Estate planners routinely employ health, education, maintenance, and support (HEMS) as an ascertainable standard for trust distributions. This ascertainable standard is intended to provide asset protection and also to have a beneficial impact on certain tax aspects. Join this session to examine

• exactly what expenditures are included in the categories of health, education, maintenance, and support;
• how effective HEMS limits are from the perspectives of asset protection, transfer tax avoidance, and ensuring desired income taxation; and 
• alternative or additional protective provisions you may wish to consider including in trusts.