A Living Trust is most often used as a substitute for a Will. It allows you to manage the distribution of your estate with a lower cost. It also protects your privacy because it never has to be filed in court. A Living Trust does not need to go through probate, so you will not necessarily need an attorney to settle the Living Trust. Though an attorney might be helpful in many of the situations, you can perform some of the administrative functions on your own to save some of the costs. The Living Trust will also ensure that you are maximizing the value of your exemptions to protect you from estate taxes.

Currently, we work with The Estate Plan® to prepare a lot of our documentation. We have been affiliated with The Estate Plan® for several years and believe that they offer one of the best Living Trusts available.

Please remember, that an attorney is the one that needs to consult with you to determine what documentation you will need, and to make recommendations for the best type of estate planning devices for your situation. General articles in a book, on a website or advice from friends, family and financial planners can be good starting points. However, they should not be used a substitute for a proper analysis of your situation. They should be used to frame the conversation with your attorney.