An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) is a legal planning tool used to hold life insurance policies outside of an estate for long term tax and distribution planning. At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman we assist families in Lebec and surrounding Kern County communities with establishing ILITs that reflect their goals for providing liquidity, preserving wealth, and protecting beneficiaries. Creating an ILIT involves careful coordination between trust documents, insurance policy ownership and beneficiary designations to ensure the intended results are achieved and that the trust functions as designed over time.
Choosing to create an ILIT can have lasting implications for how life insurance proceeds are handled after death and how those proceeds affect estate tax exposure, creditor claims and beneficiary access. This page outlines the structure and features of ILITs, explains when they may be appropriate, and guides decision making for individuals who own significant life insurance or who wish to shield policies from administration within a probate estate. We focus on clear explanations and practical considerations relevant to residents of Lebec and Kern County.
An ILIT matters because it can separate life insurance proceeds from a decedent’s probate estate and can provide immediate financial resources to beneficiaries without subjecting those proceeds to the delays and costs of probate administration. By transferring ownership of a policy into the trust, policy proceeds are generally excluded from estate valuation for tax and creditor purposes, provided the transfer is handled correctly. Additionally, ILITs can include distribution terms, successor trustees and protective clauses to ensure proceeds are used as intended for education, mortgage payoff, living expenses or trust-held long term support for beneficiaries.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman assists families throughout California, including Lebec and Kern County, with estate planning matters such as Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts. Our approach emphasizes careful drafting, thoughtful coordination with insurance carriers, and clear communication with clients and beneficiaries. We guide clients through the transfer process, funding considerations, trust provisions and ongoing administration tasks. Clients receive practical guidance designed to align the ILIT with their overall estate plan, including revocable trusts, wills and powers of attorney, for cohesive long term results.
An ILIT is a trust designed specifically to own one or more life insurance policies. Once in place, the trust becomes the owner and beneficiary of the policy, and the grantor gives up control over the policy ownership. This structure can help keep the death benefit out of a grantor’s probate estate and can provide clear rules for the use and distribution of proceeds. Properly funded and administered, an ILIT can provide for beneficiaries’ needs and reduce administrative burdens after death by delivering proceeds directly to the trust according to predefined terms.
Creating an ILIT requires attention to timelines, funding mechanisms and tax rules. Transfers of existing policies may be subject to a three year lookback for estate inclusion, and trustee and beneficiary designations must be carefully documented. New policies can be purchased directly by the trust to avoid the lookback, but trustees must handle premium payments and gift tax reporting when the grantor funds the trust to cover premiums. Each decision affects the trust’s ability to achieve intended estate planning and asset protection outcomes.
An ILIT is an irrevocable trust created to own a life insurance policy or policies. Its primary function is to receive insurance proceeds at the insured’s death and hold or distribute those proceeds for the benefit of named beneficiaries according to the trust terms. The trust replaces the individual as owner and beneficiary, and a trustee administers the trust. Important mechanics include premium funding, trustee powers to manage proceeds, and distribution provisions intended to meet family needs while minimizing probate involvement and clarifying post-death administration responsibilities.
Key elements of an ILIT include the trust document with distribution provisions, trustee appointment, direction on premium payments and coordination with a life insurance carrier to change ownership and beneficiary designations. The process typically begins with planning to determine which policy or new policy will be owned by the trust, then drafting the trust, completing ownership transfer or new policy application, and arranging premium funding. Trustees must also understand recordkeeping, gift tax filing requirements and strategies to maintain the trust’s intended status over time.
Understanding common terms used with ILITs helps clients make informed decisions. Terms often encountered include grantor, trustee, beneficiary, irrevocable ownership, premium funding, Crummey withdrawal powers, and estate inclusion rules such as the three year lookback. Clear definitions and an explanation of their practical effects can reduce confusion during planning and after a grantor’s death. Knowing these terms also helps clients evaluate coordinator steps such as transferring ownership and structuring distributions to meet family goals.
The grantor is the person who establishes the ILIT and transfers ownership of a life insurance policy into the trust. When creating the trust, the grantor must understand that the transfer is irrevocable and involves giving up ownership and control of the policy. The grantor typically funds the trust for premium payments and sets forth initial instructions regarding beneficiaries and distribution timing. Proper advice and careful drafting help the grantor achieve planning goals while addressing potential tax and timing consequences of the transfer.
