Paul O. Dillon, Attorney at Law

What Is a Fiduciary and Why Is It Important?

If you do not choose a fiduciary, a guardian appointed by a court may end up making financial and medical decisions for you and the intestate statutes of your state will determine who will administer your estate when you have passed. If you’d rather have some control over your life, doing some estate planning now will prevent these scenarios later, according to the article “Fiduciary Agents have power to make decisions you’d prefer to make yourself” from the Pocono Record.

A financial fiduciary is the person you designate under your general durable power of attorney, last will and testament, or trust.

The fiduciary under a power of attorney has the power to make decisions, while you are living, for your financial and legal affairs. The person is named in a legal document called an agent or attorney in fact. This document can be broad, allowing the person to determine how to spend or invest your money, to buy and/or sell your home, etc., or it can permit someone to act on your behalf solely for a specific transaction. You and your estate planning attorney determine what is best.

An agent under a healthcare proxy can make healthcare decisions on your behalf, when you are unable to communicate for yourself because of a severe illness or an injury, or a cognitive condition. It is very important to understand that if you are already incapacitated, you cannot sign documents giving anyone else these powers. They must be prepared before they are needed!

Some people prefer to have one person serve as both their agent for finances and for healthcare. This allows one person who understands your physical and mental needs to make decisions about home care, assisted living or a skilled nursing facility and have access to the resources to pay for these services. This also means that one person is applying for any government benefits to help pay for this care.

There are times when designating two different agents creates conflict, if the two people don’t agree on the appropriate type of care. One may be more concerned with spending down resources, while another may wish you to receive 24/7 care.

If you appointed someone to serve as your fiduciary many years ago, it is so important that your documents be reviewed and updated. Do you still want that same person to make critical decisions on your behalf? Are they still able or willing to serve? If the person you have chosen lives in another state and wants you to be moved to where they live, will that work for you and your family?

If you have not reviewed your estate plan and your power of attorney documents in recent years, it is strongly recommended you do so now. Many families are now grappling with the results of outdated planning, or no planning at all. Having an updated estate plan and all of the related documents provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

Reference: Pocono Record (June 1, 2021) “Fiduciary Agents have power to make decisions you’d prefer to make yourself”

Can Family Members Contest a Will?

Estate planning documents, like wills and trusts, are enforceable legal documents, but when the grantor who created them passes, they can’t speak for themselves. When a loved one dies is often when the family first learns what the estate plans contain. That is a terrible time for everyone. It can lead to people contesting a will. However, not everyone can contest a will, explains the article “Challenges to wills and trusts” from The Record Courier.

A person must have what is called “standing,” or the legal right to challenge an estate planning document. A person who receives property from the decedent, and was designated in their will as a beneficiary, may file a written opposition to the probate of the will at any time before the hearing of the petition for probate. An “interested person” may also challenge the will, including an heir, child, spouse, creditor, settlor, beneficiary, or any person who has a legal property right in or a claim against the estate of the decedent.

Wills and trusts can be challenged by making a claim that the person lacked mental capacity to make the document. If they were sick or so impaired that they did not know what they were signing, or they did not fully understand the contents of the documents, they may be considered incapacitated, and the will or trust may be successfully challenged.

Fraud is also used as a reason to challenge a will or trust. Fraud occurs when the person signs a document that didn’t express their wishes, or if they were fooled into signing a document and were deceived as to what the document was. Fraud is also when the document is destroyed by someone other than the decedent once it has been created, or if someone other than the creator adds pages to the document or forges the person’s signature.

Alleging undue influence is another reason to challenge a will. This is considered to have occurred if one person overpowers the free will of the document creator, so the document creator does what the other person wants, instead of what the document creator wants. Putting a gun to the head of a person to demand that they sign a will is a dramatic example. Coercion, threats to other family members and threats of physical harm to the person are more common occurrences.

It is also possible for the personal representative or trustee’s administration of a will or trust to be challenged. If the personal representative or trustee fails to follow the instructions in the will or the trust, or does not report their actions as required, the court may invalidate some of the actions. In extreme cases, a personal representative or a trustee can be removed from their position by the court.

