SimplyTrust Knowledge Base

Serving as a trustee? Here’s a comprehensive trustee checklist to guide you through every responsibility—from asset management to beneficiary communication.

Explore the 2025 tax law changes, new estate tax reliefs, and opportunities for high-income earners in estate and tax planning.

The IRS can grant retroactive QEF election in case of professional oversight, offering relief to taxpayers with foreign investments.

Estate planning is back in the limelight with Trump’s new tax reforms. What does this mean for your wealth transfer strategy?

Unpacking L-Day: A deep dive into the changes to Inheritance Tax and Property Reliefs, and what they mean for you and your estate.

Understanding how splitting assets in divorce works can make the divorce process smoother and more equitable.

Oregon’s Rep. Mannix is pushing for ballot initiatives to tighten pretrial release and end estate tax. Your signature could shape legislation.

Learn how inheritance tax impacts your unused pension funds and death benefits in our easy-to-understand guide on estate planning.

New tax laws could offer big tax breaks for the wealthy. Understand the implications and how to strategize your estate planning.

Estate planning for grandchildren can be a joy. Thoughtful planning today can nurture their dreams tomorrow.

What happens without an estate plan? Not having a trust or will can lead to delays, disputes, and unintended outcomes.

Adding pets to estate plans: you can’t leave your dog or cat a credit card, but you can make sure they’re taken care of forever.

Discover how trusts for small business can protect your legacy, simplify succession, and reduce stress for everyone involved.

Some assets just aren’t trust material. Here’s a list of five assets not for trusts—five things to keep out and why.

An overview of the key differences between simple trusts and complex trusts—how they work and which is better in certain circumstances.

Updating estate plans post-adoption is crucial for protecting a new (or growing) family. Here’s why.

Once the dust settles, revising estate plans post-divorce is a high priority. Because old plans no longer reflect new lives.

Adjusting to a quieter, cleaner household is a good time to tackle estate planning for empty nesters.

Blended families bring love—but also legal complications. Remarrying impacts inheritances, so you have to plan accordingly.

Read about trusts and long-term illness: how trusts can bring stability and support when managing chronic or progressive health conditions.

Understand what really happens after someone passes away, how probate works in plain English, and the practical steps families can take to streamline the process.

Start with the building blocks of a solid estate plan—from key legal terms to choosing fiduciaries—so you can protect your loved ones and your assets with confidence.”

Discover what it means to be a beneficiary in estate planning—understand your rights, responsibilities, and secure your financial future.

Understanding what retirement trusts can do for you starts with recognizing they’re not just for the wealthy. They’re for anyone with retirement savings, property, or investments.

Major life events—marriage, a new baby, buying a home—change your estate-planning needs overnight. Follow our step-by-step guides to keep your plan current at every milestone.

Trusts and marriage belong together. Marriage is the perfect time to think about setting up a trust that includes all of your combined assets, debts, and pets.

Discover how Maya (made-up) navigates her surprising inheritance (also made-up). A practical guide for managing newfound wealth using trusts for inheritance.

Trusts and Medicaid go hand in hand. Trusts offer a way for someone to qualify for Medicaid benefits while also ensuring their legacy.

Compare trusts, wills, and other transfer tools side-by-side, learn when each document makes sense, and see real-world examples that demystify the legal jargon.

Downsizing is about simplifying your life. Trusts are about simplifying your life. It makes perfect sense to use trusts in downsizing.

Putting a house in a trust helps secure your legacy, avoid probate for your loved ones, ensure your privacy, and maintain control over your estate.

Estate planning for a baby can begin as early as you want. The important thing is to get started.

Discover how conservatorship protects those unable to manage their affairs, ensuring financial and personal well-being.

It’s easy to forget passwords for trustees because it’s easy to forget passwords for ourselves. But don’t. Please.

Read about how to protect your privacy in estate planning, especially in a time of rising identity theft threats.

Learn more about inheritance rights and how to protect your legacy and ensure your loved ones’ financial security.

What makes a trust legally binding? We’ve broken it down into eight essential elements or actions.

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. Middle-income Americans can benefit significantly by planning for the future, especially when minimizing taxes. Learn about wills, life insurance, retirement accounts, gifting, and trusts.

Learn the essentials of estate planning and how to secure your future and protect your loved ones. This guide covers key components like wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

Protect your loved ones and your assets by avoiding these common estate planning pitfalls. Learn how to secure your family’s future and ensure your wishes are carried out.

Unmarried couples face unique estate planning challenges. Discover essential estate planning tips for unmarried couples.

Understand the vital role of beneficiaries in estate planning, ensuring your assets go where you intend—peace of mind awaits!

Discover the power of a letter of intent in estate planning—an emotional roadmap for your loved ones during difficult times.

Explore the Great Wealth Transfer: a monumental shift in wealth reshaping financial futures for Baby Boomers and younger generations.

Don’t let your debts burden your loved ones. Discover what happens when you have debt with no legacy plan.

Debt and estate planning: Discover how debt impacts your estate planning and learn strategies to protect your loved ones from financial burdens.

Discover the vital role of power of attorney in safeguarding your interests, while learning about preventing power of attorney abuse.

Heir vs. beneficiary: what’s the difference. While subtle, there are key differences between the two estate planning concepts.

Intestate and probate are important concepts to wrap your head around when trying to make sense of estate planning.

Read about what an attorney-in-fact is (hint: it’s not necessarily an attorney) and why it’s so important in estate planning?

