New Jersey Trust Attorney - Christine Matus
Note sull'episodio
From Matus Law Group - New Jersey Trust Attorney explores how trusts can help New Jersey families protect property, preserve privacy, manage wealth, and plan for future generations. The episode examines trust planning under the New Jersey Uniform Trust Code, including the roles of the grantor or settlor, trustee, and beneficiary, while explaining why families may use trusts alongside wills to avoid probate, maintain greater control over distributions, provide continuity during incapacity, and reduce potential family disputes.
The discussion breaks down several trust structures recognized in New Jersey, including revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, spendthrift trusts, and testamentary trusts. Listeners will learn how these options can address different objectives, from probate avoidance and asset protection to supporting a family member with disabilities while preserving eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. The episode also covers pour-over wills, successor trustees, beneficiaries, creditor protection, long-term care planning, and the importance of matching a trust structure to a family's circumstances.
Christine L. Matus, Esq., founder of Matus Law Group, brings decades of experience serving New Jersey families, including those in Monmouth County and Ocean County. The episode explores trustee responsibilities under New Jersey law, including the duties of loyalty, prudent administration, impartiality, accounting, confidentiality, and keeping beneficiaries informed. It also examines New Jersey inheritance tax, the state's repeal of its estate tax, the Prudent Investor Act, Form 1041, grantor and non-grantor trusts, and considerations surrounding real estate, retirement accounts, life insurance, and other assets.
Finally, the episode walks through creating, funding, modifying, and updating a trust, from defining estate planning goals and choosing trustees to retitling assets and recording deeds. It explains how major life events—including marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant asset changes, and changes in tax law—can create reasons to revisit an existing plan. With insights into wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, special needs planning, probate, and the New Jersey Surrogate’s Court, this episode offers a broad introduction to how thoughtful trust and estate planning can help families organize their affairs and protect their legacies.
The Matus Law Group
81 E Water St #2C, Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 281-0060