How Asset Protection Trusts Work And Who Can Use Them

By Serena Price


Asset protection trusts are legal vehicles used to protect wealth from falling to a person you do not want to have it. They permit property, money or other forms of wealth to be held for a beneficiary until they reach a certain age and can responsibly use it. If you are interested in setting up asset protection trusts, there is a lot of information you need to consider.

These legal structures were first developed in England under the common law system. They were originally intended to minimize the amount of inheritance tax that a person would have to pay at their death when their estate transferred to the next of kin. The purpose was to separate the legal title from the equitable title. The legal title is given to the trustee, who holds the estate for the beneficiaries, who hold the equitable title to the estate.

The purpose of these vehicles is to split the enjoyment of the trust assets from its legal ownership, which originates from the settlor. The beneficiaries continue to have an equitable interest in the estate; however, they cannot hold the legal title until they come of age. The legal effect of this is to insulate the money or property from any claims that may be brought by creditors without concealing its intent or trying to evade taxes.

It is important to remember, however, that there are some exceptions to this rule. If the beneficiary has support obligations to a former spouse or a child who is still a minor, then the courts may order a trustee to satisfy those obligations from the funds held in the trust.

However, there are some exceptions to the spendthrift clause. In cases of self-settled estates, when the settlor is also the beneficiary, the spendthrift clause will not apply. Also, when the debtor is the sole beneficiary as well as the sole trustee, or when support payments are owed to another person, the spendthrift clauses will not apply in these cases.

There are certain stipulations, however, as to what constitutes a valid trust vehicle. They must be irrevocable, which means that they cannot provide protection beyond what the settlor has the power to revoke. They normally also contain spendthrift clauses, which prevents the beneficiary from losing their interests to a creditor.

There are many rigorous tax reporting requirements in the United States that apply to taxpayers who establish these offshore vehicles. Even though no additional taxes may be imposed, they still require full and complete disclosure of all the assets held and the activities taken by the trustees when filing tax returns.

If you interested in setting up asset protection trusts, the first thing you must do is seek the advice of a competent attorney who practices in this field. Ensure that everything has been documented properly and that the legal deeds clearly identify the beneficiaries and the assets which are to be covered in the estate.




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