Tag Archive for: trusts and estate attorney

Aaron De Bruin Named to Greenville’s Legal Elite

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Aaron De Bruin Selected As One of Greenville’s Elite Attorneys for Estate Planning and Tax Law

Congratulations attorney Aaron De Bruin of the De Bruin Law Firm was named by Greenville Business Magazine as one of Greenville’s elite attorneys for Estate Planning.

“Winning any award is an honor, but winning this award makes me feel very undeserving,” Aaron says, “It’s humbling to be awarded a title by your peers.”

In his work in estate planning, Aaron assists clients throughout South Carolina who need wills and trusts. Estate planning primarily entails protecting your assets upon your death and making sure they are distributed according to your wishes. Estate plans are essential to taking care of your family after you die.

A will is anything that goes through the probate process, whereas a trust can avoid probate by assigning an asset to the trust, eliminating the need for probate. Trusts are protected against creditors and government agencies, and can be used as a shield for family members to maintain eligibility in government programs.

Aaron primarily focuses his practice in the areas of  Estate Planning, Probate and Criminal Defense at De Bruin Law Firm. Located just off Wade Hampton Boulevard at 16 Wellington Ave,  near the new NorthPointe Develpment Project  in Greenville, South Carolina.

De Bruin Law Firm: A Family Centered Law Firm

Aaron began his legal career in the Marines as a judge advocate, helping deploying marines and their families set up estate plans. From here, he began his career as a prosecutor and eventually transitioned into private practice with his father Gary De Bruin and his brother Bryan De Bruin at De Bruin Law Firm. Aaron can be contacted at 864-982-5930 or my visiting the De Bruin Law Firm website at DeBruinLawFirm.com.

Common Estate Planning Questions:

The attorneys at the De Bruin Law Firm understand that estate matters are emotional and stressful. We are available to provide objective advice and guidance to our clients. To schedule a free consultation, call 864-982-5930 or use the link below.

ESTATE PLANNING LAW SERVICES

If you have a legal matter related to Estate Planning, Business Law, or a Real Estate Transaction contact our office to speak to one of our attorneys.

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Estate Planning and Criminal Defense

Aaron De Bruin, Esq.

Estate Planning and Business Law

Gary De Bruin, Esq.

De Bruin Law Firm

Helping you plan. Helping you prepare. Helping you Protect.

The attorneys at the De Bruin Law Firm understand that Estate Matters can be difficult to understand and plan for. We are available to provide our clients advice and guidance during the Estate Planning Process. To view common fees associated with an Estate Plan please call us at 864-982-5930 or use the link below to view some of our common Estate Planning Fees.

 

Benefits And Pitfalls Of Transferring Property Through Joint Ownership

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Transferring property when its held jointly can come with certain complications. Joint ownership is a term that arises when more than one person owns property. And, ultimately, it can be used as a simple and cost-effective way to transfer property after death. For example, a parent who wants to make sure that an adult child inherits money in a bank account can add the adult child’s name as a joint owner of the account. When the parent passes away, the adult child automatically becomes sole owner of the account and there will be no need to open a probate estate to transfer the money.

Transfer Property

Under South Carolina law, people can also transfer real estate after death by adding someone to the deed as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship. By adding a second person to a deed as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship, the real estate will automatically belong to the surviving owner when the other owner passes away. The surviving owner will only need to file a certified copy of the death certificate with the Register of Deeds for the county where the real estate is located.

When property is jointly owned, there is no need to go through probate to transfer the property. By avoiding probate, the property is transferred quickly and the costs of opening a probate estate are avoided. However, there are potential problems with adding another person’s name to your property.

Potential Problems With Joint Ownership

One potential problem is that the other person actually owns the property also. That ownership gives the second owner certain rights to the property that the initial owner might not want. For example, both owners of a bank account have the right to withdraw money from the account. In the perfect world where everyone can be trusted, that will not be a problem. Unfortunately, there are some people who will freely spend the funds in the bank account even if they were only named on a bank account for estate planning purposes.

There are also potential problems with joint real estate ownership. If you add someone’s name to the deed to your home for estate planning purposes and later decide to sell the home, the other owner will need to sign off on the sale also. A problem will arise if the joint tenant does not want to sell the property.

Estate Planning Documents

When developing an estate plan, it is important to make sure that all of your estate planning documents are consistent to avoid future problems. Dispute with heirs may arise if your will states that one heir will receive all of your money although a different heir is named as a joint owner of your bank account. It is very important to speak with an estate planning attorney to make sure that you do everything possible to avoid disputes after your death.

Contact An Attorney In Greenville For Help

At the De Bruin Law Firm in Greenville, South Carolina, our estate planning attorneys can help you to determine if adding another person’s name to your property is in your best interest. Our estate planning attorneys can also prepare any necessary deeds or other conveyancing documents. In the event there is a dispute resulting from the ownership or transfer of property, our estate planning attorneys will aggressively represent your interests. Contact the De Bruin Law Firm today to schedule an appointment with one of our estate planning attorneys.

Using A Trust To Control Assets

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A trust is a versatile estate planning document that can be used in many different ways and for many different reasons. One benefit of a trust is that it can provide instructions for how money or assets are to be distributed. There are numerous possibilities for using a trust to control assets. Some examples of how a trust can be used to control money and/or assets are as follows:

Minor or Disabled Individuals:

Care and Support of a Minor or Disabled Individual: Some minors and disabled individuals acquire their own money or property through employment, inheritance, or case settlements. An individual can establish a trust to protect the money or property owned by the minor or disabled person. For example, the trust can state that money in a specific bank account is to be used only for food, clothing, housing or education. Creating a trust can be especially useful to ensure that the parent or guardian for the minor or disabled individual does not spend the money inappropriately.

Property after Death

Post-Death Control of Property: Some people want to make sure that their heirs spend the inherited money wisely. Other people want to maintain a certain amount of control over their money and property after they are gone. For example, a parent can create a trust stating that his or her children will only receive the inherited money if they graduate from college. By setting up a trust, parents can encourage their children to take certain actions even if they are not around to guide them.

Control of Property

Pre-Death Control of Property: Sometimes, it may be desirable to use a trust account as a way of controlling one’s own assets and property during one’s lifetime. For example, a person who wins the lottery might want to limit how much money can be spent per month in order to make sure that the money lasts as long as possible. It is possible to establish a trust restricting access to your own money. This can be a useful estate planning tool for people who are concerned about their inability to control their spending or manage their own money properly.

Types Of Trusts

Under South Carolina law, there are various types of trusts that can be created. Individuals can establish a revocable living trust, which allows them to control all of their property during their lifetime and cancel it at any time. An individual can also create an irrevocable trust, which is a trust that cannot be cancelled. Individuals also have the option to create a testamentary trust which becomes effective upon death. It is important to speak with an estate planning attorney who can explain the different types of trusts that are available and create the trust that will help you to accomplish your goals.

At the De Bruin Law Firm in Greenville, South Carolina, our estate planning attorneys can analyze your needs and create the right type of trust that accomplishes your goals. Contact the De Bruin Law Firm today to schedule an appointment with one of our estate planning attorneys.

The De Bruin Law firm offers a wide range of legal services to clients in Greenville, SC and the surrounding upstate. Our experienced attorneys can help you with legal matters in the areas of business law, criminal law, estate planning, and real estate law.

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