First Western Trust Bank Urges Critical Review of Estate Plans Before Year End

DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - December 9, 2009) - First Western Trust Bank, the West's premier private bank and trust company, has issued a new report on specific estate planning techniques that could be eliminated by the end of the year.

According to the paper's author, Melissa Montgomery-Fitzsimmons, JD, Director of Wealth Planning for First Western Financial, Inc., a number of strategies used to transfer wealth to future generations are at real and immediate risk. The paper -- "Get 'Em Before They're Gone" -- lists four specialized estate planning techniques that are most likely to be limited or virtually eliminated and need to be considered quickly.

"You'll always want an experienced estate and tax advisor to counsel you regarding specific wealth transfer strategies," says Montgomery-Fitzsimmons, "and these specialized trusts aren't for everyone. But when they are appropriate, they can be very, very powerful tools."

Specific techniques detailed in the paper include:

-- The Grantor Retained Annuity Trust, or "GRATs"

-- The Qualified Personal Residence Trust, or "QPRTs"

-- The Minority Interest Discount

-- The Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust

"The House of Representatives has already voted to prevent the federal estate tax from expiring on December 31," Montgomery-Fitzsimmons continues. "It's reasonable to think that if we wait until next year there will be fewer options available to reduce estate and gift taxes."

The report -- "Get 'Em Before They're Gone: Estate Planning Techniques that Could Be Eliminated or Restricted by the End of the Year" -- is available at www.fwtb.com.

About First Western Financial, Inc.

First Western Financial, Inc. (FWF) is the holding company of First Western Trust Bank and First Western Investment Management. First Western Trust Bank is the best private bank for the Western wealth management client providing comprehensive tailored solutions in the areas of wealth planning, private banking, investment management and trust services. With $2.9 billion in assets under management, FWF was recently ranked by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing bank/bank holding institutions in the country. Built specifically for the new economies of the West, the firm has offices in Arizona, California, and Colorado. For more information, please visit www.fwtb.com or call 303-531-8100.

Contact Information: For more information, please contact: John Shope First Western Trust Bank 303-531-8100 Morrison Shafroth CSG | PR 720-470-3653