Should I put my house in a trust?

Should I put my house in a trust?

A trust will spare your loved ones from the probate process when you pass away. Putting your house in a trust will save your children or spouse from the hefty fee of probate costs, which can be up to 3% of your asset’s value. Any high-dollar assets you own should be added to a trust, including: Patents and copyrights.

Is a family trust safe from divorce?

Because the assets in the trust continue to be owned by the trust, they cannot be accessed in the divorce. Assets that are not owned or controlled by a spouse cannot be subject to division in a divorce. Distributions from a trust of which you are a beneficiary can be protected if the proper language is used.

Who controls a family trust?

There are three parties involved in a trust arrangement: a grantor, a trustee and the beneficiaries. The grantor is the person who makes the trust and transfers their assets into it. The trustee is the person who manages the assets in the trust on behalf of the beneficiaries.

Why put a house in a family trust?

One of the main reasons people put their house in a trust is because assets in a trust do not go through probate after you die, while everything you bequeath through your will does go through probate. Using a trust to pass on your house can also transfer ownership faster than probate would have.

Can a family trust own a house?

The trustee can use his or her discretion to distribute the trust’s income and assets to the beneficiaries in order to maximise tax benefits for the family members. The trust can borrow money and invest in property that will be held in the name of the trust on behalf of the beneficiaries.

Do family trusts pay tax?

Family Trust income A trust does not have to pay income tax on income that is distributed to the beneficiaries, but does have to pay tax on undistributed income.

How do trusts avoid taxes?

In limited situations, there are ways to defer or reduce income tax liability with a trust. Create an irrevocable trust. Unless a grantor creates an irrevocable trust wherein all his ownership to the trust’s assets are surrendered, the trust’s income simply flows through to the grantor’s income.