You might be under the impression that if you do not have many assets then you don’t have to set up a meeting with an estate planning attorney. Trusts actually have numerous benefits that can help you and your beneficiaries now and down the line.
Understanding the benefits of a trust can help you determine whether or not it’s the right fit for you. One of the most common reasons for establishing a trust is to avoid probate. This could lead to a substantial savings and paperwork, legal fees and time. Probate is the process by which a judge determines whether or not a will is valid.
A trust, however, allows your decedents to avoid this process and gain access to the property and assets much more quickly. Probate fees can also be eliminated or reduced, thus saving your family money as well. A trust also gives you better protection against possible legal action with anyone who would be unhappy about the distribution of the assets and decides to challenge it through the court systems.
Furthermore, a trust also gives you a greater layer of privacy and more flexibility over how these assets are distributed. A trust grantor determines how the assets inside the estate will be distributed to beneficiaries.
For those beneficiaries, for example, that you may worry about managing money, you can outline when and how they will receive these assets, which gives parents a great deal of peace of mind. To learn more about setting up a trust and other estate planning questions, contact a Massachusetts estate planning attorney.