Testamentary Trusts: The Best of Both Worlds
You have several different options when it comes to creating the right estate plan. Some people believe that a revocable living trust is the best way to go, while others think that a last will and testament (commonly known as a will) is best under certain circumstances. Others may find that a combination of both—through the use of a testamentary trust—provides the right amount of control and protection for themselves and their loved ones.
A Testamentary Trust Can Provide a Solution
A testamentary trust will own accounts and property owned by you in your sole name without beneficiary designations, upon your death and enables you to instruct how your money and property will be handled in advance. Unlike a revocable living trust, the testamentary trust is created at your death, and ownership of your accounts and property are transferred to the trust through the probate process.
You Can Protect Your Loved Ones
Depending on your circumstances, your loved ones may need the extra protection that a testamentary trust can provide.
Surviving spouse
Some couples are hesitant to leave everything to their surviving spouse out of fear that the surviving spouse could be taken advantage of, remarry, or otherwise lose the money and property that was left to them. A testamentary trust can allow a surviving spouse to access the money and property while including extra protections to safeguard it.
Minor child
In most states, minor children cannot legally own anything. If money and property are left to a minor, the court may need to appoint someone to manage the inheritance and make sure that it is used appropriately. A testamentary trust allows you to select the person to manage the inheritance and provide specific instructions about how the money and property should be used.
Special needs individual
If you have a loved one who is currently receiving or may need to avail themselves of certain government benefits due to a disability, a poorly structured inheritance can jeopardize their ability to qualify or keep those government benefits that they need to survive. A properly structured testamentary trust can provide funds to your loved one to supplement what they are receiving from the government without disqualifying them from government assistance.
Your Loved Ones Will Still Have to Go Through Probate
Although you are using a trust to manage and distribute money and property to your loved ones, the probate court will still have to be involved. As opposed to a revocable living trust that is created during your lifetime, a testamentary trust comes into existence at your death during the probate process. The person you name as the executor or personal representative will oversee changing the ownership of your accounts and property from you as an individual to the trustee of the testamentary trust. Once ownership of accounts and property has been changed, the trustee will manage the trust according to the instructions in the will for the trust’s duration. When all of the accounts and property have been given to the intended beneficiaries, the trust terminates. During the administration, the trustee may be required to provide annual reports to the court and other important parties and may have to periodically appear before the judge.
Although the probate process can be time-consuming, expensive, and public, it may be the right option in some circumstances. Some people find that it provides stability and harmony by allowing a third party (the probate court) to oversee the process. This can help families who may otherwise argue over the details to remain cordial and on their best behavior.
