A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island

Practical, comprehensive treatment of estate planning issues

Product Number: 2120313B00
Publication Date: 7/31/2025
Edition: 3rd Edition 2025
Copyright: © 2025 MCLE, Inc.
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A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island

Practical, comprehensive treatment of estate planning issues

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Print Book 456 pages in 1 volume with downloadable forms Note: For print books, with MCLE's automatic update service, book revisions are mailed automatically with an invoice. If you do not want to subscribe to updates, please check the opt out option during checkout.

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Product Description
Product Description

The collective expertise of over twenty estate planners, combined with hundreds of years of experience—that is what you will find in this comprehensive practice manual. A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island begins with practical steps in handling an estate, introduces estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, provides pointers on testamentary planning, and helps you to advise clients in all walks of life—the married couple, the individual interested in funding a charitable organization, the couple who need to protect retirement assets, family businesses, or real estate. The most salient areas of estate planning practice are included in this highly practical resource.

Recent updates:
- Update: July 2025
  Dear Subscriber:
  
  Thank you for updating your library with the 2025 edition of A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island . This latest version of the book brings updated resources within your immediate reach—for fast, accurate, and practical answers to your questions.
  
  Highlights from the issues reflected in this edition include the following:
  - enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Pub. L. No. 119-21, in July 2025; the bill addressed a wide range of issues, including estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax;
  - charging a mix of a flat fee and an hourly fee for preparing an estate plan;
  - ethics issues arising when an attorney-draftsperson is named as a fiduciary;
  - guidance on drafting in terrorem clauses;
  - application of Rhode Island's "slayer statute," R.I.G.L. § 33-1.1-1 et seq., which restricts the distribution of property to a person who has taken the life of the decedent;
  - standards for the removal of a trustee;
  - the treatment of retirement plans and charitable distributions under the SECURE Act 2.0, enacted in December 2022;
  - guidance on the use of life insurance proceeds in estate planning, including a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court determination that insurance proceeds used to redeem a decedent's shares will not reduce the value of the corporation for estate tax purposes;
  - guidance on planning for the distribution of digital assets;
  - the treatment of revocable trusts in divorce proceedings; and
  - the issues appropriately addressed by prenuptial agreements under R.I.G.L. § 15-17-3.
  We trust that you will find this revised edition valuable in your estate planning practice and valuable in keeping your law library current.
  
  Cordially,
  
  Maryanne G. Jensen, Esq., Director of Publications
Table of Contents

Table of Contents
expand all

Chapter 01 expand

Practical Steps in Handling an Estate Planning Matter
Buy Chapter
Damian Nash, Esq.,

Exhibit 1A
- Transmittal Letter Enclosing Questionnaire Buy Form

Exhibit 1B
- Sample Engagement Letter Buy Form

Exhibit 1C
- Sample Correspondence Buy Form

Exhibit 1D
- Billing Correspondence Buy Form

Chapter 02 expand

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes
Buy Chapter
Michael T. Lahti, Esq., Fletcher Tilton, PC

Exhibit 2A
- GST Tax: Questions and Answers for Spotting Potential Skips Buy Form

Exhibit 2B
- GST Tax: Examples and Illustrations for the Rules on Automatic Deemed Allocation of GST Tax Exemption to “Indirect Skips” Buy Form

Chapter 03 expand

Fundamental Testamentary Planning
Buy Chapter
Katherine Bishop Dunn, Esq., Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman
Rebecca M. Murphy, Esq., Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman

Checklist 3.1
- General Checklist of Provisions for a Simple Will Buy Form

Exhibit 3A
- Self-Proving Affidavit Buy Form

Exhibit 3B
- Executor Power Provisions for Pour-Over Will Buy Form

Exhibit 3C
- Funeral Planning Agent Designation Buy Form

Exhibit 3D
- Administration Provisions and Trustee Powers Buy Form

Exhibit 3E
- Memorandum of Trust Buy Form

Exhibit 3F
- Definitions Section Buy Form

Chapter 04 expand

Marital Deduction Planning and Drafting Techniques
Buy Chapter
Bridget L. Mullaney, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP
Lynn E. Riley, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP

Checklist 4.1
- Checklist for Drafting Marital Deduction and Exempt Bypass Trusts Buy Form

Exhibit 4A
- Disclaimer Trust Buy Form

Exhibit 4B
- Single QTIP Trust Buy Form

Exhibit 4C
- Plan with Both a QTIP Trust and a Bypass Exempt Trust Buy Form

Chapter 05 expand

Lifetime Asset Transfers
Buy Chapter
Jason P. Marshall, Esq., Marshall Law Offices
Darah Schofield, Esq., Marshall Law Offices

Checklist 5.1
- Lifetime Asset Transfers Checklist Buy Form

Exhibit 5A
- Section 2503(c) Trust Buy Form

Exhibit 5B
- Sample Crummey Trust Buy Form

Chapter 06 expand

Charitable Giving Outright and in Trust
Buy Chapter
Katherine Newby Kishfy, Esq.,

Exhibit 6A
- IRS Revenue Procedures Issuing Sample CRT Forms Buy Form

Exhibit 6B
- IRS Revenue Procedures Issuing Sample CLT Forms Buy Form

Chapter 07 expand

Life Insurance and Estate Planning
Buy Chapter
Jason P. Marshall, Esq., Marshall Law Offices

Exhibit 7A
- Unilateral Buyout Agreement Buy Form

Exhibit 7B
- Split-Dollar Insurance Agreement Buy Form

Exhibit 7C
- Crummey Instructions and Notice Buy Form

Chapter 08 expand

Living Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care, and Durable Financial Powers of Attorney
Buy Chapter
Rebecca Dupras, Dupras Law

Exhibit 8A
- Sample Living Will (Statutory Form) Buy Form

Exhibit 8B
- Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) Form Buy Form

Exhibit 8C
- Statutory Form Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Buy Form

Exhibit 8D
- Short Form Power of Attorney Buy Form

Chapter 09 expand

Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits
Buy Chapter
Melissa K. Burnett-Testa, Esq., Burnett & Sherer LLC

Checklist 9.1
- Estate Planning for Retirement Buy Form

Exhibit 9A
- Notice 2024-80 Buy Form

Exhibit 9B
- COLA Increases for Dollar Limitations on Benefits and Contributions Buy Form

Exhibit 9C
- IRA-Related Sections of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Buy Form

Exhibit 9D
- Uniform Lifetime Table (Effective January 1, 2022) Buy Form

Exhibit 9E
- Sample Basic Beneficiary Designation Buy Form

Exhibit 9F
- Single Life Expectancy Table (Effective January 1, 2022) Buy Form

Chapter 10 expand

Basic Strategies to Preserve and Protect the Family Business
Buy Chapter
Bridget L. Mullaney, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP
Lynn E. Riley, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP

Chapter 11 expand

Asset Protection Trusts
Buy Chapter
Eric D. Correira, Esq., Correira Law

Chapter 12 expand

Marital and Cohabitation Agreements
Buy Chapter
Laura Ruzzo Reale, Esq., McIntyre Tate LLP

Checklist 12.1
- Prenuptial Agreement Checklist Buy Form

Checklist 12.2
- Postnuptial Agreement Checklist Buy Form

Checklist 12.3
- Cohabitation Agreement Checklist Buy Form

Checklist 12.4
- Marital Settlement Agreement Checklist Buy Form

Chapter 13 expand

Planning for Incapacity—Special Needs and Guardianship
Buy Chapter
Nancy Fisher Chudacoff, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP
Amanda E. Tarzwell, Esq., Tarzwell Law Offices
Gayle F. Tarzwell, Esq., Tarzwell Law Offices

Exhibit 13A
- Form for Appointment of Parental Successor Buy Form

Exhibit 13B
- Suggested Language for Guardianship Decree When Guardian Is Representative Payee Buy Form

Exhibit 13C
- Sample Trust Language for Determining Incapacity of a Trustee Buy Form

Exhibit 13D
- Designation of Funeral Planning Agent Buy Form

Exhibit 13E
- Executive Office of Health and Human Services 210-RICR-50-00-6.11.3 Buy Form