The trustee is the person or entity appointed to manage the ILIT, hold title to the insurance policy, receive insurance proceeds, and distribute or manage funds according to the trust terms. Trustees handle premium payments, maintain records, and ensure that any gift tax filings related to premium contributions are completed. Choosing a trustee involves considering availability, reliability, and familiarity with trust administration requirements. The trustee has fiduciary responsibilities and must act in accordance with the trust document to preserve the grantor’s intentions.
Crummey withdrawal rights are provisions that grant beneficiaries a short-term right to withdraw contributions to the trust, giving those contributions present interest status for gift tax annual exclusion purposes. By giving beneficiaries a notice and opportunity to withdraw premiums contributed to the ILIT, the grantor can qualify those contributions for the annual gift tax exclusion, avoiding immediate gift tax liability. In practice, beneficiaries rarely exercise these rights, but including them and using a consistent notice procedure is an important part of proper ILIT administration and gift tax planning.
The three year lookback rule is a tax principle that can cause a life insurance policy transferred into an ILIT within three years of the insured’s death to remain included in the insured’s estate for estate tax purposes. This rule means that transfers near the end of life may not achieve the desired exclusion from estate valuation. To avoid this effect, some clients purchase policies through the trust or complete transfers well in advance. Careful timing and planning are essential to prevent unintended estate inclusion under this rule.
An ILIT should be evaluated alongside other options such as keeping a policy within a revocable trust, using payable on death designations, or addressing liquidity needs through savings and other assets. ILITs offer benefits related to estate exclusion and trust-directed distributions but require irrevocable transfers and trustee administration. In contrast, revocable arrangements provide flexibility but may not remove proceeds from estate valuation. Comparing these approaches requires assessing family objectives, tax considerations, and the level of control or protection desired for life insurance proceeds.
If the policy value is modest relative to overall assets or the goal is only to provide a small immediate benefit to a spouse or dependent, a limited approach may be sufficient. Keeping the policy under revocable arrangements or naming a beneficiary directly can simplify administration and preserve flexibility without the need for an irrevocable trust. For families with straightforward needs and minimal estate tax exposure, these simpler strategies can provide funds quickly and with less paperwork while still addressing basic liquidity and support objectives.
When a grantor anticipates significant changes in family circumstances or wishes to retain the ability to modify beneficiary designations and policy control, a limited approach that preserves revocability may be preferable. Retaining control allows adjustments over time as family needs, tax laws and financial circumstances shift. For clients who value flexibility more than the specific protections an ILIT provides, maintaining control over the policy ownership and beneficiary designations can keep planning adaptable and responsive to evolving priorities.
For individuals who own large life insurance policies or who expect their estate to approach estate tax thresholds, a comprehensive approach that includes an ILIT may be appropriate. Using an ILIT can remove life insurance proceeds from estate valuation, provide creditor protection in some circumstances, and create structured distributions for beneficiaries. The complexity of coordinating trust drafting, premium funding and tax reporting in these situations often benefits from a deliberate and coordinated legal plan designed to integrate the ILIT with broader estate documents and asset transfer strategies.
When clients want to ensure that insurance proceeds are managed for the long term, for education, health care, special needs support or multi-generational legacy goals, a comprehensive ILIT structure can provide governance and oversight. Trust terms can define how and when funds will be used, name successor trustees or trust protectors, and include safeguards to preserve assets for their intended purpose. Such arrangements give families greater assurance that proceeds will be administered consistently with the grantor’s wishes over time.
A comprehensive ILIT approach can provide multiple benefits: it typically prevents life insurance proceeds from being included in the taxable estate, can shield proceeds from probate delays, and enables tailored distribution instructions that align with family and financial goals. Trustees can be instructed to manage funds for specific purposes, such as paying off debts, supporting surviving family members, or providing trust-based support over time. The overall structure helps deliver liquidity and clarity at a time when beneficiaries may otherwise face administrative and financial challenges.
Beyond tax and probate considerations, a comprehensive ILIT can support privacy and controlled distributions. Because trust administration typically occurs outside of probate court, the terms and amounts distributed to beneficiaries are generally not part of public records. This privacy can be important for families who prefer discreet handling of financial matters. Additionally, the trust document can provide protections such as spendthrift provisions or distribution schedules that moderate beneficiary access and preserve assets for long term use.
