Could A Trust Be Good For Your Family?

The answer to the title question is that just about every family can benefit from a trust. The rich and famous tend to utilize trusts because of the privacy they provide, the long-term asset protection, the tax benefits, and their flexibility; but each and every family, regardless of fame or income, can reap the exact same benefits making a trust a part of their estate plan.

According to this article on the CNN Money website, you can benefit from a trust “if you have a net worth of at least $100,000 and meet one of the following conditions…

• “A sizable amount of your assets is in real estate, a business or an art collection;
• You want to leave your estate to your heirs in a way that is not directly and immediately payable to them upon your death. For example, you may want to stipulate that they receive their inheritance in three parts, or upon certain conditions being met, such as graduating from college;
• You want to support your surviving spouse, but also want to ensure that the principal or remainder of your estate goes to your chosen heirs (e.g., your children from a first marriage) after your spouse dies;
• You and your spouse want to maximize your estate-tax exemptions;
• You have a disabled relative whom you would like to provide for without disqualifying him or her from Medicaid or other government assistance.”

The article goes on to explain that depending on your assets, your family, and your goals you may have a number of different trust options to choose from. The article gives very helpful explanation of the various types of trusts you may have available to you, and will give an idea of just how powerful and flexible a trust can be.

What the article doesn’t mention is that some of these trusts can be used in conjunction with each other, to provide layers of protection and control of your assets. The world of trusts is complex, but full of potential. Please contact our office (or your own local estate planner) to learn more about trusts, and determine how a trust might be good for your family.