The Perks Of Using Estate Planning Trusts

By Steven Wood


No matter how much property one owns, when it is properly managed, it is easy to deal with. It will also be easy to distribute among the beneficiaries. You can organize a living will or get estate planning trusts to help you with this activity. The second option however has many options as well as more advantages.

Trusts are essentially arrangements that allow other people, who you may have selected, to manage your assets for a period. The owner participates in establishing the rules that will govern the property and its handling, as well as who will inherit the property. A number of them allow you to save money by reducing or wholly avoiding taxation.

The main difference between trusts is that some are revocable while others are irrevocable. The revocable kind, allows you to retain the assets during your lifetime. In case circumstances change it can be revoked. With this kind, you still pay taxes for the estate as with any of your possessions. The irrevocable kind transfers assets to another party and protects you from taxes. With this kind, as soon as it is established you lose control of it.

Determining exactly who gets how much wealth can be difficult. When people are left to decide among themselves, it leads to chaos. Sometimes in the form of long and messy court cases. By setting up a procedure, you can avoid all these problems. In case you had children from different marriages, this is a better option as it allows you to include them in the inheritance.

In some cases, wealth may be passed to someone with many debts. Using this method protects your wealth from being claimed by any one collecting debts from beneficiaries. You can also restrict what they can do with it. This is like preventing them from selling an asset. It will enable you to keep the property within the family.

Living wills are normally subject to validation. This process may take up a lot of time and may cost quite a bit in terms of court fees. Using a trust saves you from this process, as they are not subject to probate. This will help your beneficiaries save the money they would have spent on court fees and estate taxes.

The laws that regulate property tend to vary from one state to another. As a resident of Valparaiso, IN, you should hire a lawyer who knows the state laws. A number of trusts are available for set up. Some of them are set up to benefit the surviving spouse, while others can be included in the will set up after death. For people who want to leave their wealth to charity there is also a specific type. For those who plan to skip some generations in the process of inheritance, also a type lets you avoid paying the taxes involved.

You should get all the relevant information before making any decision. A property lawyer can provide this information. They can also offer advice on which type is best suited for you. You can also choose to involve your accountant in the process, especially because of issues on taxes.




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