The duties of a trustee has been covered by this blog in the past. Long time readers will know that a trustee has a duty under the law to communicate with beneficiaries and keep them reasonably informed as to the progress of the trust administration. In Texas, trustees are required to provide annual accounting of the […]
While the term “fiduciary” is a legal term with a long history, it very generally means someone who is legally obligated to act in another person’s best interests. Trustees, executors, and agents are all examples of fiduciaries. When you pick trustees, executors, and agents in your estate plan, you’re picking one or more people to make […]
The short answer to the title question is yes, your trust can own your business after you die. The longer legal answer is there are a number of considerations that may impact your trust’s ability to own a business after your death. One such consideration is the type of business interest you own. Is the business […]
For LGBTQ+ Americans, estate planning can be even more important. Despite same-sex marriages being legally recognized since 2015, couples composed of sexual and gender minorities still face estate planning challenges not encountered by other “traditional” same-sex couples. Issues such as unaccepting family members, child adoption by nonbiological parents, and LGBTQ+ couples living together unmarried underscore the […]
People who have accumulated a substantial amount of wealth during their lifetime are often reluctant to disclose the full extent of their wealth to their children. Although there may be a number of good reasons for high-net-worth individuals to create a trust with their children as beneficiaries, the phrase “trust fund baby” immediately brings to mind […]
A trustee usually has quite a bit of discretion in their management of a trust’s accounts, money, and property (known as assets). At the same time, as a fiduciary, a trustee also owes the trust’s beneficiaries a duty of loyalty, which prohibits the trustee from self-dealing. This blog has touched on a trustee’s fiduciary duty to […]
With couples of similar ages, planning for the future is naturally a joint effort. However, if your marriage has a sizeable age gap, meaning you are married to someone who is significantly older or younger than you, the future can look different and mean different things to each of you. To protect yourself, your spouse, and […]
Fellow Americans, every year we gather to cheer on teams as they battle on the gridiron. But now that the haze of Superbowl fever has lifted, let’s turn out attention to an interesting intersection of America’s favorite sport and estate law. In June 2019, Paw Bowlen, the owner of the Denver Bronco’s died. With no named […]
