How Wills and Trusts Can Preserve Your Wealth

Building wealth takes time, effort, and sacrifice. It’s only natural to want to protect your hard-earned assets and ensure they’re passed on according to your wishes. Here’s where estate planning, specifically wills and trusts, become crucial tools.

The Power of a Simple Will

A will is a document that outlines your wishes for distributing your assets after your passing. It allows you to choose beneficiaries – the individuals or institutions who will inherit your property.

Your will clarifies your intentions, minimizing confusion and potential disputes amongst loved ones during an already difficult time.

Here’s how a will contributes to wealth preservation:

• Prevents Intestacy (passing with no will): Without a will, the state determines how your assets are distributed, potentially leaving loved ones with less than you intended or even excluding them entirely.
• Protects Minor Children: A will allows you to appoint a guardian for minor children, ensuring their well-being and financial security.
• Specifying Asset Distribution: You can distribute specific assets – a cherished heirloom to a particular child, a vacation home to another – ensuring sentimental items find their way to the right hands.

The Advantages of Trusts

While a will is essential, trusts offer additional benefits for wealth preservation. A trust is a legal arrangement where you transfer ownership of assets to a trustee who manages them, for the benefit of chosen beneficiaries. There are two main types of trusts to consider:

• Revocable Trusts: These allow you to retain control over the assets during your lifetime. You can modify or revoke the trust at any time. However, upon your passing, the assets in the trust avoid probate – a lengthy and potentially public court process that can eat away at wealth through fees and delays.
• Irrevocable Trusts: Once established, these trusts are generally unchangeable. Assets placed in an irrevocable trust are typically removed from your taxable estate, potentially reducing estate taxes for your heirs. They can also offer creditor protection, shielding assets from lawsuits or other claims.

Trusts for Specific Needs

There’s a variety of trusts designed for different goals. Here are some examples:

• Living Trusts: Similar to a revocable trust, a living trust can hold various assets, from bank accounts to real estate. It can also designate a successor trustee to manage the assets if you become incapacitated.
• Charitable Trusts: If you wish to support a cause you care about, a charitable trust allows you to donate assets while potentially receiving tax benefits.
• Special Needs Trusts: These trusts ensure that individuals with disabilities continue to qualify for government benefits while receiving supplemental support from the trust.

Simple Will Support for HHWA Members

Estate planning is personal and requires careful consideration of your unique circumstances. Consulting an experienced estate planning lawyer for creating your will is crucial. They can guide you through the process, help you choose the right tools, and ensure your wishes are clearly documented and legally sound.

HHWA members have access to a lawyer networked to provide them with the best simple will support necessary. Ready to create yours today? Tap below to learn more and fill out a form.