
Trusts and Estates

What is Probate and Should It Be Avoided
September 20, 2023
Probate is the court procedure used to settle a deceased person’s estate and ultimately distribute any remaining assets to his […]

Planning with Prenuptial Agreements
August 22, 2023
A prenuptial agreement (also referred to as a “prenup” or marital agreement) is a good planning step to consider before […]

What is a Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT)?
July 25, 2023
Many people are looking for ways to utilize the current estate tax exemption amount (currently set at $12.91 million per […]

What to Look for When Updating Your Estate Plan
June 26, 2023
When is the last time you reviewed your estate planning documents? If it’s been more than a couple of years […]

The Benefits of Naming a Corporate Trustee
May 14, 2023
If you have a trust in place (or have contemplated putting one in place), chances are you’ve thought about who […]

What You Need to Know About Estate Taxes
October 27, 2020
Planning for what will happen to your wealth after you die is an important part of any financial plan, and […]

The GST Tax on Non-Exempt Trusts: What Your Family Needs to Know
April 21, 2020
If you’ve put any thought into estate planning, you’ve no doubt run into the acronym GST. It stands for “generation-skipping […]

Wyoming Asset Protection Trusts
December 4, 2015
In our webinar, Director of Wealth Planning, Melissa Montgomery-Fitzsimmons, shares her insights into zero-tax state asset protection trusts and discusses how these sorts […]

The New Tax Frontier
January 31, 2013
First Western’s Senior Trust Officer, Bill Schmidt, and Assistant Director of Wealth Planning, David Cerullo, offer their insight into the recent tax law […]

Lifetime Gift Tax
November 19, 2012
On December 31st, 2012, the lifetime gift tax exemption is set to expire. Upon expiration, the gifting amount will decrease […]