An irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) can be a powerful component of an estate plan for Larchmont residents who want to manage life insurance proceeds outside of their taxable estate. At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman, we help clients understand how an ILIT functions, how it can protect policy proceeds for beneficiaries, and what administration looks like over time. This overview explains core benefits, common uses, and practical considerations so you can decide whether an ILIT fits your financial and family goals in Los Angeles County. We focus on clear planning steps and realistic outcomes tailored to your circumstances.
Choosing to place a life insurance policy into an ILIT requires attention to gift tax rules, transfer timing, and trust terms that govern distributions to beneficiaries. Our firm discusses how trustee selection, beneficiary designations, and trust provisions affect control and flexibility. We also explain how ILITs interact with other estate planning tools such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and powers of attorney. Because state and federal rules affect outcomes, careful drafting and ongoing administration are essential. This page outlines what to expect during setup and later trust administration for clients in Larchmont and the surrounding Los Angeles communities.
An ILIT plays a specific role in preserving life insurance proceeds for intended beneficiaries while removing those proceeds from an estate for tax purposes. This can lower estate tax exposure, ensure orderly distribution of insurance benefits, and protect assets from probate delays. For families with blended relationships, minor children, or significant business interests, an ILIT can provide control over timing and conditions of distributions. In addition, an ILIT may shield proceeds from creditors under certain circumstances, and it can be coordinated with retirement plan trusts, special needs trusts, and other arrangements to meet multi-generational goals and long-term family needs.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman assists clients across California with tailored estate planning, including trusts and life insurance planning. We emphasize thorough client interviews, thoughtful drafting, and practical administration guidance to help families implement durable plans that align with their priorities. Our approach balances legal considerations with family dynamics, tax planning, and future flexibility. We prepare documents such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, certification of trust, and related trust instruments to integrate an ILIT smoothly with your broader estate plan and address matters like guardianship nominations and HIPAA authorizations.
An ILIT is a trust designed specifically to own life insurance policies, receive policy proceeds, and distribute those proceeds according to trust terms. By transferring ownership of a policy to the trust, the insured can remove the death benefit from their taxable estate, subject to timing and gift tax rules. The trust is irrevocable, meaning the grantor gives up ownership and certain controls over the policy once the transfer is complete. Trustees then manage premium payments and distributions. Proper funding, trustee selection, and policy assignment language are essential to ensure the ILIT functions as intended under federal and state rules.
Setting up an ILIT involves coordinating with insurance carriers to transfer ownership, documenting any gifts used to pay premiums, and drafting trust provisions that reflect your distribution objectives. Grantors must consider how premium contributions are treated for gift tax purposes and how the three-year look-back rule may affect estate inclusion if the grantor retains incidents of ownership. Trustees are responsible for paying premiums, handling claims, and making distributions according to the trust document. Ongoing administration, clear recordkeeping, and prudent communication with trustees and beneficiaries help preserve the ILIT’s intended benefits.
An irrevocable life insurance trust is a legal entity created to own and administer life insurance policies for the benefit of designated beneficiaries. Its primary function is to hold the insurance policy outside the owner’s taxable estate and to distribute proceeds in a controlled manner after the insured’s death. The trust document sets out powers and restrictions for the trustee, specifies beneficiaries and distribution conditions, and outlines administrative duties such as premium payments and claims handling. Because the trust is irrevocable, it offers less flexibility than revocable arrangements but can deliver significant planning benefits when implemented correctly.
Important elements in creating an ILIT include the trust agreement language, selection of a trustee, transfer of existing policies or purchase of new policies by the trust, and documentation of premium funding. The process begins with consultation to identify goals, followed by drafting the trust, transferring policies or arranging trust ownership with carriers, and establishing a system for funding premiums. Trustees must keep records of gifts used to pay premiums and follow the trust terms for distributions. Coordination with other estate planning documents ensures consistency across powers of attorney, wills, and other trusts such as special needs or retirement plan trusts.
Understanding the terminology associated with ILITs helps clarify decisions and expectations. Common terms include grantor, trustee, beneficiary, incidents of ownership, gift tax, estate tax inclusion, and premium funding. Familiarity with these words makes it easier to evaluate trust provisions, draft clear distribution instructions, and assess tax implications. This section provides straightforward definitions and practical notes so you can follow discussions about trust drafting, administration, and interactions with other estate planning tools such as a pour-over will, certification of trust, or special needs trust.
