Establishing a living trust is critical to the ability to protect your assets and beneficiaries when you die. But many people don't know that there are two types of trusts - irrevocable trusts and revocable trusts. With irrevocable trusts, the grantor's assets are moved out of the estate. In a revocable trust, assets stay in the grantor's estate. There are advantages to each type depending on the grantor's specific circumstances. Here is a rundown on the differences between the two types of trusts.
Irrevocable Trust
Most people are unaware of the advantages that this type of trust provides:
Before placing assets into this type of trust, make sure that the grantor will never need them. While it is possible to retrieve assets, it is very difficult and time-consuming.
Revocable Trust
Most people have an idea of what this type of trust is. Grantors without complicated tax issues that want to still maintain control over their assets, often choose to have this trust.
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Irrevocable Trust
Most people are unaware of the advantages that this type of trust provides:
- Asset Protection - Moves assets out of the grantor's hands, keeping it safe from lawsuits or creditors. A trustee has the power to make decisions with or without the input of the grantor.
- No Estate Taxes - Many people are attracted to these trusts because they are protected from federal estate taxes.
- No Capital Gains Taxes - A skilled lawyer will be able to move assets into irrevocable trusts so as to avoid capital gains taxes. This cannot occur with a revocable trust.
Before placing assets into this type of trust, make sure that the grantor will never need them. While it is possible to retrieve assets, it is very difficult and time-consuming.
Revocable Trust
Most people have an idea of what this type of trust is. Grantors without complicated tax issues that want to still maintain control over their assets, often choose to have this trust.
- Mental Disability - Individuals who fear that they will one day be incapacitated, may want to designate a trustee to handle their assets which can include extensive instructions that the trustee must carry out. This is called a Disability Trustee.
- To Protect Beneficiaries and Property - Keeps your property and assets out of probate. This ensures that your documents stay private and out of the public record. If privacy is important to you, consider a Revocable Living Trust as opposed to a Last Will and Testament which becomes a matter of public record that can be seen by anyone.
- To Avoid Probate - Assets at the time of a person's death will pass directly to the beneficiaries named in the trust agreement and avoid probate.
- For Flexibility - These types of trusts can be changed. If you have a second thought about a particular item or beneficiary, you can modify the document through a trust amendment. If you don't like the trust as a whole, then you can revoke the entire document.
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