When life insurance holdings are substantial or estate tax exposure is a concern, a comprehensive approach helps ensure that an ILIT is structured to achieve the intended tax and asset protection goals. This involves analyzing potential estate inclusion issues, timing of transfers, and interactions with other instruments such as revocable living trusts and pour-over wills. Coordinating with tax and financial advisors, documenting gift transfers properly, and drafting precise trust provisions reduce the risk of unintended estate tax consequences and help preserve wealth for intended beneficiaries.

Primary Benefits of Taking a Comprehensive Approach to ILITs

A comprehensive approach aligns an ILIT with a client’s complete estate planning picture, creating cohesion among documents like wills, living trusts, and powers of attorney. This coordination reduces ambiguities, avoids conflicting beneficiary designations, and helps ensure that insurance proceeds are distributed according to long-term objectives. Comprehensive planning also anticipates trustee succession, disability planning, and the integration of other trust vehicles such as special needs or irrevocable life insurance trusts when appropriate. The result is a clearer transfer of assets with administrative steps predefined for trustees and beneficiaries.

Additionally, a comprehensive plan helps manage tax and liquidity concerns by ensuring that an ILIT is funded and maintained correctly to avoid estate inclusion where possible and to provide resources for taxes and expenses at death. It supports smoother administration during difficult times and provides a roadmap for trustees to follow. By considering all aspects of a client’s financial and family circumstances, a coordinated plan minimizes surprises, reduces the potential for disputes, and helps preserve value for intended heirs.

Coordinated Document Design for Consistency

Coordinated document design ensures that beneficiary designations, trust terms, and wills work together rather than contradicting one another. This reduces the likelihood of litigation and clarifies trustee authority to administer life insurance proceeds. Clear coordination also makes it easier for trustees and family members to understand the grantor’s intentions, improving compliance with distribution instructions and minimizing confusion. Taking this step during drafting and review creates a cohesive estate plan that functions predictably when it is needed most, reducing administrative obstacles and potential conflicts among heirs.

Proactive Tax and Administrative Planning

Proactive planning anticipates tax and administrative needs so that the ILIT can provide liquidity for taxes, final expenses, and ongoing beneficiary support without triggering unintended tax consequences. This planning includes documenting gifts for premium payments, ensuring the trust meets legal requirements to avoid estate inclusion, and laying out trustee duties for recordkeeping and communication. By addressing these matters in advance, families can reduce the administrative burden after a death and better preserve the intended financial benefits for beneficiaries, allowing trustees to follow a clear, legally sound plan.

General Assignment of Assets to Trust in Alamo
rpb 95px 1 copy

Practice Areas

Top Searched Keywords

Practical Tips for Establishing and Managing an ILIT

Document Premium Gifts Carefully

When funding an ILIT with premium gifts, careful documentation is essential. Trustees should record each gift, note the date and amount, and maintain proof that the trust received funds used to pay insurance premiums. Proper documentation helps substantiate use of annual gift tax exclusions and supports the intended estate tax treatment. Keep copies of checks, bank records, and trustee acknowledgments. Regular recordkeeping also simplifies administration for future trustees and eases any necessary tax reporting, providing clarity to beneficiaries and reducing the risk of disputes about the source and use of trust funds.

Coordinate with Insurance Carriers Early

Notify and coordinate with the life insurance carrier early in the transfer or purchase process to ensure the policy is properly issued in the trust’s name and beneficiary designations reflect the trust. Early coordination prevents lapses in coverage, ensures premium payments are credited correctly, and avoids administrative errors that could jeopardize intended outcomes. Confirm that the carrier recognizes the trust as owner and beneficiary and obtain written confirmation of ownership changes. This step helps protect the grantor’s planning goals and provides a clear paper trail for trustees and family members.

Select Trustees Thoughtfully and Provide Guidance

Choosing a trustee for an ILIT is an important decision. Trustees must follow trust terms, manage premium payments, and communicate with beneficiaries. Consider appointing successor trustees and provide clear written guidance on how you intend distributions and decision-making to work. Include trusted individuals or a professional fiduciary if more objective administration is needed. Providing guidance documents and meeting with trustees beforehand can smooth administration and reduce the chances of conflict. Regular reviews and updates to the trust document ensure alignment with evolving family circumstances and legal changes.

Why Clients in Desert Shores Consider an ILIT

Clients often consider an ILIT to remove life insurance proceeds from probate and, where applicable, from the taxable estate. An ILIT can provide liquidity to pay final expenses and taxes without requiring the sale of other assets, and it allows for tailored distribution terms that reflect family needs and long-term planning goals. For families with minor children, beneficiaries receiving government benefits, or blended family arrangements, ILIT provisions can be drafted to provide controlled distributions and protect beneficiaries from unintended financial consequences while preserving access to needed resources.