The grantor is the person who creates the trust and typically transfers the insurance policy or funds into the ILIT. The trustee is the individual or institution tasked with managing the trust assets, paying premiums, filing claims, and following distribution instructions in the trust document. Trustees have fiduciary duties to act in beneficiaries’ best interests and must keep accurate records of premium funding and trust activity. Choosing a trustee involves weighing reliability, available time, and familiarity with trust administration, as the trustee will carry out ongoing duties after the grantor’s death or incapacity.
Incidents of ownership refer to rights that, if retained by the insured at death, can cause life insurance proceeds to be included in the insured’s estate for tax purposes. These incidents can include the ability to change beneficiaries, surrender the policy, or borrow against it. To avoid estate inclusion, the grantor should relinquish such rights when transferring a policy to an ILIT. If incidents of ownership are retained or if the transfer occurs within three years of death, the proceeds may still be included in the estate, highlighting the importance of timing and careful transfer documentation.
When funds are transferred to an ILIT to cover premiums, those transfers may be treated as gifts to the trust beneficiaries. Annual gift tax exclusion amounts can apply if the trust is structured properly and beneficiaries have a present interest in the gift. Properly drafting trust provisions and documenting gifts helps ensure compliance with tax rules. If the grantor makes larger contributions, planning for gift tax returns and potential use of unified credit may be required. Clear recordkeeping is important to track contributions and demonstrate the intended tax treatment of premium payments.
Trust administration includes paying premiums, filing claims, managing investments held by the trust, and making distributions according to the trust’s terms. Trustees must follow the trust document and applicable law while maintaining accurate financial records. Distribution provisions can be tailored to pay for education, healthcare, maintenance, or to provide staged distributions over time. Administrative clarity helps avoid disputes among beneficiaries and supports the efficient handling of policy proceeds, ensuring that funds are available when needed and allocated in a manner consistent with the grantor’s wishes.
When evaluating an ILIT, compare it to alternatives such as leaving a policy in the estate, using a revocable living trust, or employing beneficiary designations without a trust. Placing a policy into an ILIT can remove proceeds from the taxable estate, while leaving a policy with personal ownership may increase estate tax exposure. A revocable living trust offers flexibility during life but does not remove a life insurance death benefit from an estate if the owner retains ownership. Understanding these differences helps determine whether an ILIT aligns with your tax planning, asset protection, and family distribution goals.
A limited approach may be suitable when total assets fall well below estate tax thresholds and the family’s distribution needs are straightforward. In such cases, keeping a policy owned personally with direct beneficiary designations can deliver proceeds without the administrative complexity of a trust. If beneficiaries are financially responsible adults and the estate administration process is not expected to create significant delays, a simpler setup can reduce legal costs and ongoing trust administration duties while still providing resources to loved ones after your death.
When life insurance needs are temporary or policy values are modest, transferring a policy to an ILIT may not be cost-effective. For example, short-term coverage for a mortgage or small policies intended to cover immediate expenses could be handled with beneficiary designations and other straightforward arrangements. In such situations, avoiding the complexity of an irrevocable trust may be appropriate, but it remains important to review beneficiary designations, coordinate with existing estate documents, and maintain clear instructions so that proceeds are distributed as intended.
Comprehensive legal planning is often advisable when family circumstances are complex, such as blended families, minor beneficiaries, or beneficiaries with special needs. An ILIT can be drafted to coordinate with special needs trusts, guardianship nominations, or retirement plan trusts to provide protected income and preserve eligibility for public benefits. Thorough legal planning ensures trust provisions reflect nuanced goals, reduces the potential for disputes, and allows for tailored distribution mechanisms that respond to changing family and financial conditions over time.
When estates are sizeable or include business interests, comprehensive planning helps mitigate taxes and preserve continuity. An ILIT can be integrated with business succession planning, retirement plan trusts, and other estate documents to achieve cohesive outcomes. Detailed analysis of ownership, liquidity needs, and timing ensures that life insurance proceeds support estate settlement costs, buy-sell agreements, or legacy goals without unintended tax consequences. Careful drafting and coordination help align insurance arrangements with broader wealth preservation strategies and intergenerational transfer plans.
