Asset Protection
Creating an irrevocable trust before getting married can help ensure that any assets transferred to the trust are not considered marital property.
01
Local Laws
A transfer of assets can be considered fraudulent if it is made with the intent to defraud or hinder a current or future creditor, including a spouse in a divorce proceeding.
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For example, the laws in the place where you get married and where you file for divorce can impact your decisions and outcomes.
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In some jurisdictions, the timeframe for a fraudulent transfer may be as short as four years prior to the date of the filing of a divorce petition. In other jurisdictions, the timeframe may be longer, up to ten or even twenty years prior to the divorce filing.
03
Comingling and Jurisdiction
Keeping assets separate and not commingling them with marital assets can help ensure that they are not considered marital property in the event of a divorce.
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Choosing the right country with favorable trust laws can help maximize the protection offered by the trust as they severely limit the intervention of foreign governments.
02
Choosing A Trustee
While a trustee that is a family member (Ex: Mother, father or siblings) can be used, it's efficacy can vary depending on local laws.
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An independent trustee who has no relation to either spouse can help ensure that the trust is not considered a fraudulent transfer designed to protect assets in the event of a divorce.
04
Clearly Defined Terms
The trust agreement should clearly define the terms of the trust and specify how assets are to be distributed. This can help ensure that the assets are protected and cannot be accessed by the spouse in the event of a divorce.
Irrevocable Trust
An irrevocable trust is a legal arrangement where the person creating the trust transfers assets to a trustee to manage for the benefit of the trust's beneficiaries. Once the trust is created, it cannot be changed or revoked by the grantor. This type of trust is often used for estate planning purposes, as it can help reduce the grantor's estate tax liability and protect assets from creditors or lawsuits. Since the trust is managed by a trustee, the beneficiaries do not have direct control over the assets, which can provide additional protection from creditors and other legal actions. However, since the grantor gives up control of the assets, it's important to carefully consider the potential long-term consequences before creating an irrevocable trust.
Taxes
The Future
Estate Planning
An irrevocable trust can be used as an estate planning tool to transfer assets out of your taxable estate, which can help reduce your estate tax liability upon your death. This means that unlike with a will where your beneficiaries will have to pay an inheritance tax and in most cases income tax, the transferal of assets will be mostly tax exempt. When you transfer assets to an irrevocable trust, you are essentially giving up control of those assets, which can reduce the value of your estate for tax purposes.
Asset Management
Income Tax planning
An irrevocable trust can also help you reduce your income tax liability by shifting income from higher tax brackets to lower tax brackets. When you transfer assets to an irrevocable trust, any income generated by those assets is generally taxed at the trust's tax rate, which may be lower than your personal tax rate.
Safeguarding Legacy
Generation-skipping transfer tax planning
An irrevocable trust can be used to transfer assets to your grandchildren or other beneficiaries who are at least two generations after you. This can help you legally avoid the generation-skipping transfer tax, which is an additional tax on transfers to beneficiaries who are more than one generation after you.