One of the primary benefits of an ILIT is its potential to reduce estate tax exposure and to bypass the probate process for life insurance proceeds. By transferring ownership of a policy into an irrevocable trust, proceeds are often excluded from the taxable estate and are distributed according to trust terms without probate court involvement. That efficiency helps beneficiaries access funds faster and reduces the administrative cost and delay typically associated with estate administration, which can be particularly valuable when immediate liquidity is needed to cover expenses.
An ILIT allows the grantor to specify how proceeds are used and when beneficiaries receive distributions, protecting funds from creditors or from imprudent spending. Trust provisions can limit distributions to certain purposes, set staggered distribution schedules, or require trustee oversight for larger expenditures. These controls can help preserve assets for intended beneficiaries and ensure that proceeds contribute to long term stability, education, health, or support as set forth in the trust document, giving the grantor peace of mind about how proceeds will be handled.
When establishing an ILIT, coordinate closely with the insurance carrier to change policy ownership and beneficiary designations. That process requires documentation and sometimes insurer-specific forms to ensure the trust is listed as owner and beneficiary. Confirm whether you are transferring an existing policy or purchasing a new policy through the trust, as timing and tax implications differ. Clear communication between the trustee, the grantor and the insurer helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that premium payment arrangements and beneficiary status reflect the client’s intentions.
Draft the trust document to include clear distribution standards, trustee authorities, and successor trustee provisions. Thoughtful drafting reduces ambiguity and helps trustees administer proceeds consistent with the grantor’s goals. Consider provisions for education expenses, health care needs, and long term support, as well as spendthrift protections to guard assets from creditors or hasty withdrawals. Including directions for trustee compensation and recordkeeping responsibilities further streamlines administration and helps the trust function efficiently when funds are paid into it.
Consider an ILIT if you have significant life insurance policies, anticipate estate tax exposure, or wish to ensure proceeds bypass probate and are managed according to specific wishes. An ILIT can provide liquidity for estate settlement costs and can be drafted to create structured support for surviving family members. Those with blended families, beneficiaries with special needs or concerns about creditor claims often find that a trust-based ownership arrangement gives more control and protective measures than direct beneficiary designations or revocable arrangements alone.
An ILIT may also be appropriate for clients seeking to preserve privacy and to ensure continuity of asset management after death. By having the trust receive insurance proceeds and then handle distribution according to written terms, families avoid public probate proceedings and maintain confidential arrangements for beneficiaries. Combining an ILIT with other estate planning documents such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and powers of attorney enables a holistic plan that manages both lifetime and post-death needs in a coordinated way.
Common circumstances prompting consideration of an ILIT include ownership of large life insurance policies, the desire to exclude proceeds from estate valuation, concerns about probate or creditor claims, plans to provide long term support for beneficiaries, or needs to manage distributions for minors or those with limitations. Individuals also consider ILITs when coordinating legacy intentions, planning for blended family dynamics, or protecting proceeds intended for charitable gifts. Each situation benefits from planning tailored to the family’s priorities and asset composition.
When the death benefit on a life insurance policy represents a significant portion of an individual’s overall net worth, using an ILIT can help isolate that benefit from estate valuation and potential estate taxes. This separation may preserve more assets for heirs and reduce administrative burdens during settlement. For families with considerable policy values, planning ahead to transfer ownership into an ILIT or to have the trust purchase a policy can align proceeds with intended distribution strategies while addressing tax planning considerations.
An ILIT can be structured to provide ongoing financial support for dependents, whether through periodic distributions, payments tied to specific needs like education and health care, or management by a trustee who safeguards funds. When beneficiaries include minors, young adults, or individuals with limited financial management capacity, trust-based distributions help ensure funds are used responsibly and for the purposes intended by the grantor. This structure reduces the risk that proceeds will be spent quickly or diverted from long term needs.
Clients concerned about creditor claims, divorce, or the unpredictability of probate may prefer an ILIT to keep insurance proceeds outside of probate and provide protections through trust provisions. While protection against creditors depends on timing and local law, the trust structure can make it more difficult for claims to reach insurance proceeds held by the trust. Establishing the ILIT well in advance of potential claims and following proper transfer procedures enhances the likelihood that proceeds will be preserved for beneficiaries.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman is available to residents of Lebec and Kern County who need guidance on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts and related estate planning documents. We provide practical counsel on policy transfers, trust drafting, premium funding strategies and ongoing trust administration. Our goal is to help clients create an ILIT that addresses liquidity, distribution preferences and potential tax considerations while fitting within a broader estate planning framework tailored to each family’s circumstances and goals in California.
