Most people that come into our office expect to need a “simple” estate plan. Usually, they mean a will, power of attorneys, and a living will. No trust, no tax planning, and no trust provisions for their children or other family members. Perhaps the initial motivator for this is the lower cost, but also the understandable desire to avoid taking the time and energy to understand the workings of a more complex estate plan.
First of all, of course simple plans are less expensive and easier to understand. However simple estate plans are usually for small, straight forward estates. Small usually meaning an entire estate worth less than 100-150 thousand, and straightforward meaning married couple with adult, healthy children with no complications. Most couples estates are worth more than the smaller, especially when you consider that your estate consists of EVERYTHING you own (Life insurance, real property/homes, cars, personal property, retirement accounts, bank accounts, etc. Also, if you have children, grandchildren, or others that you care about and wish to see benefit from your estate, a simple plan offers absolutely no assurance that that will happen.
Here’s a couple of brief examples:
- John dies and leaves all of his assets to his wife Jessica. They have one child, Joe. A few years later, Jessica marries Jack, and they buy a house together with Jessica’s money, and she names Jack as the beneficiary of the IRA that she rolled over from John. Jessica then dies, with a Will that names Joe as the sole beneficiary. However, despite what the Will says, her second husband Jack gets the house, the IRA, and under Oklahoma law, one-half of all other property. John and Jane’s son, Joe, is left with little of her estate.
- Lisse has three adult children, Larry, Louise, and Lisa. Louise and Lonnie each have two children of their own. Lisse’s Will provides that each shall receive one-third of the estate. Lisse dies, and each child receives $250,000. Larry uses the money to buy a home with his wife. They then divorce, and the judge awards her the house in the divorce settlement. He is left with nothing of Lisse’s original estate. Louise uses the money to start a business, risky since she has little business sense or experience. The business fails, and she and her children are left with nothing. Lisa puts the money in a savings account in his name, but his Will provides that her husband gets everything. Lisa dies, and a couple of years later her husband remarries. Sometime after that he dies, and the new wife gets everything, and leaves nothing for Lisa’s children. After all of these events, Lisse’s children and grandchildren are left with nothing of the original estate.
These types of circumstances occur everyday and impact many, many families. Second marriages are very common, and as a consequence, children and grandchildren are unintentionally disinherited, and in-laws, spouses or ex-spouses, and creditors end up with the family legacy.
How do you prevent these types of things from happening? Call our office today about using a trust or multiple trusts as part of your overall estate plan. It will cost a bit more (at this time, but do not forget it skips probate costs), and take some more time to implement, but the savings and peace of mind can be priceless.
