Living Trusts

Plan for you and your family’s Future with a Living Trust

A Living Trust is a document that creates a legal body to assist you and your family in your long-term financial planning goals. It is called a “Living Trust” because during your life it helps manage your property and survives your death to ensure the proper management of your affairs, and help guide your family long after you are gone.

Another benefit of a Living Trust is that it can greatly aid your loved ones in the management of your finances should you fall seriously ill or become seriously injured. In most instances, a Living Trust does not pay any taxes or require you to file any extra income tax returns during your lifetime. You simply file and pay your income taxes just as you do now, as though the Trust does not exist.

To learn more about a Living Trust as a tool in Estate Planning and Asset Protection, contact The Law Offices of Adam Allen Arant to schedule a free initial consultation. Located in San Jose, California, our firm will work with you to create a unique Estate Plan that provides the protection you are seeking without any unnecessary confusion. We will discuss your concerns and your needs before recommending any type of plan. We feel that by understanding your situation, we can create an estate plan that is truly reflective of your goals.

Is a Living Trust necessary to protect my family from Probate?

A Living Trust transfers title of your property to a trustee, usually you and / or spouse during your joint lives, for the benefit of you and your family. During your lifetime, you retain complete control over your assets as Trustee of your Living Trust. A properly funded and updated Living Trust helps you to avoid probate because all property held in a Trust is technically owned by the Trust and therefore not included in your probate estate when you die.

Here are some of the different types of Trusts we draft for our clients:

* Revocable Trusts: You can change or revoke this Trust at any time during your life. Title transfers to your beneficiaries only after your death.

* Insurance Trusts: Upon your death, an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can distribute money from a life insurance policy to those people you personally select.

* AB / Credit Shelter / Marital Bypass Trusts: Essentially, each spouse leaves property, in Trust, to the other for life, and then to the children. An AB Trust can potentially save you hundreds of thousands in estate taxes, money that can be passed on to your family.

* Charitable Trusts: Leaving a legacy to your favourite charity or charities can leave a powerful lasting impression long after your death. Our offices can also draft a type of contingent Trust that give property to a charity only if you are facing estate taxes.

Special Needs Trust

Protect the Needs of a Loved One

Does anyone in your family receive government benefits because of a mental disability or physical impairment? They may need additional financial safeguards to ensure for their care long after you are gone and a Special Needs Trust can be a very effective way for you to legally protect these loved ones in the future. To learn more about caring for a disabled family member, contact the Law Offices of Adam Allen Arant, to schedule a free initial consultation.

Estate planning for dependent family members takes time and patience. Special Needs Trust help families make certain that their disabled loved ones will have sufficient assets to pay for medical costs, physical therapy, common living expenses, transportation, religious experiences and all forms of education.

Our offices can help you Take Control of your financial future through Estate Planning and Asset Protection. Contact the Law Offices of Adam Allen Arant to schedule a free initial consultation. We counsel people throughout San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, and all the Greater Bay Area. Visit our information center to learn more about your estate plan. Please call (530) 220-2172.