Episode 13. Should You Make a Living Trust?

Описание: Incapacity planning, avoiding probate (even in multiple states), remarriage/second-family protections, and keeping your affairs private all impact this important decision. Find out whether a Living Trust or a Will is right for you.

In this episode, Attorney Jesse Bifulco, founder of LifeCounsel®, presents a decision tree—illustrated with real life scenarios to help you choose between a living trust and a will.

Clear, plain-English guidance so you can protect your people, your property, and your wishes.

📌 You’ll learn:

✅ When a living trust works during life (and why a will doesn’t) for incapacity
✅ How a trust can avoid guardianship/conservatorship and step in automatically
✅ The real cost of probate—and why multiple states can mean multiple probates
✅ Funding a trust: What it means and why an unfunded trust won’t help
✅ Using a trust to protect children in second marriages or non-married partnerships
✅ How a trust keeps your plan private and reduces contests & scams
✅ A quick decision checklist to know if you should choose a living trust over a will

🎯 In this episode:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 Should You Make a Living Trust Central to Your Estate Plan?
02:09 What a Living Trust Really Is (and Why It Matters)
07:13 Story 1: The Tug of War Over Mom’s Checkbook
12:12 Lessons for Judy
15:18 Living Trust vs Power of Attorney
17:14 Why Report Your Financial Information to your Attorney
19:02 Story 2: The Snowbirds and the Three-State Probate
21:36 Audit Checks that Weight Toward Living Trust
23:29 Story 3: The Looting of the Estate
28:31 Remarriage Protection
29:49 Public Record Vulnerability
33:04 Story 4: The Coffee Couple and the Power of Privacy
36:47 Final Audit: How to Know if You Need a Living Trust

#LivingTrust #EstatePlanning #WillsAndTrusts #AvoidProbate #ElderLaw #AssetProtection #FinancialPlanning #IncapacityPlanning #FamilyTrust #LifeCounselPodcast #LegalEducation #TrustVsWill #EstatePlanningAttorney #LegacyPlanning #JesseBifulco

Jesse Bifulco is a lawyer who runs his own practice. The information on this site is not meant to be legal advice or advertising. LifeCounsel® offers free resources to help you learn and make good choices for your family and your future.

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LifeCast - LifeCounsel Podcast Hosted by:
Jesse Bifulco, Esq.
LifeCounsel® Founder | Estate Planning Attorney
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