5 razones para agregar un fideicomiso a su testamento

¿Piensa que la creación de un fideicomiso es solo para personas adineradas? Piénselo nuevamente.

Even if they haven't written one yet, most people realize they need a will to ensure the assets they leave behind are distributed to beneficiaries according to their wishes, such as children or charities.

Pero para muchas personas, el testamento solo no es suficiente. "A trust gives you more control to specify how your assets will be distributed and managed," says Ari M. Moore, a former estate planning attorney-turned personal trust officer at Bank of Oklahoma Private Wealth.

“Trusts also avoid the costs and delay of filing the will in probate court while providing more privacy,” she adds.

Moore outlines five reasons you may want to consider a revocable trust in your estate planning:

1. Get your assets to the right people
Al igual que un testamento, un fideicomiso revocable puede ayudarles a usted y a su cónyuge a dirigir los bienes a las personas que desea al momento de su fallecimiento. "You can have a will without a trust but if you have a trust, it is critical for you to also have a pour-over will directing the court to transfer remaining assets to your trust," says Moore. You also typically still want a will to nominate a guardian for minor children, but "a revocable trust usually becomes the backbone of the plan to transfer assets," Moore says.

2. Avoid probate
Probate is a legal process to distribute assets when someone dies. It is the court's system to review the deceased's assets, pay debts and distribute what remains to persons or entities named in the decedent's will or in accordance with applicable intestate law. Probate can be a lengthy and costly process-averaging six months to several years, depending on the complexity of the estate. En general, el pago de los cargos judiciales y legales se toma del patrimonio.

It is important to note, however, if you fail to update beneficiary designations or transfer any assets into your trust prior to your death, probate will likely still be required to distribute those assets pursuant to intestate law or your prior estate plan. And, depending on whether you also have that pour-over will ensuring your trust's plan for wealth transfer is carried out, the probate assets could be distributed in a manner other than your stated desire under your trust (ultimately based on the language of your state law if no will is in place).

"Probate isn’t necessarily a bad thing, for example, if you have an asset that is not titled to your trust, that pour-over will directs the court to distribute your assets to your trust, which very likely differs from the manner in which intestate law would distribute your assets,” says Moore. “What gets people most concerned about probate are the attorney's fees and the public disclosure of what the decedent owned," Moore continues.

3. Create a plan for incapacity
Con frecuencia pensamos en un testamento o fideicomiso para después de nuestra muerte. Pero, ¿qué sucede si tiene una enfermedad debilitante, sufre un accidente o envejece y eso afecta sus capacidades cognitivas y físicas, y no puede administrar sus finanzas, necesidades médicas y su hogar?

You can create a power of attorney (POA) to appoint someone (called your "attorney-in-fact") to manage your financial affairs, but Moore says a trust can provide more effective direction to your trustee to make decisions on your behalf in the event of your incapacity.

4. Gives the grantor more control
Un fideicomiso revocable le permite decidir no solo a quiénes irán sus bienes, sino también cuándo los recibirán y cómo pueden usarlos.

"A trust helps the grantor retain control of their assets with strings from the grave," Moore explains.

Por ejemplo, si un miembro de la familia no es financieramente responsable, puede establecer en el fideicomiso que los bienes le sean entregados de a poco a través del tiempo. Si un beneficiario es menor, los bienes pueden ser destinados a él a determinada edad o bajo ciertas condiciones, como al graduarse de la universidad. Si el beneficiario es una persona con una discapacidad, puede establecer que los bienes sean distribuidos para su cuidado.

5. Protect your beneficiaries
"When set up correctly, a trust can prevent your beneficiaries' inheritance from being subject to creditors, lawsuits and other potential risks," Moore continues. Por ejemplo, si su beneficiario es demandado o se divorcia, los bienes del fideicomiso que siguen siendo propiedad separada y están dentro del fideicomiso pueden quedar protegidos.

Additionally, because a trust is private agreement, the identities of your beneficiaries are not publicly disclosed, reducing the risk that they can be targets for scammers.

Otras inquietudes relacionadas con los fideicomisos
Recuerde que los fideicomisos no son adecuados para todos. You may not need a trust if you have a small estate or can effectively divide your estate by writing a will and properly titling your assets to transfer automatically upon death. However, having a trust can help you address key concerns about the distribution and management of your estate.

"Uno de los elementos clave de la planificación de bienes es tener todo ordenado con relación a los diversos asesores involucrados: abogado de planificación de bienes, su contador y su banco".

- Ari Moore, personal trust officer at Bank of Oklahoma Private Wealth

Al nombrar un fideicomisario, es importante que conozca los bienes que tiene y que se sienta cómodo para administrarlos. La mayoría de los fideicomisarios corporativos no tienen problema en manejar fideicomisos con la administración de activos típica de acciones, bonos y fondos mutuos.

Sin embargo, los fideicomisarios corporativos pueden enfrentarse a desafíos con los bienes que requieren una mayor especialización, como bienes inmuebles, minerales o activos comerciales, así que asegúrese de que sepan en qué se están involucrando al tener la documentación relacionada con todos los bienes y entidades en un solo lugar.

It is advisable to meet with your named trustee or successor trustees and discuss your trust prior to finalizing your estate plan, Moore suggests. "Esa organización puede ser una gran ayuda para su fideicomisario y sus beneficiarios a futuro".

¿Cuál es la diferencia?

Una vez que decida si quiere un testamento o una combinación de testamento y fideicomiso, usted, su familia y sus beneficiarios tendrán la tranquilidad de que después de su muerte, los bienes de toda su vida y su legado seguirán viviendo de la forma que desee.

Aprenda más about Bank of Oklahoma Private Wealth's trust services.