TrustsA Trust is a way of securing your assets to ensure that they are protected and passed on to your loved ones. You are able to keep some control over your assets with how and when they are used by the beneficiaries. Ensuring that your loved ones benefit from their inheritance as much as possible.
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Why would you need a trust?
A trust will streamline the process of transferring an estate after you die, while avoiding a lengthy and potentially costly period of probate.
The above examples of how trusts can be of benefit to you can be explained in more detail by our experienced estate planner. If you would like us to give you a call to discuss them further, and how they can be of benefit to your personal circumstances, then you are invited to send us a message with your details, and we will get back to you. Our conversations and advice are free, with no obligation.
What can I put in a trust?
If you own something then it is an asset of yours. You can put this asset into a trust in order to protect it for the future. You can name the beneficiary and the trustee. The trustee is the person who will 'look after' your assets and is usually the executors that are named in a Will. You are able to give the trustee specific instructions, and any limitations, that you would like carried out.
Creating a trust enables you to put conditions on how and when your assets are distributed after you die. A common situation is to put inheritance in a trust until your children reach an age that you deem them to be responsible enough to use it wisely for their future. Trusts will also reduce the estate gift taxes and enable them to be passed on to those due to inherit it, more quicker than if it were to go through probate.
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Is a trust worth the expense now?
When Lacuna Wills assists in setting up a trust for your assets, we are helping you keep control of them. It may seem like a more expensive option now, when a Will is a simple and cheaper option. However, with a trust you are making sure that the person who you want to inherit from you is able to get the most from the assets you are passing on, and reducing / avoiding the risk of your assets going to other people in the future. See the scenarios below of how a trust can help your beneficiary:
It stops a child from inheriting too young.
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It avoids the beneficiary losing their inheritance during divorce.
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It avoids the beneficiary losing their inheritance to debt / bankruptcy.
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It avoids your children losing inheritance if your spouse re-marries.
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It avoids the inheritance affecting means tested support that your beneficiary receives.
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It avoids the assets being at risk from third party costs.
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Enables your spouse to retain the right to live in your house.
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Enables you to transfer a business to another person seamlessly.
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If you would like to know more about the different scenarios mentioned above, and how they can be suited to you and your personal circumstances, then you are welcome to get in touch with our estate planner Christopher directly on 07968 763866. Christopher will be happy to explain how they work, how much they cost and how they can be bespoke to you with a free, no obligation conversation. This can be over the phone, or you can arrange for him to visit you in the comfort of your own home.
Frequently Asked Questions about trusts
Q. Do I lose control of my money if I set up a trust?
A. You are able to access the trust at any time if you are named as a trustee, and will therefore be known as the settler. The trustees own the trust and are able to make decisions and work with this as you see fit.
Q. Are trust services expensive?
A. No, although the cost of a trust is dependent on the intricacies and level of work involved as well as the size of the estate. It is typical to set up a trust to protect your house or other assets from third party charges and in this respect you can save money in the long run and make the cost of the trust back very quickly.
Q. Is setting up a trust difficult?
A. No, with the support and guidance of Lacuna Wills, together we could ensure that it is a simple and straight forward task.
Q. Will my assets be safe?
A. Yes, by writing a trust you are effectively ring fencing your assets to protect them against sideways inheritance, bankruptcy, and third party fees, making sure that beneficiaries don't inherit money at too young an age.
If you have any other questions that have not been answered, then have a look on the frequently asked questions page. Alternatively, send us a message or arrange for us to call you or come to visit you to discuss your options further.