Other reasons include creditor protection for trust-held proceeds and coordination with broader estate planning documents such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and powers of attorney. An ILIT also supports thoughtful succession planning by naming successor trustees and specifying how proceeds are invested and distributed. Many people pursue an ILIT to create predictable outcomes for heirs and to minimize friction during administration. Consulting with legal counsel helps determine whether an ILIT or an alternative arrangement best aligns with personal goals and the family’s financial circumstances.

Common Situations Where an ILIT May Be Appropriate

Situations that often lead clients to consider an ILIT include significant life insurance holdings, estate tax exposure concerns, blended or complex family dynamics, beneficiaries with special needs, and a desire to provide liquidity outside of probate. Additionally, people nearing retirement or those updating an estate plan after major life events frequently review whether an ILIT fits their overall strategy. An ILIT can be part of a comprehensive plan to protect family wealth, ensure continuity of asset management, and create a structured distribution framework that reduces potential conflicts among heirs.

Large Life Insurance Policies and Estate Size

When life insurance policies represent a significant portion of an individual’s estate, an ILIT can help manage estate tax exposure and ensure that death benefits are administered according to the grantor’s wishes. By transferring ownership of the policy to the trust and arranging proper funding, families may limit estate inclusion and ensure proceeds are available to pay taxes or other expenses. This approach is commonly considered by clients whose combined assets and policy proceeds could create liquidity challenges or trigger federal estate tax considerations without careful planning.

Protecting Benefits for Vulnerable Beneficiaries

Families with beneficiaries who depend on public benefits or who have special needs often use trust vehicles to protect eligibility while providing supplemental support. An ILIT can be structured to coordinate with a special needs trust or include distribution rules that preserve access to necessary benefits. This ensures that insurance proceeds supplement, rather than replace, public assistance and that trustees manage funds in a way that reflects the beneficiary’s long-term needs. Thoughtful drafting helps balance immediate financial support with preservation of critical benefits and services.

Estate Planning After Life Changes

Major life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or changes in financial circumstances often prompt a reassessment of insurance ownership and beneficiary designations. Establishing an ILIT may be an appropriate step after these events to align life insurance with updated estate goals and to create a more predictable succession plan. Reviewing and updating related documents like pour-over wills, revocable trusts, and powers of attorney at the same time reduces inconsistencies and helps ensure the ILIT functions as part of a cohesive estate plan.

Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust in Brentwood California

Local Legal Support for ILITs in Desert Shores

The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman offers local legal support to clients in Desert Shores, Imperial County, and across California for ILIT creation and estate planning coordination. We provide guidance on drafting trust documents, transferring or issuing policies, and documenting premium gifts. Our approach emphasizes clear communication and careful documentation to help trustees administer ILITs effectively. Whether you are beginning the planning process or updating existing arrangements such as a revocable living trust, pour-over will, or guardianship nominations, we assist with the steps needed to align insurance planning with your overall estate plan.

Why Choose Our Firm for ILIT Planning

Choosing representation for ILIT planning means working with a firm that understands estate planning documents in context. We focus on making each legal document work together, including revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and HIPAA authorizations. Our team helps clients with funding strategies, trustee selection, and drafting precise distribution provisions. We prioritize clear communication to ensure clients understand the trade-offs involved in making an irrevocable transfer and provide guidance on how an ILIT fits into a comprehensive plan for asset preservation and beneficiary support.

Our process includes a careful review of existing insurance policies and estate documents, coordinated steps to transfer ownership when appropriate, and assistance with trustee duties and recordkeeping practices. We coordinate with financial and tax advisors when needed to address potential tax implications and to ensure premium gifts are properly documented. We also prepare related estate planning documents such as a certification of trust, general assignment of assets to trust, and pour-over wills to ensure cohesive administration at the time of need.

Clients receive personalized service that considers family dynamics, beneficiary needs, and long-term goals. We work to tailor ILIT provisions to provide predictable distributions, protect assets for intended heirs, and reduce the administrative burden on trustees. Whether the objective is preserving assets for children, protecting beneficiaries receiving government benefits, or managing estate tax exposure, we help implement a plan built around the client’s priorities and the legal tools available in California.

