A revocable trust is a legal document that allows you to transfer property to another person or organization while you are still alive. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as estate planning, asset protection, and tax planning. This blog post will discuss the basics of revocable trusts and how they can be useful for business owners and individuals alike.
What is a revocable trust?
In a gist, a revocable trust is a property transfer that you can make while alive and revoke at any time before your death. In closing a revocable trust after death, your trustee has to follow the terms set in the trust agreement, or the law will default to them. The trustee is the person or organization that holds and manages the property for the benefit of the beneficiaries. And as the name suggests, with a revocable trust, you can change your mind about the arrangement at any time while you’re alive and well, making it revocable.
A revocable trust is also called a living trust because it’s created during your lifetime. On the other hand, an irrevocable trust is one you can’t change or revoke after it’s been funded. More often than not, an irrevocable trust is preferred for estate planning purposes because it offers more asset protection. However, revocable trusts have their own set of advantages, which is why they are still being used for a wide range of purposes.
Why set up a revocable trust?
There are many reasons why you might want to create a revocable trust. Some of the most common are listed below.
- Estate planning
A revocable trust can help you avoid probate, which is the legal process of distributing your assets after you die. Probate can be a lengthy and expensive process, so many people use revocable trusts to avoid it. Probate often involves going to court, which can be a time-consuming and stressful experience. Aside from this, probate also makes your assets public, which can be a privacy concern for some people. With a revocable trust, the trust becomes the owner of your assets, and the trustee is responsible for distributing them to your beneficiaries after you die. This means that your assets can be distributed quickly and efficiently without going through probate.
- Asset protection
A revocable trust can also be used for asset protection. This is because the assets in the trust are not technically owned by you anymore. Instead, they are owned by the trust. This means that if you get sued or declare bankruptcy, your assets will not be at risk. Remember that when choosing a trustee, you need to choose someone you can trust to manage your assets wisely. At the very least, the individual or organization should have experience managing trust assets or a good understanding of the law. This way, you can be sure that your assets are in good hands.
- Tax planning
Another common use for revocable trusts is tax planning. This is because the income from trust assets is often taxed at a lower rate than personal income. This can be a significant advantage, especially for high-net-worth individuals. For instance, if you have a large investment portfolio, you can put it in a revocable trust and take advantage of the lower tax rates. Just remember to consult with a qualified tax professional to see how this will affect your overall tax liability. In addition, the trust can be used to minimize estate taxes. This is because the assets in the trust are not considered part of your estate when you die. Rather, they are transferred to the trust beneficiaries, who will then be responsible for paying any taxes on them. As a result, your beneficiaries will not have to pay estate taxes on them.
How to set up a revocable trust
- Choose a trustee
The first thing you need to do is choose a trustee. This can be an individual or an organization. One of the things that you need to consider in choosing a trustee is whether or not they have the experience and knowledge to manage the trust assets. You also need to make sure that you can trust them to act in your best interests. Another thing you need to consider is whether or not the trustee will charge a fee for their services. Some trustees may charge a flat fee, while others may charge a percentage of the assets in the trust.
- Decide how the trust assets will be managed.
Another important thing to consider is how the trust assets will be managed. You need to decide whether the trustee will have full discretion over them or if there will be some restrictions. For instance, you may want to limit the trustee’s investments. Or, you may want to specify how the assets can be used. For instance, you may want to stipulate that the assets can only be used for education expenses or only for certain types of medical expenses.
- Create the trust agreement
Once you’ve decided on a trustee and how the assets will be managed, you need to create the trust agreement. This document will outline your wishes for managing the trust and what should happen to the assets after you die. It’s important to consult with an attorney to make sure that the agreement is legally binding. Otherwise, it may not be enforceable. This means that the trustee could ignore your wishes and do whatever they want with the trust assets, which may not be what you wanted.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you might want to create a revocable trust. Whether you’re looking for asset protection, tax planning, or simply want to avoid probate, a revocable trust can be a useful tool. Just keep in mind that there are some things that you need to consider before setting one up. Rest assured that with a little bit of planning, you can create a revocable trust that meets your needs and protects your interests.
