The Importance Of An Asset Protection Trust

By Mattie MacDonald


A trust is an arrangement where control of property is given to an individual to benefit one or more beneficiaries. An asset protection trust helps one avoid creditor attack. The beneficiary can avoid effects of situations like bankruptcy.

There is the offshore type. This is where the settlor is also the beneficiary. The person in charge of managing is chosen by the settlor. He has powers in administration and protection of what he manages. He should have no beneficial interest.The domestic type has two major qualities. It cannot be revoked and has a spendthrift clause. The settlor might as well be the beneficiary. A court order can be used to make the beneficiary support payments.

It is inevitably spendthrift and also cannot be changed. A resident trustee should be chosen. The creator of such an agreement cannot double up as the manager. The one in charge of administration should be in the respective state.In every field one must deal with certain problems. There is the problem caused by law. Some states lack laws dealing with such agreements. This makes judges stranded when they have to deal with such cases.

Having impartial judgment can also be a problem due to the above reason. One state may not recognize the laws of another. When dealing with interstate cases one must definitely respect the laws of each state. This can pose quite a challenge to a judge.

The offshore type of jurisdiction differs slightly from the domestic type of jurisdiction. No alterations can be made in the case of child and spousal support. Whoever loses this case has to pay up the fee that belongs to the victor.When a case is brought forward in court the plaintiff normally posts a bond. Another advantage is it provides for privacy and asset protection. It is also considered to be more flexible. In this type we see the settlor doubling as the beneficiary.

There are disadvantages to offshore type. One of these includes irrevocability. Running a trust is considered costly due to annual fees paid and the charge for setting up one. Too much control can also make it ineffective.They are also not designed to avoid income tax. They are said to be vulnerable to bankruptcy. When the person files for bankruptcy he or she has no option but to surrender all capital. This means all assets that they own.

Using the domestic type there are few or no chances of creditor attack. When the agreement is over undistributed assets can be returned to the settlor. This allows for full control of property once more. He or she gains back control.

The disadvantage is that it is expensive when compared to the offshore type. It could also be unrecognized by some states. Individuals would rather go for what is pocket friendly thus being beneficial. They should be done where they are recognizable.Asset protection strategies are good moves to ensure protection of property. However they also have their complications. One should work with a specialist so as to maneuver through the various complications that arise.




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