A comprehensive approach ties the ILIT to other estate planning tools to promote consistency, reduce uncertainty, and enhance the likelihood that your wishes are honored. Coordinating documents such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and HIPAA authorizations ensures that beneficiaries receive a clear roadmap for accessing assets and information. This holistic strategy can reduce probate exposure, align beneficiary designations with trust terms, and provide trustees with clear authority and instructions to manage proceeds responsibly on behalf of heirs.
Integrating an ILIT with retirement plan trusts, special needs trusts, or guardianship nominations addresses specific family and financial realities. It can create liquidity for estate settlement, provide staged distributions to manage long-term needs, and preserve eligibility for public benefits where appropriate. A coordinated plan also streamlines administration and reduces the risk of conflicting instructions among documents. By anticipating potential tax and family dynamics, you can design arrangements that protect your legacy and provide financial security for beneficiaries according to your priorities.
One primary benefit of an ILIT is the potential to remove life insurance proceeds from the grantor’s taxable estate, which can reduce estate tax exposure for larger estates. Additionally, because policy proceeds held by the trust pass according to the trust document rather than through probate, beneficiaries can often receive funds more quickly and with greater privacy. Together, these features help preserve more wealth for heirs and simplify the distribution process, especially when the ILIT is part of a comprehensive plan that anticipates liquidity needs and tax obligations at death.
An ILIT can be tailored to provide distributions according to conditions you set, such as age milestones, educational expenses, or healthcare needs. This control helps ensure that proceeds are used for the intended purposes and reduces the chance of improvident spending by beneficiaries. Trustees can be directed to manage funds conservatively, make periodic payments, or set up mechanisms for legacy gifts. Clear instructions in the trust document support orderly administration and help preserve assets for long-term family goals.
Timing matters when transferring a life insurance policy into an ILIT because transfers made within three years of the insured’s death may still be included in the estate. To preserve the intended benefits, plan transfers well in advance and document all steps carefully. If buying a new policy within the ILIT, coordinate premium funding and beneficiary designations to ensure the trust owns the policy from the outset. Early planning reduces the risk of unintended estate inclusion and provides trustees clarity for future administration and distribution of proceeds.
Selecting a trustee is an important decision because trustees manage premium payments, file claims, and carry out distribution instructions. Choose someone or an institution that will be reliable, organized, and willing to fulfill administrative duties over time. Consider naming successor trustees and providing guidance in the trust document about investment standards and distribution practices. Clear drafting regarding trustee powers and duties reduces ambiguity and helps trustees act confidently in the best interests of beneficiaries while following the grantor’s intent.
Consider an ILIT if you want to remove life insurance proceeds from your estate for tax planning, provide structured distributions to beneficiaries, or ensure that insurance benefits are managed by a neutral party. ILITs are often used by individuals with significant life insurance coverage, blended families, or those seeking to provide for minor children while preserving assets from potential creditor claims. The trust can specify how proceeds are used, whether for education, healthcare, or other needs, giving grantors confidence that funds will support long-term family goals and reduce administrative burdens after death.
You might also consider an ILIT when coordinating business succession plans or when other estate planning documents require liquidity at death. An ILIT can provide funds to cover estate taxes, debts, or buyout obligations so that other assets do not have to be sold at inopportune times. By tying insurance planning to broader estate and business strategies, you can create a cohesive plan that addresses cash flow, transfer of interests, and legacy objectives while maintaining orderly distribution and honoring your specific wishes for beneficiaries.
Typical scenarios where an ILIT proves beneficial include owners of businesses seeking liquidity for buy-sell agreements, families with substantial life insurance holdings concerned about estate taxes, parents who want to control distributions to minor or young adult beneficiaries, and individuals coordinating special needs planning. Other common reasons include protecting proceeds from creditor claims, ensuring privacy in distribution, and aligning insurance proceeds with long-term wealth transfer goals. Each circumstance requires tailored drafting to align trust terms with the intended outcome for beneficiaries.
For business owners, an ILIT can provide the liquidity needed to fund buy-sell agreements or facilitate smooth ownership transitions when a principal passes away. The trust can hold policies that pay into an agreement, giving surviving partners or family members immediate access to funds without relying on selling business assets. Structuring this arrangement requires careful drafting to align trust proceeds with the terms of buy-sell documents and to anticipate potential tax and valuation issues that arise in the context of business succession planning.