Chapter 14 expand

Postmortem Estate Planning
Buy Chapter
David S. Raymon, Esq., Day Pitney LLP
Nikolaus S. Schuttauf, Esq., Day Pitney LLP

Checklist 14.1
- Checklist for Disclaimers Buy Form

Exhibit 14A
- Disclaimer of Survivorship Interest in Joint Property and of Powers as Beneficiary of Trust Buy Form

Exhibit 14B
- Disclaimer of an Interest in Real Estate Buy Form

Chapter 15 expand

Planning Involving Vacation and Second Homes
Buy Chapter
Joshua R. Caswell, Esq., Nixon Peabody LLP

Checklist 15.1
- Basis-Planning Considerations for Tax-Efficient Estate Planning Strategies Buy Form
Editors & Authors

Editor(s)

Lauren K. Drury, Esq., Washington Trust Wealth Management, Providence

Katherine Newby Kishfy, Esq., Barrington

Author(s)

Melissa K. Burnett-Testa, Esq., Burnett & Sherer LLC, Providence

Joshua R. Caswell, Esq., Nixon Peabody LLP, Boston

Nancy Fisher Chudacoff, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP, Providence

Eric D. Correira, Esq., Correira Law, Swansea

Katherine Bishop Dunn, Esq., Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman, Providence

Rebecca Dupras, Dupras Law, Providence

Katherine Newby Kishfy, Esq., Barrington

Michael T. Lahti, Esq., Fletcher Tilton, PC, Worcester

Jason P. Marshall, Esq., Marshall Law Offices, Warwick

Bridget L. Mullaney, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP, Providence

Rebecca M. Murphy, Esq., Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman, Providence

Damian Nash, Esq., Warwick

David S. Raymon, Esq., Day Pitney LLP, Boston

Laura Ruzzo Reale, Esq., McIntyre Tate LLP, Providence

Lynn E. Riley, Esq., Cameron & Mittleman LLP, Providence

Darah Schofield, Esq., Marshall Law Offices, Warwick

Nikolaus S. Schuttauf, Esq., Day Pitney LLP, Boston

Amanda E. Tarzwell, Esq., Tarzwell Law Offices, Wakefield

Gayle F. Tarzwell, Esq., Tarzwell Law Offices, Wakefield

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A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island

Practical, comprehensive treatment of estate planning issues

A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Rhode Island

Practical, comprehensive treatment of estate planning issues

Choose Format:

Product Description

Recent updates:

Table of Contents

Practical Steps in Handling an Estate Planning Matter

Exhibit 1A

Exhibit 1B

Exhibit 1C

Exhibit 1D

Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes

Exhibit 2A

Exhibit 2B

Fundamental Testamentary Planning

Checklist 3.1

Exhibit 3A

Exhibit 3B

Exhibit 3C

Exhibit 3D

Exhibit 3E

Exhibit 3F

Marital Deduction Planning and Drafting Techniques

Checklist 4.1

Exhibit 4A

Exhibit 4B

Exhibit 4C

Lifetime Asset Transfers

Checklist 5.1

Exhibit 5A

Exhibit 5B

Charitable Giving Outright and in Trust

Exhibit 6A

Exhibit 6B

Life Insurance and Estate Planning

Exhibit 7A

Exhibit 7B

Exhibit 7C

Living Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care, and Durable Financial Powers of Attorney

Exhibit 8A

Exhibit 8B

Exhibit 8C

Exhibit 8D

Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits

Checklist 9.1

Exhibit 9A

Exhibit 9B

Exhibit 9C

Exhibit 9D

Exhibit 9E

Exhibit 9F

Basic Strategies to Preserve and Protect the Family Business

Asset Protection Trusts

Marital and Cohabitation Agreements

Checklist 12.1

Checklist 12.2

Checklist 12.3

Checklist 12.4

Planning for Incapacity—Special Needs and Guardianship

Exhibit 13A

Exhibit 13B

Exhibit 13C

Exhibit 13D

Exhibit 13E

Postmortem Estate Planning

Checklist 14.1

Exhibit 14A

Exhibit 14B

Planning Involving Vacation and Second Homes

Checklist 15.1

Editor(s)

Author(s)