An estate plan created by an experienced estate planning lawyer should be prepared with an eye to the family situation. If there are individuals who are likely to challenge the will, a “no-contest” clause may be necessary. Open and candid conversations with family members about the estate plan may head off any surprises that could lead to the estate plan being challenged.

One last note: just because a family member is dissatisfied with their inheritance does not give them the right to bring a frivolous claim, and the court may not look kindly on such a case.

Reference: The Record-Courier (May 16, 2021) “Challenges to wills and trusts”

What Does the Executor Do?

The executor of an estate is the person who manages all the decedent’s financial affairs. If the person wants to have more than one person manage their affairs, like naming two children instead of one, then the term “co-executors” is used, as explained in a recent article “Executor of Estate: What Do They Do?” from Forbes

The most important characteristic that the executor should have, is integrity and good judgment. They are legally required to act in the estate’s best interest, which is called acting as a fiduciary. This is important, especially if an heir serves as an executor.

They also need to be wise enough to know when they need help from a skilled professional.

The executor follows the directions that are included in the person’s will, including distributing assets to beneficiaries. They also manage the many tasks associated with wrapping up the decedent’s life, including paying creditors, issuing notices of death, filing tax returns and overseeing the sale of homes and automobiles.

In some states, the executor is called a “personal representative.” The word “executrix” is an old, out-of-date term used when a woman serves as the executor, not commonly used today.

When a proper estate plan is in place, the executor of the estate is named in the decedent’s last will and testament. In cases where the decedent (sometimes referred to as the testator) did not have a will, or the will has been deemed invalid, the probate court judge names someone to serve as executor. This is not always someone who the executor would have named, but when there is no will, the court makes this decision.

If you have been named the executor of an estate and don’t wish to serve, you may decline. If the decedent anticipated that and named an alternative or contingent executor, then the secondary person will serve, or the probate court judge will name someone to serve in this role. The judge can also override the decedent’s choice of an executor, if the person they named has a criminal history, is not of legal age, has a mental disability or a substance abuse problem. The court is not allowed to change the executor simply because the heirs don’t want a person to serve.

The executor has a long list of tasks to accomplish, from obtaining death certificates and securing the home to filing the will with the probate court in the decedent’s county of residence and petitioning the court for probate. Many executors bring in an estate attorney to assist with the legal portion of administering the estate, as an estate and trusts attorney will be familiar with the processes and the deadlines.

The executor must notify the Social Security administration and Medicare, if the person was enrolled in either of these federal programs. The Department of Motor Vehicles, Veterans Affairs and insurance companies must also be notified. The executor is also responsible for filing the person’s final income tax returns and if necessary, filing the state and federal estate tax returns. This is just a partial listing of the many different tasks that must be accomplished. The estate planning attorney may have a checklist to help the executor on track.

Reference: Forbes (May 3, 2021) “Executor of Estate: What Do They Do?”

‘Siegfried & Roy’ Star Roy Horn Named Siegfried His Executor

Legal documents revealed that performer Roy Horn’s last will and testament was filed in the Las Vegas courts on June 18, 2020, according to the article “’Siegfried & Roy’ Star Roy Horn’s Will Names Siegfried As Executor Of His Multi-Million Dollar Estate” as reported in The Blast. The document gave Siegfried Fischbacher the power to administer and distribute Horn’s assets after his death. If Siegfried was not able to perform the tasks, Roy Horn had named Lynette G. Chappell as the alternate executor.

Lynette G. Chappell was the performer’s longtime assistant.

Roy Horn died at age 75 after contracting COVID-19. Siegfried had told an interviewer that he drove to the hospital with Lynette and was able to see his life partner one more time before he died.

Roy Horn also named Siegfried’s longtime lawyer, John Moran Jr., to be co-executor of his estate with Chappell, if Siegfried was unable or unwilling to be his executor.

The will, which was signed in 2016, also included directions that Roy Horn’s multi-million estate be distributed to beneficiaries, which were named in a private trust. The trust was not attached to the legal filing that included the last will and testament, so the names of his beneficiaries will remain private. The will does state that Roy Horn is unmarried and has no children. He was survived only by his brother, Werner Horn.

