Family Trusts

A Family Trust allows you to control assets in a trust to manage on behalf of designated beneficiaries, typically family members. It offers key benefits such as tax planning, asset protection, and privacy, while allowing for controlled distribution of wealth during your lifetime and after death. By avoiding probate, a family trust ensures a smoother, more efficient transfer of assets to the next generation.

Spousal Trusts

A Spousal Trust is an ideal tool in estate planning in a “blended family” situation. By placing your assets into a Spousal Trust upon your death, your spouse can enjoy the benefit of your assets during his or her own lifetime, but not the ownership. The assets will automatically be transferred to your own children or family members upon your spouse’s death. Additionally, a Spousal Trust, if created properly, will defer taxes on your assets, normally owing upon your death, until your spouse passes.

Trust Agreements

Trusts are an incredibly flexible tool to address all manner of financial, business and personal circumstances. For whatever needs you may have to arrange your wealth and assets with family, spouse or business associates, we have the skill and experience to create the appropriate Trust Agreement.

Alter Ego Trusts

Placing your assets into an Alter-Ego Trust is an effective estate-planning tool that allows you to control your assets during your lifetime and direct the distribution of your assets to beneficiaries following your death. Assets are transferred to the Trust on a tax-deffered basis during your lifetime and your assets will avoid probate taxes following your death. Your estate will also enjoy greater privacy as your assets will not be subject to an open probate process in court. Additionally, if you become incapable of managing your assets, the Trust can allow you to name successor managers of your assets.

Estate "Freezes"

An Estate Freeze is a strategic tax and succession planning tool that allows individuals—particularly business owners and investors—to lock in the current value of their assets for tax purposes, while transferring future growth to their heirs or a family trust. By exchanging growth assets for fixed-value shares, the individual effectively "freezes" their estate, minimizing capital gains tax upon death and enabling the next generation to benefit from future appreciation. This approach not only facilitates a smooth transition of wealth and business interests but also maximizes the use of lifetime capital gains exemptions and can significantly reduce the overall tax burden on the estate

Family Corporation

As an alternative to a trust, family assets can be placed into a corporation with family members that is controlled by designated family members.