Most trust donors retain control of investments

Among the report's key findings:

• Nearly half of consumers die with less than $10,000 in assets;
• Just 2.3 percent of estates pay taxes, up from 1.0 percent in 1930;
• 15,000 estate tax returns were filed this year, down from 108,000 in 2001;
• California and Florida have the greatest state estate tax receipts with $937 million and $779 million respectively;
• Charitable contributions are $280 billion, up over 150 percent since 1990. Almost half of charitable contributions are made to religious organizations;
• Nearly two-thirds of consumers review their estate plans at least every three years;
• Nearly three-quarters of baby boomer women are expected to outlive their husbands due to longer life expectancies and their tendency to marry older men;
• Only 42 percent of consumers have wills, down from 47 percent in 2000;
• More than three-quarters of affluent consumer households have wills;
• Only one-quarter of consumers have created powers of attorney for health-care decisions;
• Only one-quarter of consumers have created durable powers of attorney for financial decisions;
• Almost two-thirds of affluent consumer households have living wills;
• Of the four million personal trusts, about two-thirds are revocable living trusts;
• Of the $3.3 trillion assets held in personal trust accounts, about two-thirds is in revocable living trusts;
• Irrevocable trust assets under management have reached $1.6 trillion, up 60 percent since 2000;
• More than two-thirds of irrevocable trust accounts utilize a corporate trustee;
• Fewer than one-fifth of trustees have stated guidelines and procedures for reviewing their  trusts' life insurance policies;
• Three-quarters of ultra-high net worth consumers' greatest fear with respect to protecting their wealth is that someone will take advantage of a child or grandchild for financial gain;
• More than two-thirds of ultra-high net worth consumers are concerned that they will be the target of an unfounded lawsuit;
• Personal trust assets account for one-quarter of total assets under administration at independent trust companies.