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Home » Article » Responsible Legal Relationship Discussed by LA Probate Law

Responsible Legal Relationship Discussed by LA Probate Law

October 21, 2015Article

Responsible Legal Relationship Discussed by LA Probate Law

Understanding what a trustee is also goes hand in hand with having a thorough grasp of their duties and the powers they wield. This is a fiduciary that is whose responsibility is to oversee the management of any property owned by a trust. Making a wise choice now can save trouble later. When creating an estate plan, you want to minimize infighting among beneficiaries if often a top priority. One good way to do this is to choose a trustworthy, competent fiduciary. “Fiduciary” is a general term for someone you designate to manage your affairs for you in the event of your death or incapacity, such as an Executor or Trustee. Your fiduciary has a special duty to do what is best for you and your estate and must follow the distribution scheme established by your Will or Trust. Your fiduciary should be someone you trust completely explains LA Probate Law.

Fiduciary

A fiduciary can be a person or institution that you trust would act in your best interest when you need help. Fiduciaries can include attorneys, bankers, business advisers, mortgage brokers, real estate agents etc. When you plan your estate, you’ll need to name several fiduciaries. Your attorney can advise you how to choose the following fiduciaries from among your acquaintances, friends and relatives. The fiduciary duty is a legal relationship, obligation and trust to act in the best interest of the beneficiary. The fiduciary or trustee, must employ undivided loyalty to the beneficiaries concerning all matters related to their trust and will be held accountable if he or she acts adverse or contrary to the interest of this relationship. Unfortunately, while trustees often do an acceptable job of completing basic tasks, conflicts and problems can arise when trustees don’t understand where their loyalties should be and how do deal with the complex financial issues that can come with the job explains LA Probate Law. The fiduciary can delegate some of the duties to others, but this depends on the state law as well as the terms of agreement with the trust. This may involve hiring a financial adviser to manage some of the investments or have a property manager to oversee the management of rental property.


Trustee

Selecting a Trustee is a vital part of estate planning whenever a trust is used. This person acts as the estate fiduciary and is required to engage in estate settlement proceedings in accordance with directives provided in the last will and testament. A Trustee must be honest, responsible, have a high degree of integrity, and a genuine interest in the welfare of the trust and the beneficiaries. It is also very important that the Fiduciary has experience in the investment of assets and management of property to keep the trust income producing says LA Probate Law. There can never be a conflict of interest between a Trustee and the beneficiary. The law forbids a Trustee from acting in an adverse manner contrary to the interest of the beneficiary or from acting in his own benefit in relation to the trust. Trusts are commonly used by attorneys and financial advisors during the estate planning process. They aid in the distribution of assets, ensuring that everything goes to the correct people and entities. A Trustee needs to be established for every kind of trust. These include living, testamentary, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and irrevocable life insurance trusts. Every type includes a Trustee, Trustor, and Beneficiary. Most trust powers are permissive or “discretionary.” Specifically, the trustee is expected to use her own judgment to determine whether an activity should be undertaken. Required acts are considered “imperative” and must be done, unless the trustee is given grounds for deviating from this obligation.

Cannot Find a Reliable Trustee, Now What?

If for some reason your California revocable living trust has no trustee, the trust itself does not fail. However the vacant position must be filled. If you do not have a trusted individual to appoint, there are many other options available to you. A trust company, bank, attorney, or other professional fiduciary may be the right choice for you. You may be asking yourself what the difference is between individual and corporate fiduciaries. If that doesn’t work, then a trust company can fill the vacancy if the company accepts the trust, and all adult beneficiaries agree. The adult beneficiaries must be receiving income, will receive income, or would receive principal if the trust were terminated. If neither method above works, then the court may appoint one.  An interested person or a person named as a trustee in the trust documents may petition the court.  The beneficiaries many nominate someone. While all fiduciaries are entitled to compensation for the work they do, a friend or family member may choose to waive compensation LA Probate Law. However, the person may be inexperienced in financial management, emotionally tied to the trust distributions, or simply too busy to properly administer your trust or estate. The best way to determine which structure is best for you is to speak with your professional business advisors, including your accountant and tax lawyer as well as any other financial advisors that you might have. Your advisors will be able to work with you to devise the best business structure that will meet your intentions and the needs of the business.

Responsible Legal Relationship Discussed by LA Probate Law

 

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Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
A graduate of Boston University School of Law, Scott P. Schomer is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and elder law issues, having discussed these important issues on local and national television. A seasoned courtroom advocate, Scott has obtained combined judgments and verdicts in excess of twenty-five million dollars for his clients. Scott has served as a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel (PVP Attorney), Probate Settlement Panel and a Judge Pro Tempore. Scott's expertise has been recognized by his peers with such accolades as a life-time membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Five Star Wealth Manager designation, and repeated nominations as California Super Lawyer.
Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
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