家族信托基金, 也被称为生前信托或可撤销信托, 能成为管理和分配资产的有价值的工具吗. 然而, it’s vital to consider individual circumstances and goals when deciding whether to establish a family trust. 在这个博客中, 我们将介绍家族信托的概念, 他们的目的, and factors to consider when determining if setting one up is the right choice for you.
什么是家族信托?
A family trust is a legal arrangement that allows individuals to protect and transfer their assets into a trust during their lifetime.
家族信托涉及的各方包括:
- 授予人是创建信托并将资产转移给信托的人.
- 受托人是负责管理信托资产的人. This may be the individual themselves, another person they designate, or a financial institution.
- The 受益人 are the individuals who receive some type of financial benefit from the trust. 你可以指定你的家庭成员作为家庭信托的受益人. 这可能是你的孩子, 配偶, 孙子, 兄弟姐妹, 叔叔阿姨, 表亲, 或者其他家庭成员. 慈善机构也可以是受益人.
家族信托的目的是什么?
The primary purpose of a family trust is to manage and distribute assets according to the wishes of the trust grantor.
By placing assets in a trust, they can be managed and distributed without going through probate. 遗嘱认证有时会花费超过10美元,000美元，可能需要几个月到一年多的时间来处理. 因此，你可以通过建立家庭信托来节省金钱和时间.
You can use a family trust to specify when the 受益人 can access their share of the assets and the terms. 例如, if you didn’t want them to receive the assets until they were 25 then you could stipulate that in the trust agreement.
家族信托有什么好处?
- Control and flexibility: A family trust allows the grantor to retain control over their assets during their lifetime. 他们可以作为受托人，对信托的资产作出决定. The trust can also provide flexibility in determining how and when assets are distributed to 受益人, 允许在信任文件中包含特定的说明.
- Minimize estate taxes: Some types of family trusts can help minimize estate taxes once the trust grantor passes away. 遗产税和赠与税可能会大大减少你遗产的财富.
- Privacy: One advantage of a family trust is that it helps maintain privacy because the trust document is not a public record that will be filed in probate court (like a will).
- Avoidance of probate: Generally, when you die, your estate goes through probate. This is a legal process that determines how it will be disbursed and what taxes and debts must be paid. 因为信托资产不受遗嘱认证的约束, the distribution of assets can occur more quickly and with potentially fewer expenses. 遗嘱不能绕过遗嘱认证，但信托可以.
- 资产保护:家族信托可以提供一定程度的资产保护. 通过将资产转入信托基金, they are held separately from individual ownership and may provide a level of protection against creditors or legal claims. The trust can also provide for the smooth transition of assets to 受益人 upon the grantor’s death or incapacity.
While family trusts offer benefits, they may not be necessary or suitable for everyone. Setting up a family trust should be based on factors such as the size and complexity of the estate, 还有个人喜好和目标. To understand the legal and financial implications specific to your situation, 你应该咨询遗产规划律师或财务顾问.
家庭信托可以更改或撤销吗?
家庭信托可以是可撤销的，也可以是不可撤销的，这取决于你的选择. 可撤销信托, 也叫生前信托, is when a grantor can change the terms of the trust while he or she is still alive. 授予人死后, 然而, 信托变得不可撤销, 也就是说它的条款不能修改. If the grantor chooses an irrevocable trust when it’s established then it is set in stone immediately. 任何人都不能改变它的条款，连授予人也不行.
The benefit of an irrevocable trust is that it can shelter assets from estate taxes. 在不可撤销信托中，资产不构成设保人遗产的一部分. This means that they do not count towards their gross estate for tax purposes. 然而，这只适用于拥有大量资产的人， 只有价值超过12美元的地产.到2024年，有9200万人需要缴纳遗产税.
如何设立家族信托?
- Decide if a family trust is right for you: The first step is to talk with a financial advisor or estate planning lawyer before creating a family trust. 他们可以帮助你决定家庭信托是否适合你.
- 名字 the trustee: The second step is deciding who you want to act as the trustee. 严格来说，这个人可能是你自己，但通常是你信任的人. Ensure that the chosen trustee is willing and capable of carrying out their duties.
- 名字 the 受益人: The third step is to decide who you want the 受益人 to be. Clearly define their rights, entitlements, and any 条件 or restrictions on distributions.
- Create the trust agreement: Work with an attorney to draft the trust document, 又称信托协议或信托声明. 这份法律文件概述了这些条款, 条件, 以及管理和分配信托资产的说明. There are free software programs that you can use to create a trust agreement.
然而, to ensure that the trust is properly structured and tailored to your specific needs, 我们建议与遗产规划律师合作. - Fund the family trust: This means transferring assets to the ownership of the trustee. 有很多东西可以成为信托的一部分，包括房地产, 银行账户, 股票, 车辆, 美术, 收藏品和传家宝, 以及其他投资. Consult with professionals such as financial advisors and tax experts to evaluate the tax implications and legal considerations associated with transferring assets into the trust.
- Sign and notarize the trust: Sign the trust document in the presence of witnesses and have it notarized. This makes the trust legally enforceable to ensure that your 受益人 don’t run into any issues when it’s time to access the trust assets. 将经公证的信托文件保存在安全的地方, 并向受托人提供副本, 受益人, 以及其他有关方面.
家族信托是个好主意吗?
A family trust may be a good idea if you want to put something in place for your loved ones, 还有你的遗产. 想到死亡从来都不是件容易的事, 但如果你现在就计划, you will ensure that the estate that you leave behind benefits your family in the years to come. By doing so, you will ensure that your assets are protected and distributed according to your wishes.
