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The Need Of An Asset Protection Trust

By Mattie MacDonald


A trust allows for management of a property to be given to another individual so as to benefit another. An asset protection trust protects property from being claimed by creditors. Benefits include avoiding situations such as 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.

Coming up with proper judgment is also a challenge. Judgment cannot be made in good faith when one state does not consider the laws of another. It can prove difficult to move past this point in court. However it is not impossible.

There are certain things that make the offshore type of jurisdiction different from the domestic type of jurisdiction. First and foremost the loser pays the fees of the victor. It cannot be altered in the case of child or spousal support.If a case is brought forward in the court of law the complainant must post a bond to file suit. It is also favorable to asset protection and privacy. This trust has greater flexibility as the settlor could also be the beneficiary.

The cons of the offshore type are that it cannot be revoked. It can be expensive to start up due to the annual fees needed. Some settlors fear losing their property and are therefore involved more than they should. The trust could therefore be ineffective.The offshore type does not reduce income tax. Moreover there is a higher chance of bankruptcy. When filing for bankruptcy all assets must be surrendered. They are then liquidated and those who can no longer pay their creditors get a fresh start.

The benefit of the domestic method is that there is an almost zero risk of creditor attack. The settlor can get back his assets that were not distributed. Moreover he or she can get full control of the property just as before.

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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