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Estate Planning for 2012

January 2, 2012

Filed under: Estate Planning,IRA Trust,Stretch IRA — Christopher J. Berry @ 10:24 pm

Estate Planning is a great topic to disccuss in the new year, especially with your family in for the holidays.

One New Year’s resolution you could make is to have your Michigan estate plan reviewed, updated, or (GASP!) done for the first time.  While it’s a great topic to discuss, many families avoid it. However, making sure everything you care about and everyone you loved is taken care of if something were to happen to you is vitally important.

In 2012, we’ve had ever changing tax laws and changes to the Michigan Trust Code in the last 3 years. In addiiton to the changes in law, many baby-boomers are starting to retire and need medical care.  This means its even more important to review your estate plan and consider implementing a Life Care Plan.

One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in our practice and something that will play a large role in 2012 is planning for IRA’s.  Our firm has developed the Standalone Retirement Plan Trust to help protect many people’s largest asset, their IRA or 401k.  The IRA Trust, or Standalone Retirement Plant Trust is a great way to stretch IRA distributions for loved ones after you pass away.

2012 is here.  Make a resoultion that isn’t just short term.  Take some time to speak with a Michigan estate planning attorney

 

Stretch IRA | Standalone Retirement Plan Trust

April 28, 2011

Filed under: IRA Trust,Stretch IRA — Christopher J. Berry @ 11:09 pm

Many Michigan clients are interested in what is known as a “stretch IRA”, where the IRA distributions follow the minimum required distributions.  Often, it is the hope of their children that they will stretch out the distributions, however a “stretch IRA” is really just a regular IRA, that includes certain provisions that make it easier to keep funds in the IRA after the IRA owner dies.  It does not force the “stretch” provisions.

That’s where the Standalone Retirement Plan Trust comes into plan.  The Standalone Retirement Plan Trust or IRA Trust, provides asset protection and can force the stretch IRA provisions, so that Trustee has discretion as opposed to the beneficiary “blowing the stretch” by taking out the distributions.

As one of the few Michigan estate planning law firms offering the IRA Trust or Standalone Retirement Plan Trust, please contact me if you have any questions at (248) 971-1700.  The Standalone Retirement Plan Trust can be a great planning opportunity for larger retirement accounts.


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