What is a Trust?

A trust is a legal instrument that transfers title to designated property from the owner, called the donor or grantor, to a trustee, who holds the property for the beneficiaries of the trust. The grantor can also serve as the trustee, thereby enhancing control over the trust during the life of the grantor. In such a case, a successor trustee is usually named in case the grantor dies or is incapacitated. Depending on the size or complexity of the trust, the trustee, or cotrustee, might be an institution, so as to bring more expertise to the position.

Testamentary Trust

A testamentary trust, created in a will, takes effect when the grantor dies. It names the beneficiaries and gives directions for payment of the income from the trust and for disposition of the assets. The testamentary trust has the advantage of increasing the odds that an inheritance is used prudently. The trustee can manage the assets of the trust until such time as the beneficiaries are prepared to do so, as opposed to an immediate transfer of assets to the beneficiaries.

Living Trust

The second category of trusts is the living, or inter vivos, trust, which is created during the grantor's lifetime. An important decision for a living trust is whether the trust will be revocable by the grantor or irrevocable. In either case, the assets are retitled in the name of the trust. As the name suggests, a revocable trust may be dissolved entirely by the grantor. But short of that, the grantor may also change beneficiaries, replace the trustee, or change the composition of the assets in the trust. Revocable trusts do not remove assets from the grantor's estate. The trust pays taxes on its income, and if any assets remain in the trust at the death of the grantor, they are part of his estate and at least potentially taxable as such. A revocable trust has few tax advantages.

An irrevocable trust permanently takes assets out of the grantor's estate and puts them into the trust. While tax savings can be realized with an irrevocable trust, this type of trust is not to be entered into lightly, as it will take action by a court to alter it later. For tax purposes, the trust becomes a separate entity. Assets in the trust generally are not subject to estate taxes on the death of the grantor, but the transfer of assets into the trust may be subject to gift taxes.

When the grantor for a living trust dies, the trust assets pass directly to the beneficiaries. This is a distinct advantage over having to go through probate, the often costly and time-consuming process of administering a will. A living trust also maintains the privacy of the estate, because bypassing probate also means that no public record is created, as occurs with probated wills.

Effective use of trusts in estate planning requires not only awareness of these trust basics, but familiarity with specialized trusts that might be a good fit for particular cases, such as those involving life insurance policies and charities. To decide on and implement the best option, use the services of qualified professionals.

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