Our firm focuses on comprehensive estate planning services for individuals and families across California, including residents of Lebec and Kern County. We provide careful drafting of trust documents, practical recommendations for funding and coordination with insurance providers, and clear communication about timelines and tax implications. Clients receive individualized attention to align an ILIT with overall planning needs, including coordination with revocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney and healthcare directives to ensure a cohesive plan.
We emphasize practical solutions that address both the legal mechanics of transferring policy ownership and the ongoing administrative duties required to maintain a trust. That includes guidance on trustee responsibilities, notice procedures, recordkeeping and how to handle premium contributions in a way that supports the trust’s intended benefits. By focusing on these implementation details up front, clients are better positioned to achieve the expected results when a life insurance claim arises.
Clients working with our office receive straightforward explanations of legal options and assistance developing a plan that reflects personal and familial priorities. We help clients weigh tradeoffs between flexibility and protection, evaluate potential tax effects, and coordinate the ILIT with other estate planning steps such as pour-over wills, guardianship nominations and advance health care directives. This holistic coordination reduces uncertainty and helps families move forward with confidence about their chosen plan.
Our process begins with an initial consultation to understand family circumstances, policy ownership and planning objectives. We then recommend whether to transfer an existing policy to an ILIT or have the trust purchase a new policy, draft trust documents, coordinate with the insurance company for ownership changes, and establish funding procedures for premiums. After formation, we assist with notices, recordkeeping and trustee guidance to ensure the ILIT operates in accordance with the trust terms and applicable tax rules, providing ongoing support as needed.
The first step focuses on assessing assets, policy values and family goals to determine whether an ILIT aligns with the overall estate plan. This stage includes reviewing beneficiary designations, evaluating the timing of transfers, and considering whether a new policy purchased by the trust or a transfer of an existing policy best meets objectives. Clear planning reduces the chance of unintended tax consequences and sets the stage for accurate drafting and effective implementation of the trust structure.
During the initial review we gather information about life insurance policies, other estate assets, and the client’s goals for distribution and creditor protection. This includes reviewing policy types, death benefit amounts, premium schedules and current ownership status. Understanding the full financial picture and beneficiary needs helps identify whether the ILIT will achieve intended results, and whether additional estate planning tools should be integrated to address liquidity, tax exposure and family dynamics across the broader plan.
Timing is important when transferring policies to an ILIT because of estate inclusion rules such as the three year lookback. We discuss whether it is preferable to purchase a policy through the trust or to transfer an existing policy, weighing the likelihood of estate inclusion against practical considerations. We also address gift tax reporting, Crummey powers for annual exclusion treatment and how to structure contributions for premium payments so the ILIT will function as intended after formation.
After planning is complete we draft the ILIT document tailored to the client’s distribution preferences and administrative needs. The trust will include provisions for trustee powers, distribution standards, notice procedures and successor arrangements. We prepare the necessary assignments, beneficiary designation changes, insurer forms and any related estate documents that must be updated. We also provide instructions for funding the trust and for delivering required beneficiary notices to support gift tax planning and administration.
Trust drafting addresses specific concerns such as spendthrift protections, distribution triggers, and trustee discretion consistent with client goals. We include clear instructions on handling insurance proceeds, investment of funds, and standards for distributions to beneficiaries. Trustee roles and responsibilities are defined to enable orderly administration, and the document provides for successor trustees and mechanisms to resolve potential disputes, helping ensure the trust’s long term operability and alignment with the grantor’s intentions.
Execution involves coordinating with the insurance company to change ownership and beneficiary designations if an existing policy is transferred, or submitting new policy applications if the ILIT will be the purchaser. We assist with obtaining required insurer forms, completing assignments, and documenting the trust’s acceptance of ownership. Proper documentation and timely filing of any required tax forms ensure the transfer is effective and that subsequent administration follows the planned structure without unnecessary complications.
Once an ILIT is established and a policy is owned by the trust, ongoing funding and administration ensure the trust remains effective. This includes making premium payments, providing Crummey notices if needed, maintaining records of contributions, and handling any necessary tax filings. Trustees must follow the trust document for distributions and retain documentation of actions taken. We remain available to advise trustees and beneficiaries about administration best practices and to assist with any adjustments required by life events or changes in law.