Talk with Us About an ILIT for Your Estate Plan

Our Process for Establishing an ILIT

Our process begins with an initial consultation to review your life insurance policies, family circumstances, and estate planning objectives. We assess whether an ILIT is appropriate and discuss funding methods, trustee roles, and interaction with existing documents such as revocable living trusts and pour-over wills. After agreeing on goals, we draft the trust document, coordinate ownership changes or policy purchases, and prepare supporting instruments like certification of trust and general assignments. We then guide trustees through premium funding and recordkeeping so the ILIT operates as intended and remains aligned with your overall estate plan.

Step 1 — Initial Planning and Document Review

During the initial planning stage, we review existing estate planning documents and life insurance policies to identify potential issues and opportunities. We evaluate the size of policies, beneficiary designations, and the relationship to your revocable living trust, pour-over will, and retirement plan trust. This review clarifies whether transferring policies into an ILIT will achieve the client’s objectives and what documentation will be needed to fund the trust properly. The goal is to establish a clear plan for drafting the trust and coordinating with insurance carriers and financial advisors.

Identify Goals and Beneficiaries

We begin by identifying your primary goals for the ILIT, including how you want proceeds used and who should benefit. This discussion includes evaluating beneficiaries’ financial needs, potential creditor concerns, and whether special provisions such as support for dependents or distributions to a trust for minors are necessary. Clarifying goals early ensures the trust document reflects your intentions and provides trustees with clear guidance for administration, reducing the chance of future disputes and aligning the ILIT with your broader estate plan.

Review Insurance Policies and Ownership Options

Next we review current life insurance policies to determine whether to transfer existing coverage into the trust or to purchase new policies in the trust’s name. We examine policy terms, surrender charges, and any restrictions on ownership transfer. This stage includes coordinating with the insurance carrier to confirm that the trust can be named owner and beneficiary, and discussing the timing of transfers to avoid unintended estate inclusion. Properly addressing these practical details prevents administrative errors and helps ensure the ILIT functions as intended.

Step 2 — Drafting and Funding the ILIT

After planning and policy review, we draft the trust document tailored to your objectives and California law. The document designates trustees, successor trustees, beneficiaries, and distribution rules. We prepare ancillary documents such as a certification of trust and general assignment of assets to trust if transferring policies. Funding the ILIT involves documented gifts to cover premiums, and we advise on how to structure these gifts to use available exclusions where appropriate. We also coordinate with carriers to complete ownership changes and insure uninterrupted coverage.

Draft the Trust Document and Ancillary Forms

We prepare a trust document that sets out trustee powers, distribution guidelines, and procedures for managing policy proceeds. Ancillary forms such as a certification of trust help communicate the trust’s existence to insurance carriers and financial institutions without disclosing full trust terms. These documents establish the legal framework for the ILIT and support clear administration by trustees. Ensuring precise drafting minimizes ambiguity and provides trustees with the authority needed to carry out premium payments and make distributions in accordance with your wishes.

Coordinate Funding and Document Premium Gifts

We assist in documenting the grantor’s gifts to the trust used for premium payments and provide guidance on using annual gift tax exclusions where applicable. Trustees should issue written acknowledgments of gifts received and maintain records showing that trust funds were used to pay premiums. Proper documentation and timing reduce the risk that life insurance proceeds will be included in the taxable estate. We also help establish procedures for ongoing recordkeeping so the trust remains in good order for future administration and tax reporting.

Step 3 — Trustee Administration and Ongoing Review

Once the ILIT is funded and the trust owns the life insurance policy, trustee administration begins. Trustees manage premium payments, maintain records of gifts and disbursements, and ensure the policy remains in force. Regular reviews help confirm that trustee actions align with trust terms and that the trust’s objectives continue to match family needs. Periodic review is also important to adapt to changes in tax law, family circumstances, or insurance markets, and to update related documents like revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and powers of attorney if necessary.

Trustee Recordkeeping and Communication

Trustees should maintain detailed records of all gift transfers, premium payments, policy communications, and distributions. Clear recordkeeping supports tax reporting and provides transparency to beneficiaries. Regular communication with beneficiaries and co-trustees reduces misunderstandings and helps manage expectations about distributions. Trustees may also consult with legal counsel or financial advisors when investment or distribution decisions arise. Well-documented administration protects trustees and helps ensure the grantor’s intentions are fulfilled over time.

Periodic Review and Adjustment When Appropriate

Although an ILIT is irrevocable, periodic review of the overall estate plan including related revocable trusts, wills, and beneficiary designations ensures that the ILIT fits the broader plan as circumstances change. If family circumstances, financial needs, or applicable laws change, other parts of the estate plan may be updated to maintain coherence. Trustees and grantors should meet with legal counsel periodically to confirm administration practices and to review how the ILIT interacts with other trust instruments like special needs trusts or retirement plan trusts.

