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Trusts: Here Today, Here Tomorrow
When it comes to an estate, the phrase "here today, gone tomorrow" may describe what happens to unprotected property once estate taxes kick in. In 2008, only the first $2,000,000 per person is excluded from estate taxes. (This amount is scheduled to increase to $3,500,000 in 2009.) A trust - an agreement allowing a third party, called a trustee, to administer another's property - is often the foundation of an estate plan. Trusts can be used to help reduce or defer estate taxes by sheltering property.

To help ensure your assets are around for tomorrow, an estate planning professional may recommend a living trust, sometimes known as an "inter vivos" trust. When a trust is designated as irrevocable, this means that the agreement cannot be revoked or modified after the creator's (or settlor's) death.

The use of a living trust allows assets in the trust to be transferred to the beneficiaries as gifts. This shifts the tax burden from the estate to the beneficiaries. An additional benefit is the possibility of avoiding probate court, which costs time and money, for the review and filing of a will. Moreover, probate court proceedings are public, compared with settling an estate held in a living trust, which is a private agreement.

CRN200802-2013506

Copyright © 2008 -- Liberty Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Retirement Planning Group
1600 Valley River Drive
Suite 150
Eugene, OR 97401
ph: 541-345-7466
fax: 541-345-7590
karl.brantley@lfg.com

Retirement Planning Group

What you do today determines your direction, your prosperity and your future.

When you retain Lincoln Financial Advisors, you benefit from financial planning and personal service unparalleled in the industry. We take the time to fully understand you and your needs. Then we provide you with the information, advice and alternatives you will need to make the best possible decisions about your financial future.

Our firm's philosophy - "Serve First, Last and AlwaysSM " - was conceived over 60 years ago by legendary manager Stuart Smith and still drives our business today. As part of this philosophy:

  • We provide solutions and alternatives, but each client makes the final decisions about their own financial future.

  • Each financial plan is systematically reviewed to ensure it remains consistent with the client's long-term goals and objectives, and is aligned with our changing world.

  • Each client receives confidential, highly customized, personal service.

Abundant intellectual capital is one of our greatest strengths. Our firm's resources are managed nationally, but deployed regionally and locally. Because we provide a deep level of expertise and resources, our financial planners receive consistent, high quality functional support that enables them - and ultimately you - to receive the very best thinking our firm has to offer.

We utilize a team approach - anchored by our highly skilled advisors, who are responsible for managing all pertinent aspects of financial planning. Additional support is obtained, when necessary, from local and national teams that consist of industry experts who have strong technical backgrounds in all areas of financial planning. This business model allows our financial planners a high degree of autonomy so that they can focus solely on assisting clients in helping meet their financial goals.

Some needs are solved with financial products. Objectivity is the key to our process. Our open architecture platform gives our financial planners access not only Lincoln products, but our "best of breed" approach also gives access to insurance from other highly rated companies, private money managers, thousands of mutual funds managers, exchange traded funds, individual issue stocks, bonds, TIPS, public and private REITs, and hun-dreds of fixed and variable annuity contracts.

As a company, we believe in providing our clients with clarity and solutions that help meet their needs. We believe that long-term relationships are more important than short-term gains, and will never sacrifice the former for the latter. Conviction in what we do; the courage to get our clients to take action; competency based on continuing education and training; bringing national resources together on a team that will benefit each client; and communication that builds understanding and trust - these are the key qualities of "Serve First, Last and AlwaysSM." And these are the commitments we make to each of our clients.

So if you'd like to create, preserve and protect your wealth, the partner of choice is clear: Lincoln Financial Advisors.

CRN: 200710-2008854