• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ambler Keenan Mitchell Johnson

Estate Planning Law Firm

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
CALL US TODAY 303-407-1542
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • About The American Academy
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • Client Testimonials
    • Mission Statement
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Seminars
  • Elder Law
    • Are You A Caregiver
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Veteran’s Benefits
  • Resources
    • Estate Planning Articles
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning FAQ’s
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning FAQ’s
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning Frequently Asked Questions
      • Trust Administration & Probate Frequently Asked Questions
    • LGBTQ Resources
    • Multimedia
    • Newsletters
    • Speaker Connection
    • Special Needs Resources
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Contact Us
  • BLOG
Home Estate Planning Choosing a Trustee for Your Estate Plan

Elizabeth D. Mitchell September 1, 2015

Choosing a Trustee for Your Estate Plan


Are you having a hard time deciding on a Trustee for your estate plan? It is not uncommon for decisions like this to be difficult. Why Let’s look at the attributes that should be taken into consideration when choosing a Trustee. You may want to factor in age, maturity, responsibility level, physical location, your personal relationship with them, and ability to handle money. What will your Trustee do? Your Trustee, once appointed, will have the responsibility of managing and distributing your assets according to your wishes. They will work together with your beneficiaries, advisors, and other fiduciaries. Due to the fact your Trustee will be working with other parties, it may be prudent to consider any existing feuds that may affect the administration of your estate. However, if you foresee your choice of a Trustee conflicting with another party, you may be able to reduce the discretion granted to your Trustee. By doing this, your estate plan may not be as flexible and your goals may not be met. What do I mean by discretion? The Trustee is often granted broad discretion in fulfilling their duties. For example, your Trustee can be given the discretion to make distributions to a beneficiary for their needs of health, maintenance, education, and support. If a beneficiary does not agree with the Trustee’s discretion, you may be able to reduce the possibility of friction by choosing one sibling to serve as trustee for another adult sibling, or an ex-spouse to serve as trustee for children from that marriage. Family strife is everywhere! When you cannot think of an appropriate Trustee due to conflicts, it may be best to name a bank or trust company as your sole Trustee. The bank or trust company would be unbiased and not involved in familial conflicts. Conflict   Hopefully this article has given you some valuable thoughts and ideas to ponder while choosing your Trustee. If you still have questions about creating an estate plan, the role of a Trustee, or reviewing your current estate plan, call an experienced estate planning attorney at Ambler Keenan Mitchell Johnson at 303-407-1542 or click here to schedule a personal consultation.

Primary Sidebar

Blog Subscription

News

Powers of Attorney

Updating Your Plan: Powers of Attorney

As we enter the new year, it’s a good time to think about updating your plan. This includes your entire plan, including Powers of Attorney. Powers of … [Read More...] about Updating Your Plan: Powers of Attorney

public charity

It’s Better to Give, Especially This Year

Normally, you must itemize your deductions in order to benefit from them. In 2020, the standard deduction amount is $12,400 for individuals and … [Read More...] about It’s Better to Give, Especially This Year

Planning for California’s Proposition 19

Everyone had eyes on the election at the top of the ticket. But other races and state propositions may have had as much impact on people’s lives. … [Read More...] about Planning for California’s Proposition 19

Office Hours

Monday7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday7:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Where we are

Ambler Keenan Mitchell Johnson
950 S. Cherry St., Suite 1650
Denver, CO 80246
United States (US)
Phone: (303) 407-1542
Fax: (303) 321-1899

Map

map for Ambler Keenan Mitchell Johnson office

© 2021 · American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Contact Us