
An Irrevocable Trust may be a Good Idea
Like a lot of estate planning vehicles, irrevocable trusts work very well for some purposes—particularly for tax avoidance and asset protection—and not so well for other purposes.

Like a lot of estate planning vehicles, irrevocable trusts work very well for some purposes—particularly for tax avoidance and asset protection—and not so well for other purposes.

Let’s start with the numbers: 10 and 1,000,000,000,000. Over this decade, $1 trillion is expected to change hands through inheritance. The majority of that will end up in the hands of baby boomers. While one study found that the average inheritance was only $50,000, there will be a lot of inheritances in the $1 million-plus range.

If you are the parent of a person with special needs, you are well aware that the role you play is very different than it may be for other children. Properly planning to meet their financial needs, both in the immediate and long term, is a critical part of supporting your child. This support must often continue well past the typical age of adulthood, which means parents need to put in place financial tools to care for their children, in the event of the parents’ death.

Using the equity in your residence is a method many people use to raise cash. There are several methods that a homeowner may use to tap into this income vein, but some may be better suited than others. One popular option—that often fills the airwaves with commercials—is the reverse mortgage. However, while popular, this may not be the best choice for many homeowners.