Parents who wish to provide for children while controlling timing and conditions of distributions may use an ILIT to hold life insurance proceeds until beneficiaries reach certain ages or milestones. This arrangement helps ensure funds are used for intended purposes like education, housing, or health care. Trust provisions can set out staged distributions, discretionary payments, or provisions for emergencies, offering a structured approach that balances immediate needs with long-term financial stability for the next generation.
When a beneficiary receives means-tested public benefits, distributing life insurance proceeds directly could jeopardize eligibility. An ILIT can be coordinated with a special needs trust or tailored distribution provisions to protect access to benefits while still providing for supplemental needs. Thoughtful drafting and a coordinated plan with other trust documents can ensure that funds are used to enhance quality of life without adversely affecting benefits, addressing concerns of families seeking both protection and support for beneficiaries with disabilities.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman serves clients in Larchmont and throughout Los Angeles County with estate planning services tailored to individual needs. Whether you are considering an ILIT to manage life insurance proceeds or need to coordinate multiple trust instruments, our office can walk you through the legal and administrative steps involved. We provide clear explanations of timing, trustee responsibilities, and tax considerations, and we help prepare related documents such as pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and certifications of trust to ensure cohesive planning across your estate plan.
Clients work with our firm because we offer a measured, practical approach to estate planning that focuses on preventing future problems and preserving family wealth. We listen to your goals, explain likely outcomes under California law, and draft documents that reflect those objectives while coordinating with existing estate plans. Our approach emphasizes clear communication about trustee duties, funding strategies for premiums, and how the ILIT interacts with other legal tools such as revocable living trusts and advance health care directives.
We prioritize thorough documentation and transparent administration guidance so trustees and beneficiaries understand their rights and responsibilities. From drafting the trust document to advising on policy transfers and premium funding, we aim to reduce uncertainty and streamline trust administration. Our office helps clients anticipate potential challenges, like timely transfers and gift tax reporting, and provides practical solutions to align the ILIT with broader objectives such as business succession or special needs planning.
Whether you live in Larchmont or elsewhere in Los Angeles County, we strive to make the planning process accessible and understandable. We coordinate estate planning components, including pour-over wills, certification of trust, and guardianship nominations, to ensure a cohesive plan. Our goal is to leave you with a durable, well-documented arrangement that gives confidence about the distribution and protection of life insurance proceeds for your beneficiaries.
Our process begins with a detailed consultation to identify your objectives, family circumstances, and existing estate documents. We then propose a trust structure tailored to your goals and draft an ILIT that aligns with applicable tax and trust rules. After you review and sign the documents, we assist with policy transfers or new policy ownership arrangements, and we provide trustees with instructions and recordkeeping templates. Post-formation, we can help with annual administration tasks, premium funding strategies, and any necessary amendments to related estate planning documents.
During the first stage we gather financial and family information, review existing policies and estate documents, and clarify the objectives for the ILIT. Based on that information we draft trust terms that address beneficiary designations, distribution criteria, trustee powers, and premium funding arrangements. This stage includes discussing potential tax implications and timing considerations, so you understand how transfers and ownership changes will affect estate inclusion and gift tax treatment. The result is a tailored trust ready for execution and funding.
We collect details about existing life insurance policies, intended beneficiaries, and relevant family circumstances to ensure the trust document reflects your goals. Discussing anticipated uses for proceeds—such as education, estate liquidity, or support for dependents—helps shape distribution language and trustee responsibilities. We also review related documents like wills, revocable living trusts, and beneficiary designations to avoid conflicts and to integrate the ILIT seamlessly into your broader plan.
Based on your objectives we draft trust provisions that clarify trustee powers, distribution standards, successor trustee appointments, and administrative procedures. Drafting includes language to minimize estate inclusion risks and address premium funding logistics. We also prepare templates and checklists for trustees to use when managing premiums, recording gifts, and handling claims, which supports consistent administration and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings among beneficiaries.
After the trust is executed, the next step is to transfer an existing policy into the ILIT or arrange for the trust to own a newly issued policy. This involves coordination with the insurance carrier to change ownership and possibly beneficiary designations consistent with trust terms. We guide you through the necessary forms, verify that the transfer is completed correctly, and advise on premium funding mechanics to ensure the trust can meet ongoing obligations without unintended tax consequences.
