Jeremiah W. Doyle IV, Esq.

Written by Allison Voge, JD, LLM

Choosing whether to use one joint trust or separate individual trusts when planning for a married couple requires careful consideration. A joint trust is established by a single trust agreement and is designed to hold nearly all of a married couple’s assets. The trust agreement includes instructions for managing the assets during the married couple’s lifetime, during the incapacity of either or both spouses, and upon each spouse’s death. 

Written by  Kim Kamin, JD, AEP® (Distinguished) and Cynthia D.M. Brown, JD, STEP

Estate planning today involves more than just drafting technically sound dispositive documents. Clients increasingly want their estate plans to reflect their values, guide future generations, and anticipate evolving family structures. At the same time, trustees, particularly corporate fiduciaries, are administering long-term discretionary trusts under heightened scrutiny in complex regulatory environments.