Premium payment arrangements are critical to keep the policy in force and preserve the ILIT’s benefits. Trustees must maintain clear records of contributions, notices provided to beneficiaries, and premium payments to the insurer. Accurate recordkeeping supports compliance with gift tax rules and provides a transparent history for beneficiaries and trustees. Establishing a reliable process for contributions and documentation reduces the risk of disputes and ensures the trust is managed consistently with the grantor’s aims.
Ongoing trust administration includes handling requests for distributions, communicating with beneficiaries, and responding to changing circumstances or claims. Trustees should follow the trust terms and provide periodic reports to beneficiaries when appropriate. When a claim arises, the trustee manages the insurance proceeds and coordinates distributions according to the document. Clear communication and documented procedures help reduce misunderstandings and support smooth administration through settlement and beyond.
An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust is a trust created to own one or more life insurance policies so that insurance proceeds are payable to the trust rather than to an individual, enabling the grantor to define distribution terms and potentially keep the proceeds out of probate and estate valuation. The trust is irrevocable so the grantor gives up ownership and direct control of the policies. Establishing an ILIT involves drafting trust provisions, coordinating ownership changes with the insurer, and setting up procedures for premium funding and trustee administration. People create ILITs for various reasons including to provide liquidity at death, to protect proceeds from probate delays, and to implement controlled distributions for beneficiaries. The trust can include provisions that limit expenditures or authorize staggered payouts to preserve funds for long term needs. When deciding whether to form an ILIT, it is important to consider timing, tax implications and how the trust fits within the broader estate plan to ensure it achieves intended outcomes for family members.
Transferring a life insurance policy into an ILIT can remove the death proceeds from the insured’s taxable estate, potentially reducing estate tax exposure, provided the transfer occurs outside of the relevant lookback period and the trust meets applicable conditions. If the policy is transferred more than three years before death, the proceeds are generally excluded from the insured’s estate for federal estate tax purposes, subject to other applicable rules. The removal of proceeds from estate valuation can preserve more assets for heirs and reduce the need to liquidate other property to pay estate obligations. However, transfers within three years of death may remain includable in the estate under the lookback rule, so timing is a significant consideration. In some cases, purchasing a new policy directly through the trust avoids lookback concerns but requires careful premium funding arrangements and gift tax planning. Coordination between policy ownership, gift reporting and trust drafting is essential to realize intended tax benefits and prevent unintended estate inclusion.
The three year lookback rule requires that certain transfers of insurance policies made within three years of death remain included in the decedent’s estate for estate tax purposes. This means a policy transferred into an ILIT within that period may not achieve exclusion from estate valuation, which can undermine one of the primary objectives of forming the trust. As a result, the timing of transfers is important; clients often opt to establish and fund an ILIT well before the lookback window begins or consider alternative arrangements if time is limited. When the lookback is a concern, purchasing a new policy directly by the trust is a common strategy since it avoids the transfer within three years. That approach requires planning to ensure the trust has funding for premiums and that gift tax rules are addressed. Each option has tradeoffs, so considering timing, health underwriting and funding capacity helps determine the best path for a given family.
Premium contributions to an ILIT are often structured to take advantage of the annual gift tax exclusion by using Crummey withdrawal powers that provide beneficiaries a temporary right to withdraw contributions. By giving beneficiaries notice and an opportunity to withdraw for a limited period, these contributions can be treated as present interest gifts and potentially qualify for the annual exclusion, reducing immediate gift tax implications. Properly documenting notice procedures and maintaining records is important to preserve this treatment for tax purposes. Even with Crummey notices, larger premium funding may require filing gift tax returns, and the annual exclusion has limits that may not cover all contributions for expensive policies. Additionally, consistent administration and trustee compliance with notice requirements are necessary to support the tax position. Planning premium funding in advance and documenting the process helps avoid unintended tax consequences and supports the sustainability of the policy ownership by the trust.
