Estate planning goes beyond just having a will in place. Trusts also play a pivotal role for Oklahoma City families aiming to preserve wealth across generations. Trusts provide two key benefits:

1. Avoiding Probate to Expedite Asset Distribution

Unlike wills, trusts allow families to bypass the long legal process of probate. This means your assets can transfer directly to beneficiaries without court involvement. For Oklahoma City families needing quick access to inheritance, trusts facilitate faster distribution so heirs can immediately use funds for priorities like education costs or business investments.  

2. Minimizing Estate Taxes to Preserve More Wealth  

Trusts also offer better tax planning than wills alone. Assets placed into certain trusts are not subject to estate taxes at death. This allows you to pass substantially more wealth onto heirs tax-free. An Oklahoma City estate planning attorney can advise on customized trust strategies to ethically minimize taxes and maximize inheritance.

Trust Types: A Snapshot

Broadly, trusts are either revocable or irrevocable, with several subtypes anchored to the grantor’s goals.

Revocable Trusts: Think of these as trusts with an ‘edit’ option. As the grantor, you can tweak them during your lifetime. It’s like having your cake (as the grantor) and eating it too (as the trustee and beneficiary). Though, in most places, there needs to be another beneficiary on board. What’s cool? As a grantor, you can pop assets into the trust or take them out as needed, neatly segregating them from your other belongings. But remember, these trusts aren’t immune to creditors or legal judgments. They’re all about giving the grantor the reigns to control how beneficiaries access their inheritance.

Irrevocable Trusts: Set in stone, these trusts are, well, irrevocable. Once created, they’re out of the grantor’s hands. That means no altering terms, no accessing the property, and complete immunity from creditors. Every rule, every designation, sticks, irrespective of life’s curveballs. However, in some places, if all beneficiaries give a thumbs-up, tweaks might be possible. Always double-check with an estate planner before sealing the deal.

Special Needs Trusts: A subset of irrevocable trusts, these are for those who require lifelong financial aid and are pegged to benefits like Medicare or Medicaid. Since there’s a cap on how much these individuals can pocket without jeopardizing their benefits, these trusts bridge the gap, offering more without compromising on essential benefits.

Here are Lai & Turner’s ten reasons why Oklahoma City families need to understand trust planning:   

1. Avoiding Probate for Faster Distribution of Assets to Heirs

2. Setting Up Trusts to Provide for Special Needs Dependents

3. Structuring Trusts to Legally Minimize Estate Taxes on Assets
4. Using Trusts to Privately Transfer Wealth Across Generations

5. Appointing a Reliable Trustee to Manage Assets for Beneficiaries

6. Creating Trusts to Support Favorite Oklahoma City Charities Upon Death  

7. Protecting Assets from Creditors and Legal Judgments

8. Customizing Trusts to Provide Lifelong Care for Surviving Spouses

9. Updating Trusts As Relationships, Goals and Assets Change Over Time  

10. Ensuring Alignment with Your Overall Estate Plan

This holiday season, gift your family legacy protection and wealth preservation through proactive trust planning. Click here to schedule a free consultation with Lai & Turner Law Firm PLLC and start safeguarding your Oklahoma City assets for heirs. Our trust planning attorneys near you can assess your financial picture and life priorities to craft customized trusts providing tax advantages and control far beyond a basic will.

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