Trust and Estates Newsletters

Descent and Distribution, Generally

Traditionally, a state statute of descent and distribution provides the order of preference for disposal of an intestate’s net estate. As a general rule, the person or persons with the highest rank in the order of preference who survive the intestate take all of the intestate’s net estate.

How to Revoke a Power of Attorney for Finances

To revoke a power of attorney for finances, you can either destroy all copies of the document or execute a notice of revocation. Execution has a few technical requirements that must be complied with before revocation can be regarded as legally valid and it is the preferred method because it generates proof of revocation.

Inheritance Without Planning Means No Provisions Beyond the Default Plan

When a person dies intestate (without making and leaving a will), each state provides a default plan (usually known as the statute of descent and distribution) under which his or her net estate is disposed. When a person dies intestate, there is no adding of provisions beyond the default plan. The default plan is only the default plan and nothing more. This article discusses the disadvantages of descent and distribution related to the inability to add provisions beyond the default plan.

Trusts, Public and Private – III

An express trust is either public or private. A public trust, also known as a charitable trust, is an express trust created for a charitable purpose. If an express trust is not a charitable trust, it is deemed to be a private trust. A private trust is an express trust created to benefit a few persons. This article discusses some aspects of public and private trusts.

Voting Trusts

The special purpose served with a voting trust is to transfer the right to vote shares of stock without losing control of the stock itself or any other rights associated with it, such as appreciation, dividends or other distributions. The voting trust is most often used with closely held companies where it is deemed advisable to allow one or more specific individuals to vote the stock. It is the trustee of the voting trust who is entitled to vote the stock held in the trust, and thus the individuals who are to have the vote will be appointed as the trustees of the voting trust.