Siegfried was given broad powers to manage all of the financial issues of the estate, including paying for the funeral and any expenses regarding handling Horn’s remains. As the executor, the personal representative is empowered to perform any act necessary to administer the estate and any trust established under the will. The will also permits Siegfried to hold, retain, invest, sell or manage any real or personal property, distribute assets of the estate without requiring pro-rata distribution of specific assets, employ attorneys, accountants, custodians, and any other agents or assistants as the executor deems necessary and to pay them and pay for their expenses from income or principal.

According to reports, Siegfried and Roy had a combined estimated net worth of more than $100 million, after they had signed several highly lucrative contracts to perform their award-winning show on the Las Vegas Strip.

The duo performed on the Las Vegas Strip for decades, until 2003, when their show abruptly ended when Roy was attacked on stage by a white tiger. He was dragged off the stage by the tiger and suffered severe injuries, including a severed spine, a stroke and massive blood loss.

Siegfried revealed in a recent interview with a German publication that Roy Horn had been cremated and his ashes are being kept in a chapel in their Las Vegas compound.

Reference: The Blast (June 27, 2020) “’Siegfried & Roy’ Star Roy Horn’s Will Names Siegfried As Executor Of His Multi-Million Dollar Estate”

How Bad Will Your Estate’s Taxes Be?

The federal estate tax has been a small but steady source of federal revenue for nearly 100 years. The tax was first imposed on wealthy families in America in 1916. They were paid by families whose assets were previously passed down through multiple generations completely and utterly untaxed, says the article “Will the government tax your estate when you die, seizing home and assets?” from The Orange County Register.

The words “Death Tax” don’t actually appear anywhere in the federal tax code, but was the expression used to create a sympathetic image of the grieving families of farmers and small business owners who were burdened by big tax bills at a time of personal loss, i.e., the death of a parent. The term was made popular in the 1990s by proponents of tax reform, who believed that estate and inheritance taxes were unfair and should be repealed.

Fast forward to today—2020. Will the federal government tax your estate when you die, seize your home and everything you had hoped to hand down to your children? Not likely. Most Americans don’t have to worry about estate or death taxes. With the new federal exemptions at a record high of $11,580,000 for singles and twice that much for married couples, only very big estates are subject to a federal estate tax. Add to that, the 100% marital deduction means that a surviving spouse can inherit from a deceased spouse and is not required to pay any estate tax, no matter how big the estate.

However, what about state estate taxes? To date, thirteen states still impose an estate tax, and many of these have exemptions that are considerably lower than the federal tax levels. Six states add to that with an inheritance tax. That’s a tax that is levied on the beneficiaries of the estate, usually based upon their relationship to the deceased.

Many estates will still be subject to state estate taxes and income taxes.

The personal representative or executor is responsible and legally authorized to file returns on a deceased person’s behalf. They are usually identified in a person’s will as the executor of the estate. If a family trust holds the assets, the trust document will name a trustee. If there was no will or trust, the probate court will appoint an administrator. This person may be a professional administrator and likely someone who never knew the person whose estate they are now in charge of. This can be very difficult for family members.

If the executor fails to file a return or files an inaccurate or incomplete return, the IRS may assess penalties and interest payments.

The final individual income tax return is filed in just the same way as it would be when the deceased was living. All income up to the date of death must be reported, and all credits and deductions that the person is entitled to can be claimed. The final 1040 should only include income earned from the start of the calendar year to the date of their death. The filing for the final 1040 is the same as for living taxpayers: April 15.

Even if taxes are not due on the 1040, a tax return must be filed for the deceased if a refund is due. To do so, use the Form 1310, Statement of a Person Claiming Refund Due to a Deceased Taxpayer. Anyone who files the final tax return on a decedent’s behalf must complete IRS Form 56, Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship, and attach it to the final Form 1040.

If the decedent was married, the widow or widower can file a joint return for the year of death, claiming the full standard deduction and using joint-return rates, as long as they did not remarry in that same year.

An estate planning attorney can help with these and the many other details that must be taken care of, before the estate can be finalized.

