According to a National Elder Mistreatment Study, the rate of financial exploitation of elders is extremely high, with 1 in 20 older adults indicating some form of perceived financial mistreatment occurring at least one time in the recent past. The National Council on Aging reports that elder financial abuse and fraud costs older Americans $36.5 billion per year. It is an unfortunate reality that financial exploitation occurs in our society. Thankfully, safeguards exist to help deter and prevent financial abuse, including creating a trust and using a corporate trustee.
In certain situations, trusts may provide an array of benefits, including:
1. Professional portfolio management and record keeping 2. Comfort that the trustee must always make decisions regarding the trust assets in the beneficiary’s best interests 3. Protection of beneficiaries from financial predators
4. Protection of assets from spendthrifts 5. Protection of assets from creditors
6. Maintaining identity of assets in blended families 7. Ease of transition of assets upon one’s passing 8. Preservation of the Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) exemption 9. Preservation of assets for minor children or young adults 10.Privacy Legislative changes do happen, which may require you to revisit your estate plan. But they shouldn’t be the only reason to consider a trust. To learn more about how trusts may provide a benefit in your particular situation, speak to an estate planning attorney, or contact the Hills Bank Trust and Wealth Management Group at 1-800-899-8858 or by email at wealthmanagement@hillsbank.com or visit us online at www.hillsbank.com/wealthmanagement.
Investment products are not a deposit, not FDIC insured, not insured by any federal government agency, carry no bank guarantee, and may go down in value.
29
3rd Quarter 2021
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs