Wills Trusts & Estates
Introduction to Estate Planning
Federal Wealth Transfer Taxes
| Overview to Estate Planning |
| Intestate Succession Rules |
| Protection Against Disinheritance |
| Qualifications on the Right to Inherit |
| Planning for Incapacity |
| Introduction to Gift, Estate & Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes |
| Gift Tax |
| Estate Tax |
| The Gross Estate |
| Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax |
| Disclaimers |
| Impact of the 2001 Act (EGTRRA) |
| Admissibility of Extrinsic Evidence |
| Conditional Wills |
| Types of Testamentary Bequests |
| Ademption and Abatement |
| Lapse and Anti-lapse Statutes |
| Changes in Beneficiaries |
| Revocation |
| Republications and Codicils |
| Probate and Uniform Probate Code |
| Will Contests |
| Personal Representative |
| Management of the Estate |
| Creditors’ Claims |
| Distribution & Informal Administration |
| Elements and Limits on Creation and Duration of Interests |
| Prohibited Trust Purposes |
| Methods of Trust Creation |
| Contract Law Considerations |
| Trusts and the Statute of Wills—Creation of Testamentary Trusts |
| Types of Trusts |
| Power to Revoke, Modify or Terminate Trusts |
| Public Benefit |
| Charitable Purpose |
| Limitations on Charitable Trusts |
| Modification of Charitable Trusts—The Cy Pres Doctrine |
| Order of Beneficiaries |
| Payment Method |
| Jurisdiction over Administration |
| Appointment and Qualification of Trustee as Fiduciary |
| General Responsibilities and Authority of Trustees |
| Powers of the Trustee |
| Duties of the Trustee |
| Trustee’s Compensation and Right of Indemnity |
| Liabilities |
Execution, Validity and Components of Wills
Construction of Wills
Estate Administration
| Historical Overview of Wills |
| Items Not Disposed of by a Will (Nonprobate Property) |
| Statutory Requirements for a Valid Written Will |
| Other Types of Wills |
| Components of Wills |
| Contracts to Make Wills |