Trusts

What Is A Trust?

A trust can be an important estate planning tool. A trust is created when you (the settlor) transfer property with the intention that it be administered by a trustee for another person’s benefit. The team at Yorkway Law Group can assist you with many different types of trusts, depending on your specific needs. Some trusts are used to provide tax savings while others are used to protect the beneficiary’s assets.

Trusts can be either inter vivos or testamentary. An inter vivos trust is a trust which is created, becomes operational, and is usually funded during the settlor’s lifetime. A testamentary trust is a trust established after your death by the provisions of your Will.

Below is a summary of the more common trusts used in our elder law practice to assist our clients:

Credit Shelter or By-Pass Trust

This type of trust is a testamentary trust that could be used by a married couple to decrease the amount of federal estate taxes owed by their estate. Currently, the federal estate tax is not owed on an estate of $12.06 million (for an individual) or less because of the Federal credit which is available to each spouse. If you or your spouse own assets over $12.06 million, it is important that you let us know so we can assist you in preparing your wills with credit shelters or bypass trusts in them. Without using the credit shelter or bypassing trust, the estate of the last spouse to die may incur an additional substantial tax liability.

Special Needs Trust

This type of trust can be either inter vivos or testamentary. It is usually established for the benefit of a disabled individual who is receiving governmental benefits such as Medicaid or Social Security Supplemental Income. By placing the disabled individual’s funds in a properly prepared special needs trust, that individual will not lose their governmental benefits, and the trust income and principal can be used by the trustee to pay for the individual’s special needs.

Following the disabled individual’s death, if the source of the funds in the trust came from the disabled individual, any funds remaining will have to be used to reimburse the government for funds expended on behalf of the disabled individual. If the source of the funds in the trust was from someone other than the disabled individual, the funds can usually pass to the disabled individual’s heirs.

Revocable Living Trust

This type of trust can be created by you during your lifetime. You transfer assets, which can include personal and real property, to the trustee to manage the assets. You can serve as the trustee of the trust as long as you have legal capacity. If you become incapacitated, a successor trustee, specified in the trust document, would take over the management of the trust assets. Upon your death, the trustee will make distribution of the assets by the terms of the trust. The advantage of this type of trust is that it provides for the management of your assets and payment of your debts and other expenses during your lifetime. At your death, the assets will pass to your beneficiaries without the need to probate your Will. This type of trust, however, could hurt your eligibility for Medicaid benefits because the assets in the trust are countable to you (the settlor) as if you owned them outright.

Contact a Trust Attorney in Bucks County, PA

There are many reasons why you might want to include a trust or trust in your estate planning. If you want to make trusts part of your estate plan, you must speak with an experienced elder law attorney right away. The team at Yorkway Law Group can assist you in creating a variety of trusts in Bucks County and surrounding areas, including a special needs trust for someone who is disabled. With the combined decades our attorneys have spent focusing on elder law, you know you can rely on us to give you the right advice.

Setting up a trust can help your beneficiaries avoid unnecessary taxation and protect their assets. If you are ready to take that step to provide your loved ones with a secure financial future, get in touch with Yorkway Law Group to set up a consultation at one of our offices in Bucks County. With proper preparation, you can ensure your family is provided for, no matter what happens to you. Our attorneys can help you, and they are waiting to hear from you.