Trust law is one of the most complicated areas of law. Trusts must be drafted by a professional to meet the needs of the trustor. If contemplating a trust you make an appointment with an attorney with a good reputation who specializes in trust law. You explain your situation and your needs, supply a list of your properties and allow the attorney to educate you about the consequences of irrevocable trusts.
Yes. There are two types of trusts, living (intervivos) and testamentary. The living trust is created by a living person(called the settlor or trustor). The testamentary trust is created by the will of a deceased person. Living trusts are designated as either revocable or irrevocable depending on the authority of the settlor. If the settlor has the power to cancel or revoke the trust, it is a revocable trust. If the settlor has no power to revoke it then it is an irrevocable trust. Since the revocable/irrevocable distinction is determined by what the settlor can do while he or she is alive, the trust had to have been made during the settlor's lifetime. Hence, an irrevocable trust is a living trust. On the other hand a trust that is set forth in a person's will is revocable during the life of the testator simply by a modification of the will through a codicil. Once the testator has died that trust becomes irrevocable.
No. You cannot maintain any control over the assets in a irrevocable trust. Doing so will cause the trust to fail and leave you exposed to creditors and taxes.
The manner by which the trust can and should be terminated should be recited in the trust document.
You can break an irrevocable trust only if there was some legal error involved in the establishment of that trust. If there was an error, you can then go to court and ask to have the trust invalidated on the grounds of that error. If there was no error, then no, you cannot break it.
Can you protect your assets from bankruptcy by placing them in an irrevocable trust?
It is unlikely that an irrevocable trust gives the property any immunity from liens.AnswerYes. If the property is owned by an irrevocable trust the HOA can place a lien against the property and the trust. The HOA should research the trust so that the present trustees can be mentioned on the lien. Although debts are sometimes difficult to collect from a trust, the property cannot be sold or mortgaged unless the lien is paid.
Generally, an irrevocable living trust is created in order to transfer assets from a parent's estate to the trust in order to avoid inheritance taxes on the parent's estate, protect assets from creditors, make charitable contributions and other purposes. The key thing about the irrevocable trust is that the trustor (the trust maker) can not later change the terms of the trust once the documents have been signed.
Warning! An irrevocable trust is not created when the grantor (trustor) is also the trustee. By transferring their property to a trust of which they are the trustee the grantor has retained control over the property. Irrevocable trusts are usually set up for tax purposes. The grantor cannot retain any control over the property in order for the trust to qualify as an irrevocable trust. The trust you describe has failed and left the trust property exposed to creditors and taxes. You need to consult with an attorney who specializes in trust law and tax law.
No
The Trust does and it becomes a deduction on the Trust's tax return.
Absolutely not. The person who transferred the property to an irrevocable trust no longer owns the property. Their deed would be null and void. The trust can sell the property as long as that power was granted to the trustee in the Declaration of Trust. For an effective transfer of the property the deed of transfer must be executed by the trustee.
You cannot have the same person as grantor, trustee and beneficiary in any trust. There is no trust created in such a set up. The grantor in an irrevocable trust cannot be the trustee. The property in an irrevocable trust must be permanently separated from the grantor's control.
Trust law is extremely complicated. And yes, an improperly drafted trust can leave your property exposed to creditors and taxes. A revocable trust implies that you maintained some control over the property. That may cause the property to be exposed to creditors. The surest way to protect property is with an irrevocable trust. You should consult with an attorney who specializes in trust law and tax law.
The property is no longer vulnerable to your creditors, your heirs or your personal income taxes. After a waiting period, it cannot be used to disqualify you from entitlements. You can choose how the income will be distributed and how the property will eventually be distributed when the trust is terminated. However, you cannot get the property back. An irrevocable trust should be drafted by an expert in trust law.
You CAN get the assets back in a revocable trust. You CANNOT get the assets back in an irrevocable trust. An irrevocable trust cannot be terminated by the settler once it has been created. The settler transfers their assets into the trust and no longer has any rights of ownership in that property or the trust. The main reasons for setting up an irrevocable trust are estate planning and tax purposes. Generally, assets in an irrevocable trust are shielded from creditors.
Liability insurance. An irrevocable trust made with the help of an attorney.