Selecting a trustee for an ILIT involves considering reliability, financial acumen and willingness to follow the trust terms. Trustees can be an individual family member, a trusted friend, a professional fiduciary, or a financial institution. The chosen trustee should be someone who can manage premium payments, maintain records, provide notices to beneficiaries when required, and make distribution decisions in accordance with the trust document. A successor trustee should also be named to ensure continuity of administration over time. The trustee role requires attention to detail, clear communication with beneficiaries, and the ability to coordinate with insurance carriers and professional advisors. Because the trustee has fiduciary duties, it is important to choose someone who will treat the responsibilities seriously and follow the grantor’s instructions. If complexity or conflicts are anticipated, naming a neutral third party or institutional trustee can provide impartial administration.
Distributions from an ILIT are structured according to the trust document’s terms and the grantor’s intentions. Common structures include lump sum payments to beneficiaries, staged distributions at certain ages or milestones, distributions for specific purposes such as education or health care, or discretionary distributions by the trustee. The trust document can also include spendthrift protections to limit beneficiary access and protect assets from creditors, divorces or imprudent spending. Structuring distributions depends on balancing beneficiary needs with the goal of preserving assets over time. Trustees must follow the trust’s distribution standards and are accountable for their decisions, so clear drafting helps reduce ambiguity and disputes. If discretionary distributions are allowed, the trustee should document decision-making rationales and maintain records of distributions and communications with beneficiaries. Creating transparent guidelines in the trust reduces conflict and provides beneficiaries with a clear understanding of how proceeds will be managed.
If a policy lapses after being transferred to an ILIT, the trust may lose the insurance protection and the intended death benefit will not be available when needed. Lapses can result from missed premium payments, insufficient funding, or administrative errors. Trustees are responsible for ensuring premiums are paid on time and that the trust remains properly funded to avoid lapse. If the insured or trustees notice issues, prompt action to reinstate a policy may be possible depending on the insurer’s rules and the policy’s terms. When reinstatement is not possible, alternatives include purchasing a new policy through the trust if the insured remains insurable, or adjusting the overall estate plan to address liquidity needs through other assets. Regular review of premium schedules, timely contributions to the trust and periodic communication between trustees and policy carriers reduce the risk of an unexpected lapse and help preserve the trust’s intended benefits for beneficiaries.
ILIT proceeds can be used for special needs or education if the trust document specifically authorizes such uses and is drafted to avoid disqualifying means-tested benefits for a beneficiary with special needs. When planning for a beneficiary who receives public benefits, it is common to design trust provisions that preserve eligibility by limiting distributions or by designating discretionary distributions for supplemental needs rather than basic support. Clear drafting helps ensure that trust funds enhance quality of life without jeopardizing important benefit eligibility. For education funding, the trust can specify payments directly to institutions or reimbursements for eligible expenses, creating a straightforward mechanism to support academic goals. Including precise instructions and distribution procedures in the trust reduces ambiguity and helps trustees act in ways that align with the grantor’s priorities for education or needs-based support.
An ILIT should be integrated with other estate planning documents such as a revocable living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and advance health care directives to ensure consistency across a client’s plan. Coordination helps avoid conflicts between beneficiary designations, successor roles and distribution rules, and it ensures liquidity and administrative matters are handled as intended at the time of death. For instance, a pour-over will can channel assets into a revocable trust while the ILIT handles insurance proceeds; aligning these documents reduces the risk of unintended outcomes. When updating an estate plan, clients should review all related documents to confirm that beneficiary designations and trustee appointments remain consistent with current wishes. Failing to coordinate documents can lead to disputes or unintended beneficiary outcomes, so a comprehensive review is advised whenever major changes occur in family structure, policy holdings, or financial circumstances.
Setting up an ILIT and transferring a policy typically requires several weeks to a few months depending on the complexity of the arrangement, insurer processing times, and whether a new policy must be underwritten. For an existing policy, executing ownership transfer forms and completing trust acceptance can often be accomplished relatively quickly if the insurer’s procedures are straightforward. Purchasing a new policy through the trust can take longer due to medical underwriting and application processing timelines. After formation, additional administrative steps such as funding the trust, providing required beneficiary notices and implementing premium payment systems can extend the timeline. Starting the process well before deadlines or anticipated needs helps ensure transfers are not rushed and that the trust is properly funded and documented to achieve the intended planning outcomes.
Criminal Defense
Homicide Defense
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Battery Causing Great Bodily Injury
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Protection Orders
Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Arson Defense
Weapons Charges
Illegal Firearm Possessions
Civil Harassment
Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
School Violence Restraining Orders
Violent Crimes Defense
Estate Planning Practice Areas