We work with insurance carriers to ensure ownership and beneficiary changes are properly recorded and that the policy is recognized as trust property. This may require submitting the trust document, assignment forms, and carrier-specific paperwork. Clear coordination prevents administrative errors that could undermine the ILIT’s intended benefits. We confirm that the carrier’s records reflect the trust as owner and that future notices are directed appropriately so trustees can manage premiums and claims effectively.
Establishing a reliable method for funding premiums is essential to keep the policy in force. We advise on approaches such as annual gifts to the trust, gift-splitting with a spouse when applicable, and maintaining ledgers of premium funding. Documenting each contribution and keeping receipts helps demonstrate the tax treatment of gifts and supports later administration. Trustees should be instructed on how to apply funds and maintain accurate records for potential audits or beneficiary inquiries.
Once the ILIT is in place, ongoing administration includes premium payments, investment oversight for trust assets, claims processing, and distributions as directed. Our office provides trustees with guidance for recordkeeping, annual administration tasks, and how to respond to beneficiary inquiries. We can assist with periodic reviews to ensure the trust continues to meet objectives, and we help with any necessary coordination with other estate documents or beneficiary-related matters to maintain a cohesive estate plan.
Annual reviews help ensure premium funding remains on track and that trustees are meeting reporting and administrative duties. We provide templates for ledgers and advice on preserving documentation for gifts, premium payments, and correspondence with the insurer. Regular check-ins can also identify if changes in law, family circumstances, or policy performance warrant adjustments to related estate planning documents or funding strategies to preserve intended outcomes.
When the insured dies, trustees must file the claim, collect proceeds, and distribute them in accordance with trust terms. We assist trustees with claim paperwork, administration of proceeds, and resolving any disputes among beneficiaries. Clear instructions in the trust and organized records streamline this process, helping trustees fulfill their duties and ensuring distributions align with the grantor’s wishes while maintaining compliance with applicable law and trust provisions.
An irrevocable life insurance trust is a trust created to own a life insurance policy and manage the insurance proceeds for named beneficiaries. By transferring ownership of a policy into the trust, the death benefit can generally be kept out of the grantor’s taxable estate, assuming the transfer and ownership rules are followed. The trust document specifies how proceeds will be distributed and who will serve as trustee to manage premiums, claims, and distributions. This structure provides control over timing and purpose of payments to beneficiaries after the insured’s death. Setting up an ILIT involves drafting a trust agreement, transferring policy ownership, and establishing a funding mechanism for premiums. The trustee is responsible for paying premiums and administering distributions under the trust terms. Proper documentation of transfers and gifts is important for tax and administrative clarity. Because timing and incidents of ownership affect tax treatment, early planning and careful coordination with insurance carriers and trustees are essential to achieve the intended benefits.
Transferring a life insurance policy to an ILIT can be treated as a taxable gift depending on how the transfer is structured and whether premiums are paid by the grantor. If the grantor transfers ownership of an existing policy, that transfer may be considered a gift equal to the policy’s value. However, annual gift tax exclusions can apply when the grantor makes gifts to the trust to fund premiums, provided beneficiaries have a present interest in the gift. Documenting these gifts and following required procedures helps establish the intended tax treatment. When planning transfers, it is important to account for potential gift tax reporting and to consider strategies like gift splitting between spouses if applicable. For larger transfers, thoughtful planning may be needed to use applicable exclusions or exemptions efficiently. Clear recordkeeping and timely filing of any required tax returns protect the intended outcomes and support the administration of the ILIT over time.
An ILIT can help reduce estate tax exposure by keeping life insurance proceeds out of the grantor’s taxable estate if the trust is properly structured and ownership is transferred outside the three-year look-back period. In California, state estate taxes do not apply, but federal estate taxes may affect larger estates. Removing life insurance proceeds from the estate can provide liquidity to pay taxes, debts, or other settlement costs without requiring sale of assets. This strategy is especially relevant for individuals with significant assets or business interests. To ensure the benefit is realized, transfers must be completed in a way that avoids retention of incidents of ownership and must observe timing rules. Coordinating the ILIT with the broader estate plan and maintaining good records for premium funding and trust administration helps support the intended tax treatment and provides clarity at the time of estate settlement.