Frequently Asked Questions About ILITs

What is an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust and how does it work?

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust is a trust created to own a life insurance policy and receive its death benefit for the benefit of named beneficiaries. Once the policy is held by the trust, the trustee manages premium payments and administers distributions according to the trust terms. Because the grantor typically gives up ownership and certain powers upon transfer, the death proceeds may not be included in the grantor’s probate estate, which can help with estate administration and intended distributions. The trust document sets the rules and names trustees and successor trustees to manage these responsibilities.

Transferring an existing policy into an ILIT requires coordination with the insurance carrier and careful attention to ownership change procedures. Some policies may have transfer penalties or contestability period considerations, so it is important to review the specific terms before making any changes. In many cases, new policies can also be issued directly in the trust’s name, which avoids transfer complications. Coordination ensures the coverage continues without lapse and that the trust is recognized as the policy owner for future administration and premium payments.

Premiums for policies owned by an ILIT are commonly funded through annual gifts from the grantor to the trust. These gifts should be properly documented and, when structured correctly, may utilize available annual gift tax exclusions to minimize taxable consequences. Trustees should issue acknowledgments of gifts and maintain records showing that trust funds were used to pay premiums. Clear documentation establishes the intended purpose of the gifts and supports the ILIT’s tax and administrative treatment over time.

An ILIT can help reduce potential estate tax exposure by removing life insurance proceeds from the grantor’s taxable estate when properly structured and funded. To achieve this result, the grantor must not retain prohibited powers over the policy and should ensure the trust owns the policy for the required period before death. Since estate tax rules can be complex and federal thresholds change over time, careful planning and coordination with other estate documents are important to maximize the potential tax benefits and avoid unintended estate inclusion of the proceeds.

Choosing a trustee involves balancing trustworthiness, availability, financial acumen, and willingness to serve. A trustee can be a family member, a trusted friend, or a corporate fiduciary, depending on the complexity of the trust and the desired level of objectivity in administration. It is wise to name successor trustees to ensure continuity. Trustees must maintain records, pay premiums, and communicate with beneficiaries. Providing written guidance on distribution intent and administrative expectations helps trustees carry out their duties effectively and reduces the likelihood of disputes among heirs.

An ILIT typically operates alongside a revocable living trust and a pour-over will as part of a cohesive estate plan. The revocable trust governs assets the grantor retains control over, while the ILIT specifically holds life insurance policies and directs how proceeds are distributed. A pour-over will can ensure that assets intended for the revocable trust pass into it at death. Coordinating beneficiary designations and trust terms prevents conflicts and helps ensure that life insurance proceeds are administered according to the grantor’s overall estate planning goals.

When the insured dies, the life insurance carrier pays the policy proceeds to the ILIT, which then becomes responsible for distributing those funds according to the trust’s terms. Trustees manage any required recordkeeping, pay taxes and expenses from available trust assets if necessary, and make distributions to beneficiaries per the trust instructions. The trust can provide for immediate distributions, staggered payments, or ongoing support depending on the grantor’s wishes. Trustees must also maintain documentation of the payment and distributions for tax and administrative purposes.

Because an ILIT is typically irrevocable once funded, changes to the trust itself are limited after formation, and the grantor generally cannot unilaterally revoke the trust or regain ownership of the trust-held policy. Some planning techniques and successor arrangements can address changes in circumstances, but these options depend on the trust language and applicable law. It is important to discuss potential future scenarios during the drafting process to incorporate flexibility where appropriate while recognizing the irrevocable nature of the arrangement once completed.

If beneficiaries receive means-tested public benefits, special planning is necessary to avoid unintentionally disqualifying them. Coordinating an ILIT with a special needs trust or structuring distributions to preserve benefit eligibility can allow life insurance proceeds to supplement, rather than replace, public assistance. Drafting careful distribution provisions and considering the role of a trustee who understands benefit programs helps protect vulnerable beneficiaries. Legal counsel can help design trust language that balances providing supplemental support with maintaining eligibility for essential benefits.

To begin setting up an ILIT in Desert Shores, schedule a consultation to review your life insurance holdings, family circumstances, and estate planning objectives. Bring copies of existing policies, wills, revocable trusts, and related documents so your attorney can assess how an ILIT would integrate with your plan. After identifying goals, counsel will draft the trust, coordinate with insurance carriers on ownership changes or new policy issuance, and guide the funding process to document premium gifts properly. Ongoing trustee support and periodic reviews help ensure the ILIT functions as intended over time.

Client Testimonials

All Services in Desert Shores

Explore our complete estate planning services