The Law Office Of Jacey L. Hayes, A Professional Corporation

Trust administration is the process of managing and distributing a decedent's estate after their passing. It involves a range of legal and financial responsibilities, including notifying beneficiaries, paying debts and taxes, and ensuring assets are distributed according to the terms of the Trust. We guide Trustees through each step with clarity and care, helping the Trustee fulfill their duties while avoiding unnecessary stress or delays.  

We also represent beneficiaries to ensure that their interests are protected. 

If properly funded during life, a Living Trust allows for the transfer of assets at death without a judicial probate.  The avoidance of probate saves your beneficiaries money, time, and public exposure.  A Living Trust is a flexible document that allows you to create a plan for incapacity and death, on your terms.

This document gives the Agent you designate the power to make financial decisions and act on your behalf when you are unable to do so. Since all of your assets should be titled in the name of your Trust, this document covers non-Trust assets such as retirement plan benefits, social security benefits, credit cards, tax returns, and insurance.

An Advance Health Care Directive allows you to make important medical decisions ahead of time, ensuring your wishes are respected if you're ever unable to communicate them yourself. This document allows you to appoint one or more trusted individuals to make health care choices on your behalf and outlines your preferences for treatment, life support, and end-of-life care. It's a vital part of any comprehensive estate plan.

In the unlikely event that you cannot care for your child, do not leave it to the courts to determine who should be your minor child's guardian without hearing from you.  This important document not only provides guidance to the court, but also expresses your wishes for how you want your child to be raised. 

An Irrevocable Trust is a key estate planning tool that can help protect assets, reduce estate taxes, and provide lasting support for your loved ones. Unlike Revocable Trusts, the terms of an Irrevocable Trust generally cannot be changed once it's created, offering greater asset protection and tax benefits. Common types include Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), which remove life insurance from your taxable estate, and Gift Trusts, which allow you to make structured, tax-efficient gifts to children or other beneficiaries. These trusts can be a strategic way to preserve wealth and carry out your long-term wishes.

All of the other essential documents really reduce the likelihood of needing a court-appointed conservator.  However, in the off chance that you do become incapacitated and need a court- appointed conservator, this document provides guidance to the court on who should be appointed to manage your non-trust assets and your personal care.  

A Pour Over Will hopefully never sees the light of day.  It allows for assets to be added to your Living Trust through the judicial probate process.  Properly fund your Living Trust and make your Will obsolete!