Planning with Grantor Trusts

Why Attend?

• Become familiar with the principal planning tools and planning issues associated with grantor trusts.
• Learn how to avoid inadvertently triggering grantor trust status.
• Understand the advantages that can be derived from intentionally triggering grantor trust status.
• Examine several advanced grantor trust planning tools and techniques.

The intentional use of grantor trusts is a central feature of sophisticated estate planning. At the same time, it is important to understand both how to trigger grantor trust status and how to avoid grantor trust status, depending on the client’s objectives.

Topics Covered

• This presentation starts with an overview of the grantor trust rules under sections 671-679 of the Internal Revenue Code.
• The presentation then discusses how to avoid inadvertently triggering grantor trust status.
• The presentation then explains the planning advantages that can be achieved by intentionally triggering grantor trust status.
• Next, the presentation explores in detail the principal drafting techniques that can be utilized to trigger grantor trust status; the presentation also explores how grantor trust status can be terminated by relinquishing or eliminating the powers or interests that triggered grantor trust status.
• The overview of the grantor trust rules and grantor trust status is completed by exploring the tax consequences associated with the termination of grantor trust status, either during the grantor’s lifetime or at the grantor’s death.
• The next segment of the presentation explores various advanced planning techniques and issues related to the use of grantor trusts.

Additional Resources Provided

Included with the seminar materials are a grantor trust form (in Microsoft Word), copies of relevant cases addressing various grantor trust issues, a redacted copy of an opinion memorandum prepared by the seminar speaker, and a copy of an expert witness report prepared by the speaker.

Registration Deadlines:

Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $40 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE^®.

Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.

Inclement Weather Policy and Updates

MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.

Private recording of this program is prohibited.

Can’t Attend?

E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.

Course Schedule

• Q&A will be handled via chat room for Webcast attendees.
• Q&A will be handled via e-mail for telephone seminar attendees.

About the Speaker

Robert T. Danforth, John Lucian Smith, Jr. Memorial Professor of Law, Emeritus, Washington and Lee University School of Law / Lexington

Professor Danforth has almost 40 years of experience advising clients, writing and publishing, teaching, and testifying as an expert witness in the fields of estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate and gift taxation, and income taxation of estates and trusts. Twenty-seven of those 40 years were spent on the faculty at Washington and Lee University School of Law. The other 13 years were spent in private practice, at law firms in Washington, D.C., and Charlottesville, Virginia.