Choosing a trustee involves balancing reliability, administrative capability, and impartiality. A trustee may be a trusted family member, friend, or a professional fiduciary, depending on the complexity of the trust and the parties involved. Important considerations include willingness to serve, ability to manage financial matters, and capacity to maintain records and communicate with beneficiaries. Naming successor trustees and providing clear guidance reduces the risk of administrative gaps over time. When selecting a trustee, consider the trust’s likely duties such as premium payments, recordkeeping, claims processing, and making discretionary distributions. If these responsibilities are likely to be time-consuming or contentious, appointing a neutral third party or institutional trustee may provide continuity and reduce family friction. Clear trustee powers and compensation provisions in the trust document help ensure proper administration.
Yes, an ILIT can be coordinated with a special needs trust to support a beneficiary who receives means-tested public benefits. Because direct distributions to a beneficiary receiving benefits could affect eligibility, the ILIT can be designed to direct funds to a special needs trust or to provide for supplemental needs without counting as income for benefit purposes. Drafting should be coordinated carefully to ensure the trusts complement one another and that distributions do not inadvertently jeopardize benefits. Coordination requires precise language and planning so trustees understand how to make distributions that enhance quality of life without affecting public benefits. Working with counsel who understands special needs planning and trust terminology ensures the arrangement meets both the grantor’s intentions and the beneficiary’s financial protections over time.
If you transfer a policy to an ILIT within three years of your death, federal rules may cause the policy proceeds to be included in your gross estate. This three-year look-back period applies to transfers of life insurance policies and can undermine the estate tax benefit of the ILIT if the insured dies too soon after transfer. For this reason, many clients plan transfers well in advance to avoid estate inclusion under these rules. When transfers occur within the look-back period, alternative strategies or planning steps may be considered to mitigate potential tax consequences. Documenting the intent behind transfers and reviewing other estate planning tools can help address timing constraints, but the three-year rule highlights the importance of early coordination when an ILIT is part of a tax or liquidity strategy.
Premium payments for policies owned by an ILIT are typically made by the trust or funded by gifts from the grantor to the trust. Properly documenting gifts used to pay premiums is important to establish the intended tax treatment. Annual gift tax exclusions may apply if contributions are structured to provide beneficiaries with a present interest in the trust and if the trust meets certain requirements for distribution or Crummey withdrawal notices, where applicable. Trustees should maintain detailed records of each premium payment and any gifts received for that purpose, including bank statements and correspondence with the insurer. Clear recordkeeping supports transparency for beneficiaries and is important for compliance with gift tax reporting and potential later inquiries by tax authorities.
An ILIT can be used to fund buy-sell agreements by holding policies that provide liquidity when an owner dies. The proceeds can be directed to buy out the deceased owner’s interest, enabling a smoother transition of ownership and helping avoid forced sales of business assets. Structuring such arrangements requires coordination between the buy-sell agreement and the trust terms to ensure proceeds are available and distributed in a manner consistent with the agreement’s requirements. Careful drafting ensures that the trust ownership aligns with valuation and payment mechanisms in the buy-sell agreement. Planning should also account for tax consequences for the business and the deceased owner’s estate, so the ILIT functions as a predictable source of funds to meet succession objectives without unintended legal or tax complications.
Trustees should keep thorough records including copies of the trust document, policy ownership documents, premium payment ledgers, gift documentation, correspondence with the insurance company, and records of distributions. Maintaining clear financial records and receipts for gifts used to pay premiums helps demonstrate compliance with tax rules and supports accurate administration. Trustees should also retain copies of any tax filings related to gifts or trust administration to address future inquiries or beneficiary questions. Organized recordkeeping simplifies annual reviews and reduces the likelihood of disputes among beneficiaries. Trustees should also document decisions about investments, distributions, and communications with beneficiaries. Providing successors with complete records at the time of trustee replacement helps preserve continuity and supports faithful implementation of the grantor’s wishes.
To start creating an ILIT in Larchmont, schedule an initial consultation to discuss your goals, current policies, and family circumstances. During that meeting we will review existing estate planning documents, assess tax and administration considerations, and outline options for trust drafting and policy transfers. Gathering policy information, beneficiary designations, and details about intended uses for proceeds helps expedite the planning process and supports precise drafting of the trust document. After the initial planning session, we prepare the trust document and provide guidance on how to transfer ownership or establish new policies in the trust’s name. We also advise on premium funding strategies, trustee selection, and related documents such as pour-over wills or powers of attorney to ensure a cohesive estate plan. Ongoing support for trustees and periodic reviews help maintain alignment with your objectives over time.
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