Reference: The Orange County Register (March 1, 2020) “Will the government tax your estate when you die, seizing home and assets?”

Should I Use a Bank as My Executor Instead of a Family Member?

You can choose anybody you like to be the executor of your will but consider who will do the best job.

Executors (referred to in Maine as Personal Representatives) are legally responsible for several tasks, including identifying everything in the estate, collecting all the assets and paying the debts and liabilities. Finally, the executor makes distributions to beneficiaries, in accordance with the terms of the will.

nj.com’s recent article on this topic asks “Should I choose a bank to be the executor of my will?” The article explains that there are a few advantages to designating a bank as an executor.

Banks are in the business of managing money and are experienced in administering estates.

This typically means they may be able to settle the estate more quickly and efficiently than a family member.

Banks have policies and procedures in place to make certain that the assets are protected from mismanagement and theft.

Banks are impartial parties that cannot be influenced by beneficiaries. This can be a big headache for a family member asked to be executor. Relationships can deteriorate over the enforcement of the terms of a will, especially when one sibling is named executor and has the authority over the administration of the estate—perhaps to the detriment of her brothers and sisters.

One distinction from using a family member is that while an executor is entitled to compensation, family members frequently waive this. However, banks charge fees for serving as executors, and these fees may be higher than you’d expect.

For example, the bank’s fee might be up to 4% of the first $100,000, then decrease incrementally until it's just 0.5% of values over $9 million.

One other note to keep in mind is that many banks won’t serve as executor, unless the estate is substantial enough to meet the minimum fees charged by the bank to serve as the executor.

Reference: nj.com (November 5, 2019) “Should I choose a bank to be the executor of my will?”

How Do I Calculate My Executor’s Fee?

An executor's fee is the amount of money that’s charged by the individual who’s been named or appointed as the executor of the probate estate for handling all of the necessary tasks in the probate administration.

If you’ve been appointed an executor of someone’s estate, you may be entitled to a fee for your services.

The executor or personal representative fee could be based upon a variety of factors. Some of these factors may be dependent upon the law in your state, says nj.com’s recent article, “Both of my parents died. How do I calculate the executor fee?”

In most states, the executor fee is set by statute. For example, in New Jersey, it is 5% of the first $200,000 of assets taken in by the executor, 3.5% of the next $800,000 of assets, and 2% on anything in excess of $1 million. Likewise, California has a sliding scale based on the amount of the estate.

However, in Minnesota and Nebraska, the law states that the fee should be “reasonable.”

The amount of work involved is determined by the specific estate. The executor is generally responsible for collecting the estate assets, paying the debts and taxes (if any) and then giving what’s remaining to the heirs.

If you elect to take the commission, it’s taxable income which must be shown on your personal income tax return.

In New Jersey, if there are co-executors, the statute says that an additional 1% can be included to the commission. However, any one executor cannot receive more than the amount to which a sole executor is entitled.

Note that the executor only receives a commission on what he or she takes control of as executor.

This means that the executor doesn’t get a commission on assets that have beneficiary designations on death or that are jointly owned with right of survivorship. These assets pass outside of the will and the executor doesn’t take possession of these assets.

In many instances, the probate estate of the first spouse to die is less than the second. That’s because many of the assets were held jointly with right of survivorship. As a result, they aren’t probate assets and are not subject to the commission.

If that’s the case, the commission on the first spouse’s estate would be much less than the commission on the second estate.

Reference: nj.com (October 10, 2019) “Both of my parents died. How do I calculate the executor fee?”

Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?

Did you know that more than half of American adults—and 78% of millennials—don’t have any basic estate planning documents like a will or living trust?

It may not be that much of a shock, since younger adults tend to put off thoughts of estate planning. However, even if you don’t have children or many assets yet, you can benefit from creating an estate plan now.

