Do I Need a Trust?

Where do you want your money and your assets to go when you die?

A trust might help ensure that the person or people you want to benefit from your assets, both while you’re living and after you pass, will be honored. Using a trust can often provide tax benefits as well as the ability for assets to change hands outside of probate. This can all be done with the help of a trustee, a person given control of a trust so that they can legally administer it according to specific wishes.

After someone dies, the legal process to settle an estate and distribute assets, also known as probate, begins. The probate process goes through a court of law and a judge will validate any existing will for the distribution of assets.

If you don’t have a will, assets are distributed according to state law and, since the process goes through the court, probate files are a matter of public record. If you have a trust, the probate process could be skipped, which might save time, ensure assets go to the chosen beneficiaries, and help maintain the family’s privacy.

What Is a Trust?

The IRS defines a trust as “a legal arrangement which can help you to control your assets and possessions. Often, trusts can help to reduce taxes on your estate and speed up the process of allowing beneficiaries access to those assets.”

A trust can hold cash, stock, real estate, and any other assets. You might meet with an attorney who specializes in trusts to officially name your beneficiaries and dictate how you want the trust to be handled.

You could also apply special rules to your trust, like how often the beneficiary can receive a payment from it, or how the money can be used (say, for education expenses or real estate investments).

The beauty of a trust is that you get to decide and control how you want your assets to be used.

The Difference Between a Trust and a Will

• A will goes into effect only after you die. It’s also called a “last will and testament.”
• A trust can go into effect while you are still alive.

The Difference Between a Trustee and a Beneficiary

A trustee holds legal title to the property  or assets of another person, the beneficiary. A trustee is responsible for administering the trust on behalf of those beneficiaries.

There are at least two two types of beneficiaries  :

• One who receives income from the trust during their lives
• One who receives the remainder of the estate after the first set of beneficiaries dies

Choosing the Right Type

A Living Trust

This is similar to a will, but not exactly the same. A living trust is a legal arrangement that you create during your lifetime (like a will), but instead you specify exactly the way you want your estate handled while you are still alive. A living trust might be used for people who have complex financial situations and more than one beneficiary.

When you die, the trustee you appoint carries out your instructions  without having to go through the legal process of probate. A living trust might be more effective than a will in carrying out the transfer of assets according to your wishes. Types of living trusts include:

•  A revocable trust  . This gives you continued control and access to the assets in the trust as well as the option to make changes to beneficiaries or even revoke the trust whenever you want. This keeps your decision-making flexible and fluid. Once you die, the revocable trust becomes irrevocable, and whatever wishes you’ve listed become final.

•  An irrevocable trust . This cannot be changed, modified, or adjusted. That means that any assets transferred into an irrevocable trust cannot be taken back. Irrevocable trusts might be appropriate for those who want to permanently remove assets from their estate. The IRS lists  assets that are often included in an irrevocable trust as insurance policies, cash, and business investments. Once the ownership passes to the beneficiaries, the assets listed in the trust are no longer taxable as part of the individual’s estate.

Testamentary Trust

Then there is a trust that is not considered a living trust:

A testamentary trust is created by the person who writes a will, called a “testator.” These are not to be confused with living trusts. This type of trust would not go into effect until the death of the testator.

A Few Things to Consider

You may have to consider attorney fees if you set up a trust with the help of a lawyer—there are also options to set up the trust on your own, online. A good trust attorney should know the best ways to make your trust as airtight and efficient as possible. You may want to keep in mind the potential ongoing costs of maintaining a trust as well.

Depending on the type of trust established, the trust may become its own tax entity, and you might need to be prepared to pay an accountant to file a trust tax return each year. Should you elect to have a corporate trustee, where someone from a bank or trust company acts as trustee for the trust, there are typically ongoing fees associated with that service as well.

How to Choose a Beneficiary for Your Trust

Your beneficiaries will likely be members of your family. But a beneficiary of a trust can also be a group or an institution (like a nonprofit organization or a charity). Ultimately, your beneficiary is anyone or any group that receives beneficial enjoyment from your assets, like income, the ability to use property, or ultimate ownership on your say-so.

Where to Hold a Trust

Setting up a trust could ensure that your beneficiaries get what you intended them to have before and after you die. The IRS recommends  opening a bank account for a trust, which would require the following:

• Legal documents and identification that proves you are the legal trustee
•  A Trust Tax ID number 

When opening a trust bank account after the grantor has passed away, you typically need a new Trust Tax ID number  to replace the Social Security number of the deceased grantor. This number will be used on every trust-related document going forward.

Trusts and Taxes

Establishing and funding trusts could help you remove assets from your estate and reassign ownership to others. This might help reduce income taxes on the assets if transferred to a beneficiary in a lower tax bracket, or help you reduce or avoid estate and gift taxes.

Are Trusts Only for “Trust Fund Babies”?

Nope, although the common perception might be that trust funds are only for children of the super-wealthy. A trust fund is meant to help you make sure your money is put to use the way you wish. If you have children or grandchildren, and you want to control how your money is used by them, a trust might help you do that.

Building Wealth for Trusts

When it comes to trusts, laws can change often and can differ from state to state. You might want to consider consulting an attorney who specializes in who needs a trust for the most updated direction and advice.

When do you need a trust? If you are looking for advice in regard to your assets and want to learn more about whether a trust is a good solution for you, you could consider talking with a SoFi Financial Planner.

We can help you better understand financial planning, based on your specific financial goals and life situation. Becoming a SoFi member allows you complimentary access to exclusive SoFi events, as well as exclusive rate discounts on SoFi loans and even professional career and salary guidance.

We’ll work with you to help you achieve your financial goals. It starts with mapping out a plan and sticking to it.

Disclaimers:

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.SoFi Invest®
The information provided is not meant to provide investment or financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on an individual’s specific financial needs, goals and risk profile. SoFi can’t guarantee future financial performance. Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC. SoFi Securities, LLC, member FINRA  / SIPC  . The umbrella term “SoFi Invest” refers to the three investment and trading platforms operated by Social Finance, Inc. and its affiliates (described below). Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of the platforms below.

SOAD19003

This article is originally on SoFi.