Marital Trust Planning – Making the Most of Your Money

Marital Trust planning is essential for all those couples that are worried about protecting surviving members of the family, especially children, and avoiding estate taxation.


Marital Trust planning may be the using trusts to offer the goals of asset preservation and family protection. The definition of, “Marital Trust” is employed in this post to discuss both marital trusts and non-marital trusts

Just what is a Marital Trust? There are essentially three varieties of marital trusts. QTIP (Qualified Terminal Interest Property) Trusts, Estate Trusts and General Power of Appointment Trusts. Each includes a specific targeted goal, but the reasons why someone would look at a Marital Trust is always to provide for their surviving spouse and youngsters.

A QTIP Trust, generally, is funded upon the death of 1 spouse and directs payments appealing income on a minimum of once a year basis for the surviving spouse. The remainder within the trust then passes upon the death in the surviving spouse for the kids of the first Grantor. The advantage of this trust is that it allows someone with children from your previous marriage in order that those children are provided for, while providing for any surviving spouse. An Estate Trust essentially will the same thing, but necessitates the remainder to become passed through the surviving spouse’s estate, giving the surviving spouse greater discretion within the allocation in the original asset. A General Power of Appointment Trust is appropriate in case there are no children and provide the surviving spouse accessibility to the full amount within the trust during their lifetime.

The most crucial part of a Glbt estate planning to recollect is that it doesn’t shield assets from estate taxation. They simply postpone the taxation event until the death in the surviving spouse, nevertheless there is a unlimited marital exemption upon the death in the first spouse. Assets in the marital trust pass at the mercy of any applicable estate tax guidelines. This is very essential for QTIP Trusts as they may have assets earmarked for the children in the Grantor, but are potentially diminished by estate taxation. To shield assets from estate taxation, you need a Glbt estate planning.

Just what is a Non-Marital Trust? Non-Marital Trusts tend to be known as “Credit Shelter Trusts” or “Bypass Trusts.” These trusts permit the Grantor to provide income to their surviving spouse, while ultimately passing assets for the Grantor’s children

Bypass Trusts are irrevocable trusts which can be created during the use of the Grantor or in the Grantor’s Last Will and Testament. If they may be created in a Grantor’s Will, they become irrevocable upon the death in the grantor. The trust is funded with the amount corresponding to the annual exclusion applicable around in the Grantor’s death. In 2017, the annual exclusion amount is $5.49 million dollars. A surviving spouse can have entry to interest income from the trust along with the trust principal, but only for that surviving spouse’s health, education, maintenance or support. Upon the death in the surviving spouse, the trust remainder passes for the original Grantor’s children tax free.

One important note with Bypass Trusts is that the IRS includes a three year reminisce period for tax free transfers. That means that in the event the surviving spouse dies within 3 years in the original Grantor’s death, the assets will probably be at the mercy of estate taxation. Also, if your family residence is transferred into a Bypass Trust, it’ll get the stepped-up value by the date in the Grantor’s death. However, in the event the worth of the residence continues to increase, any gain attributed from the date in the Grantor’s death for the distribution to beneficiaries will probably be at the mercy of capital gains tax. A Bypass Trust cannot claim the $250,000.00 personal capital gains exemption.

Surviving spouses tend to be named as trustees, making compliance with tax requirement critical both in the drafting of Bypass Trusts along with their execution following the original Grantor’s death. That’s why it is crucial to talk with the experienced estate planning attorney when considering Marital and Non-Marital Trusts. Remember which a strong basic estate program’s also a must for any family.

For more information, email me at [email protected] or visit www.timeforfamilies.com.

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About the Author: Valerie Clancy

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