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Should you stop naming your trust as your IRA beneficiary?Not based on one tax number.A trust may provide valuable prote...
09/03/2026

Should you stop naming your trust as your IRA beneficiary?

Not based on one tax number.

A trust may provide valuable protection if a beneficiary is facing divorce, creditors, a lawsuit, addiction, financial instability, or simply is not ready to manage a significant inheritance.

Some trusts require IRA withdrawals to pass directly to the beneficiary. Others may allow the trustee to retain those funds for continued protection. Passing the money out may reduce the immediate tax burden, while keeping it protected may create a higher tax cost.

Neither answer is right for every family. The IRA, trust, beneficiary designation, tax considerations, and family goals must be reviewed together.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

Why does the $16,000 figure matter?In 2026, estates and trusts enter the highest federal marginal income-tax bracket whe...
09/02/2026

Why does the $16,000 figure matter?

In 2026, estates and trusts enter the highest federal marginal income-tax bracket when taxable income exceeds $16,000. A single individual does not enter that same bracket until taxable income exceeds $640,600.

That does not mean every dollar is taxed at 37%. Only the taxable income within that bracket is taxed at the highest rate.

Still, the difference shows why an IRA payable to a trust deserves careful review. If taxable IRA withdrawals remain inside the trust, the trust may reach higher federal tax rates much more quickly than an individual beneficiary.

Tomorrow, we’ll explain why that does not automatically make the trust a bad choice.

Get started with Kirk Law:
https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

Is your trust named as the beneficiary of your IRA?That may be exactly the right choice for your family—but retirement-a...
09/01/2026

Is your trust named as the beneficiary of your IRA?

That may be exactly the right choice for your family—but retirement-account rules have changed, and a plan created years ago may not work the same way today.

For many non-spouse beneficiaries, the SECURE Act replaced the ability to stretch inherited IRA withdrawals over a lifetime with a 10-year distribution period. When a trust is the beneficiary, its terms can also affect how quickly funds must be withdrawn, how they are taxed, and whether they remain protected.

This week, we’re breaking down what families with retirement accounts should know in 2026.

Learn more about Kirk Law:
https://www.kirk-law.com

A will is the beginning—not the entire estate plan.After making a will, review the rest of your plan:✓ Confirm your prim...
08/31/2026

A will is the beginning—not the entire estate plan.

After making a will, review the rest of your plan:

✓ Confirm your primary and contingent beneficiaries
✓ Make sure your trust is properly funded
✓ Create financial and healthcare incapacity documents
✓ Confirm that the people you named understand their roles
✓ Update your plan after major life changes
✓ Review everything regularly
✓ Make sure your family knows where to find your documents

The goal is not simply to own a folder of legal papers. The goal is to create a coordinated plan that works when the people you love need it most.

Save this checklist—and share it with someone who recently made a will.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

You should never leave an estate-planning meeting feeling confused about what you signed or how your plan is supposed to...
08/30/2026

You should never leave an estate-planning meeting feeling confused about what you signed or how your plan is supposed to work.

The people you name may someday be responsible for managing money, making healthcare decisions, caring for children, or carrying out your wishes. Those choices deserve careful thought—and you deserve clear answers throughout the process.

Thank you, Jono, for trusting Jon and Kirk Law with your family’s plan. We are grateful for your kind words!

Ready to ask your own questions and understand your options?

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

Making a will: ✅Thinking you handled every possible estate-planning decision: 😌Finding out your beneficiary form from yo...
08/29/2026

Making a will: ✅
Thinking you handled every possible estate-planning decision: 😌
Finding out your beneficiary form from your first job still names the wrong person: 😳

A will is important—but it cannot update beneficiary designations, fund a trust, create an incapacity plan, or keep itself current as your life changes.

Finishing the document and finishing the plan are not the same thing.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

“I just made a will. Am I actually done?”Almost. Here are three major areas your will does not cover:1. Beneficiary desi...
08/28/2026

“I just made a will. Am I actually done?”

Almost. Here are three major areas your will does not cover:

1. Beneficiary designations

Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and certain financial accounts pass to the person named directly on the account. If the form conflicts with your will, the beneficiary designation generally controls.

2. Trust funding

Your will cannot move assets into your trust. That requires a separate funding process.

3. Incapacity planning

A will only takes effect after your death. It does not authorize someone to manage your finances, make healthcare decisions, or receive medical information if you cannot act for yourself.

Making a will is a meaningful beginning. The next step is making sure all the pieces work together.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

You can sign a trust today and still leave your family with a mess.A trust only controls the assets that are properly co...
08/27/2026

You can sign a trust today and still leave your family with a mess.

A trust only controls the assets that are properly connected to it. Signing the document creates the legal container—but funding the trust is what places your assets inside.

If your home, bank accounts, or investment accounts remain titled outside the trust, they may still go through probate regardless of what the trust document says.

This is one of the most common ways an otherwise thoughtful estate plan fails: the documents were signed, but the follow-through never happened.

If you have a trust but do not know whether it was properly funded, that is an important question to ask now.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

Your estate plan should not be a one-time transaction.Your life will change. You may buy property, open new accounts, we...
08/26/2026

Your estate plan should not be a one-time transaction.

Your life will change. You may buy property, open new accounts, welcome another child, lose someone you named in your documents, move to another state, or simply decide that the people you chose years ago are no longer the right choices.

That is why the relationship matters.

An attorney who remains connected to your family can help you review beneficiary designations, confirm that new assets are properly included in your plan, reconsider the people you placed in important roles, and update your documents as your life changes.

A plan that is reviewed can continue protecting your family. A plan that is signed and forgotten may quietly develop gaps.

https://www.kirk-law.com/get-started

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾Our dogs may not understand estate planning, but they certainly understand family—and they are ...
08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾

Our dogs may not understand estate planning, but they certainly understand family—and they are absolutely part of ours.

When creating your plan, consider what would happen to your pets if you became incapacitated or passed away:

🐶 Who would care for them?
🐶 Has that person agreed to the responsibility?
🐶 Would funds be available for food, grooming, and veterinary care?
🐶 Are their routines, medications, and veterinarian documented?

Your pets cannot tell a court who should take them home. A thoughtful plan can speak for them.

Today, give your favorite dog an extra treat—and make sure every member of your family is protected. 💙

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1412 W State Road
Pleasant Grove, UT
84062

Telephone

+13855677777

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