Trust and estate planning is the process of arranging the management and distribution of your assets to ensure that your wishes are fulfilled after your passing.

It involves creating legal documents such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney to address how your property and financial matters will be handled. Effective planning helps minimize taxes, avoid probate, and provide clear instructions for the care of your dependents.

By organizing these aspects in advance, trust and estate planning provides peace of mind, protects your legacy, and ensures that your assets are distributed according to your desires.

Trust administration is the process of managing and executing the terms of a trust (usually after one's passing). This involves overseeing the trust's assets, ensuring they are properly managed and distributed according to the trust document's instructions.

Duties include diligent record keeping, paying any outstanding debts or taxes, handling investments, preparing reports, and making distributions to beneficiaries.

Trust administration services ensures that the trust is executed in compliance with legal requirements and the grantor's wishes, providing a structured approach to managing the trust's affairs and safeguarding the interests of all parties involved.

Preparation of Estate Tax Returns (federal, Oregon, and Washington). Known as Form 706, the form is used to report the value of an estate and calculate any estate taxes owed to the required tax agencies.

This form is filed by the executor of an estate when the decedent’s gross estate exceeds the state and federal estate tax exemption thresholds. It includes detailed information about the decedent’s assets, liabilities, and deductions, and is used to determine the amount of estate tax liability, if any.

Filing ensures compliance with state and federal tax laws and facilitates the accurate assessment and payment of estate taxes.

A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract that two people voluntarily sign before marriage to outline how financial matters will be handled in the event of separation, divorce, or death.

It can cover the division of property and assets, management of debts, spousal support or alimony, and inheritance or business interests.

A pre-nuptial agreement serves as a financial planning tool that can help prevent disputes over property acquired before marriage. It’s particularly useful for blended families and individuals with significant assets. By clearly outlining financial expectations, it can bring couples peace of mind.

A gun trust is a legal document that outlines the ownership, management, and transfer of firearms, especially those regulated under the U.S. National Firearms Act (NFA), including machine guns, suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns.

It allows multiple people to legally possess and use the firearms in the trust, and it lets guns legally pass to heirs without going through probate. Transfers within the trust do not require public filings, so a gun trust offers more privacy than a personal transfer.

A gun trust ensures firearms are managed according to state and federal regulations, reducing the risk of accidental legal violations.

A heritage trust is a legal document that helps protect, preserve, and manage assets for future generations.

Unlike a standard trust that focuses on financial and tax planning, a heritage trust emphasizes long-term preservation and legacy.

A heritage trust ensures important assets stay within the family and are not subject to division with a spouse. It’s often used to pass down family businesses or collections, safeguard heirlooms or artifacts, or protect properties or land. It can help reduce taxes, probate costs, and disputes among heirs.