Forbes’s recent article, “6 Reasons Why You Should Have An Estate Plan,” provided six reasons why you should have an estate plan at any point in life:

1. Plan for Your Own Needs. A big step in the estate planning process, is deciding who will make decisions on your behalf, if you’re unable to do so yourself. If you become incapacitated, a revocable trust will hold assets for your benefit, while you’re alive and name the individuals you want to receive your property when you pass. Designating an agent under a durable power of attorney to act on your behalf when it comes to financial and legal matters, if you become physically or mentally disabled, can help make certain that any decisions made, are in your best interest. If you can’t make medical decisions for yourself, you should have a healthcare proxy, agent or power of attorney, HIPAA release, and living will.
2. Decide How to Dispose of Your Wealth. A will names an executor or personal representative who’s responsible for the administration of your estate after you die. He or she distributes property, as you determine in your will. If you have minor children, you can also designate a guardian to care for them in your will. Any life insurance, retirement accounts, or annuities require you to name beneficiaries, so they don’t need to be included in a will.
3. Lessen Transfer Taxes. One goal of estate planning is to maximize the wealth you transfer to your beneficiaries, along with minimizing transfer taxes. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expanded the amount individuals may give away at death—or during life—without any transfer taxes. The new law offers an increased exemption amount and portability. That means spouses can share one another’s exemption. You can make annual tax-free gifts up to $15,000 in 2019 (twice this amount for married couples). You can also pay medical and educational expenses for someone else without any gift tax.
4. Include Charitable Giving. If you have philanthropic goals, an estate plan can help make certain that your objectives are satisfied. You can select a charity that’s important to you, choose the assets you want to donate, and decide—along with your attorney—the best way to make your gift.
5. Protect Family Wealth. There can also be wealth protection benefits in estate planning through asset ownership arrangements, insurance, limited liability entities, irrevocable trusts and asset protection trusts. These are designed to protect your assets from creditors. An experienced estate planning attorney can help you decide, if one of these options is appropriate for your situation.
6. Ready your Family to Receive Wealth. You can also prepare the next generation to receive wealth, which can also be helpful in preserving family wealth in the long run. Your estate plan can set out wealth planning goals, facilitate conversations about what wealth means to your family and educate your adult children about financial ideas and the ways in which they can get involved in creating and sustaining the family legacy.

Estate planning can be a formidable task, especially if you’re starting from ground zero. However, you can always engage an estate planning attorney to help you develop the documents you need to give you peace of mind about your financial affairs.

Reference: Forbes (February 22, 2019) “6 Reasons Why You Should Have An Estate Plan”

Why Do I Need A Will?

Writing a will is one of life’s unpleasant tasks. Maybe that is why just 36% of American adults with children under 18 have estate plans in place.

The Boston Globe’s recent article, “The end may not be near, but you still need a will,” says that estate planning is essential, because dying without a will means that certain property is subject to intestate succession laws. That’s where the state distributes your assets to your heirs, according to state intestacy laws in predetermined percentages.

Assets for which you’ve assigned a beneficiary, like your 401(k) or life insurance, won’t meet the same end, because these are outside of probate. However, non-beneficiary accounts, like checking accounts or property, could. Even if you’re not wealthy, it’s important to plan ahead. Consider these thoughts:

• A will. If you have assets that you want to leave to another person, you need a will. It’s your instructions on what should happen upon your death. You’ll also name an executor or a personal representative who’s responsible for tending to your assets, when you pass away.
• Beneficiary designations. Some assets don’t pass through a will, like life insurance and retirement plans. For these, you must name a beneficiary.
• Health care proxies and powers of attorney. An estate planning attorney will help you with a health care proxy, HIPAA forms and durable power of attorney. The power of attorney lets someone else handle your legal and financial matters, if you’re unable to do so. The health care proxy lets a trusted person make decisions about your medical care, when you are incapacitated.
• Guardian for minor children. Select a person who shares your values and parenting style, regardless of their financial background.
• A living will. A will takes effect at death. A living will, a type of advanced directive, is not legally binding in Massachusetts, for example, but it’s a great help for your health care proxy. It states your wishes, like not wanting life support and donating organs.

Finally, discuss your plans with your family. With the proper documents, make certain that your will and other documents are safely stored and easily accessible. You should also be sure that you’ve given your power of attorney and health care agent copies. Your physicians should also have a copy of your health care proxy and living will, and your attorney should keep a copy on file.

Reference: Boston Globe (February 25, 2019) “The end may not be near, but you still need a will”

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