• videocam On-Demand Webinar
  • signal_cellular_alt Intermediate
  • card_travel Estate Planning
  • schedule 90 minutes

Trusts Serving as Grantors to Other Trusts: Drafting Multi-Trust Structures for Optimal Tax Results

About the Course

Introduction

This CLE/CPE course will provide estate planners with a practical guide to the tax and estate planning consequences of structuring trusts that own other trusts. The panel will discuss critical drafting language in both grantor and grantee trusts and outline potential tax-saving opportunities and risks in multi-trust structures.

Description

A critical tool for estate planning counsel is structuring multi-trust structures and transfers to address deficiencies in trusts and maximize tax savings. Estate planners can structure new or existing trusts to serve as recipients of assets, subject to the requirements of IRC Sections 671-678.

These trust-to-trust transactions are not without tax and fiduciary risks, so estate planners must be fully aware of potential transfer tax consequences, fiduciary impacts upon trustees, and various state law provisions that may complicate the transfers. Structuring the recipient trust to avoid these negative consequences is critical to achieving a tax-efficient asset result.

Listen as our panel discusses the nuances of the grantor rules under Section 671-678, the classification of trusts and tax implications, the mechanics of titling assets, potential tax-saving opportunities, and risks in multi-trust structures.

Presented By

John M. Bunge
Member
Riggs Davie PLC

Mr. Bunge focuses his practice on sophisticated tax and estate planning for wealthy individuals and families, including executives, business owners, entertainers, investors, multi-generational families, and their advisors. He helps clients develop comprehensive wealth transfer strategies, minimize income and estate taxes, and structure their affairs around liquidity events, business sales, and generational transitions. Mr. Bunge works extensively with families on the formation, structuring, and governance of family offices, private trust companies, and family investment entities. He has been a primary drafter of numerous amendments to Tennessee’s trust laws through the Tennessee Bankers Association Trust Law Committee, has authored or contributed to numerous articles and books, and speaks extensively on tax and estate planning topics.

Nicholas J. Heuer
Partner
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Mr. Heuer focuses his practice on international income and transfer tax matters. He assists high-net-worth individuals and families throughout the world with complex tax issues arising from their ties to the United States.  Mr. Heuer works with trust companies, financial advisors as well as foreign banks and lawyers on international strategies for investment within the United States and abroad. He also helps cross-border families with the preservation and transmission of their wealth. He routinely provides corporate and tax advice in a wide variety of global transactional matters. This includes inbound and outbound analysis, tax treaty examination and tax-efficient structures for multinational companies. Mr. Heuer also advises clients on cross-border mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, spin-offs and tax-free reorganizations. In addition, he provides counsel on the various tax reporting requirements of doing business with the United States. This includes tax compliance for foreigners with businesses and investments in the United States as well as Americans with offshore investments. Mr. Heuer drafts tax compliance memoranda and evaluates FATCA and CRS classifications and obligations. He also assists with expatriation and counsels noncompliant taxpayers through the various voluntary disclosure programs. Mr. Heuer is an adjunct professor in the LLM Tax Program at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, where he teaches international estate planning.

Credit Information
  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.


  • Live Online


    On Demand

Date + Time

  • event

    Tuesday, August 25, 2026

  • schedule

    1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT

I. Grantor trust rules of Sections 671-678

II. Options for structuring secondary trusts

A. Original grantor as grantor of Trust II

B. Beneficiary as a grantor of Trust II

C. Trust II as a complex trust

III. Critical drafting language to accomplish intended status

IV. Recent IRS focus on multi-trust structures

V. Planning opportunities and risks

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • Various tax results that are possible when one trust establishes and funds a new trust
  • Recommended provisions to accomplish the desired tax results
  • Potential risks of using trusts as grantors to other trusts
  • Recent IRS focus on multi-trust structures