Absolute Trust Talk

In this final installment of Absolute Trust Talk's international estate planning series, host Kirsten Howe concludes her conversation with estate planning specialist Janet Brewer, addressing one of the most common cross-border scenarios: U.S. citizens who own property abroad. Janet, with over 30 years of experience serving Silicon Valley's international clientele, explains why simply leaving foreign property to your US trust won't work, since most countries don't recognize trusts at all.   This episode highlights the crucial distinction between countries that recognize trusts (primarily former British colonies) and those that don't, and examines practical solutions, including the Hague Convention on International Wills and strategic "situs wills," which can prevent costly intestate succession. Janet shares how to navigate the complex process of probating wills in multiple countries and introduces listeners to STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), an invaluable resource for finding qualified