Revocable trusts become irrevocable upon a grantor’s passing. Why? It serves an essential legal and practical purpose.

Call it what you want, but simplify you estate plans with a living revocable trust—control your assets, ensure privacy, and avoid probate.

Read about what a codicil is and how to use it to make amendments, additions, or deletions to an existing will.

Future generations benefiting from the seeds you plant today: that’s the power of estate planning charitable giving.

Life insurance in estate planning can offer security and flexibility that other assets simply can’t match.

High-level takeaway of recent estate plan statistics: only about a third of Americans have an estate plan. Read why.

A power of attorney is crucial legal document for managing financial and healthcare decisions, ensuring peace of mind and future security.

Education trusts secure funds for a child’s schooling, offering control, flexibility, and protection. Here’s a quick overview.

Bypassing probate simplifies estate management, saving time, reducing costs, maintaining privacy, and protecting beneficiaries.

A health care proxy is a legal document appointing someone to make medical decisions for you if you’re incapacitated.

Explore how trusts can hold non-financial assets like artwork and family heirlooms, offering control, protection, and privacy.

Guardianship in estate management is crucial to ensuring loved ones get the care you want them to. Learn about types, importance, and steps.

Advance health care directives are legal documents that outline your medical wishes if you’re unable to communicate them. They offer peace of mind.

A will outlines asset distribution, names guardians for minors, and prevents family disputes. Regular updates ensure it reflects life changes.

A special needs trust provides financial security for individuals with disabilities without affecting government benefits. Learn how they work, their types, and benefits.

Future planning isn’t exciting, and excuses aren’t hard to find. Here are 10 (bad) reasons people delay estate planning.

Wills vs. pour-over wills. Understand the differences between these very different estate management tools.

Life changes and legal updates may necessitate revisiting a trust. Here are 30 reasons to update your trust.

Why funding a trust is so vital. It ensures asset protection, management, and distribution according to your wishes.

Protect your vintage toasters, plan for cryogenic freezing, and fund your iguana’s future by getting a trust.

A pour-over will acts as a safety net, ensuring any assets not initially placed in a living trust transfer over, simplifying estate management.

Estate planning is more than asset distribution. It’s also about protecting beneficiaries from missteps that can threaten their financial security.

The role of trustees is a vital one. They manage and oversee trusts, ensuring assets are handled according to terms for beneficiaries well-being.

An education trust vs. a 529 plan. Which to choose? Education trusts offer flexibility and control for educational expenses, while 529 plans provide tax advantages and simplicity.

Individual trusts provide full control and privacy for a single person, while joint trusts simplify management for couples. Each has unique benefits and drawbacks based on personal circumstances and estate planning goals.

An estate inventory checklist simplifies asset management and distribution. It can help organize personal info, financial accounts, real estate and more.

The role of witnesses in trusts and wills is to help validate the documents, prevent fraud, and avoid legal disputes. They’re an extra layer of protection.

Revocable trusts offer flexibility and control, ideal for managing assets. Irrevocable trusts provide asset protection and estate tax benefits, suitable for long-term planning.

Estate planning is crucial for asset management and family care. Avoid common mistakes like outdated wills, missing trusts, or neglecting digital assets.

Probate is the legal process of distributing assets. It involves validating the will, appraising assets, paying debts, and transferring ownership to beneficiaries.

Contesting a trust or a will involves understanding key differences: legal processes, timing, and complexity. This guide explores crucial distinctions.

A trustee manages a trust’s assets, ensuring they’re used according to the trust’s terms. Learn about trustee types, responsibilities, and how to choose the right one.

Pet trusts ensure your pet’s care after you’re gone. Learn how to create a plan that provides peace of mind.

Funding a trust involves transferring assets into the trust’s name, ensuring proper management, probate avoidance, and potential tax benefits.

Understanding digital assets in estate planning is crucial. From social media to cryptocurrencies, ensure you protect your digital assets by including them in your trust.

What goes in trusts? Almost anything, really, from your home to your grandmother’s tea set to your favorite wrench.

Estate planning evolves with life changes like marriage, divorce, or financial shifts. Regular updates ensure it remains relevant and effective for your family’s needs.

Estate planning ensures your assets are managed and distributed according to your wishes. Learn about wills, trusts, and more.

Trusts help avoid probate by managing and distributing assets privately. They offer control, privacy, and potential tax benefits.

Planning your estate involves choosing between wills and trusts. Understand their differences to make informed decisions for asset management and family care.

Millennials often delay estate planning, but it’s vital for financial security and peace of mind. Learn key steps and tools.

A revocable trust offers flexibility, control, and privacy in estate planning, helping manage assets and avoid probate.

Estate planning involves understanding key terms like assets, beneficiaries, wills, trusts, and probate. This glossary simplifies complex concepts, aiding effective planning and asset protection.

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s essential for everyone to manage assets, protect loved ones, and ensure wishes are fulfilled.

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s vital for everyone to ensure assets are managed and wishes respected.

The GENIUS Act could revolutionize estate planning. Discover how Ethereum might become a key player in your inheritance strategy.

State Rep. Kevin Mannix is making waves in Oregon with his bid to change estate tax laws. Will he succeed?

Protecting separate property in divorce takes smart planning and documentation. Without it, what’s separate can easily turn communal.

Learn about the 10 most common trust mistakes and how to avoid them to protect your assets and ensure your wishes are carried out.

An intriguing look into a Probate Court violation in Indiana and its implications on litigants and trusts.