Many people think that because they are not wealthy, a trust isn’t for them. In fact, a trust can be an effective estate planning tool, especially for families with younger children. A testamentary trust (see last week’s post) can allow the trustee the flexibility to provide for the needs of the young children should something happen to the parents. Without a trust, any money (such as life insurance proceeds) would pass to the children. However, because they are minors, a guardianship would have to be established. The guardian’s role is to preserve the money until the children reach the age of majority. This means a guardian lacks the ability to provide anything more than basic necessities. For example, if a child shows exceptional musical talent, a guardian may not be able to tap into the money to provide for private lessons. A trustee, on the other hand, given appropriate instructions and flexibility by the trustors, could do that very thing.

Don’t assume that just because you aren’t “wealthy” a trust isn’t for you.