If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll know that wills and living trusts each accomplish three goals, but they are not one and the same. Neither document is likely to be a comprehensive solution for all your needs, so you’ll need to consider what time period you are planning for.
If you are looking simply to plan for what happens after you pass away, both a will or a living trust can be a good option. If incapacity, however, is your primary concern, a living trust is far and away the more superior tool. Many people focus on what happens after they pass away when it comes to estate planning, but disability and incapacity are increasingly important concerns regardless of your current health.
Assets inside a living trust will already be under the control of a trustee you named to manage things in the event of your incapacity, this allows for a smooth and quick transition. Rather than having to wait out months in a legal disability proceeding, you’ll have a trustee who is empowered to act right away. There are a few other reasons that a living trust wins out over the will, such as if you have a vacation home or real estate located in another state. This is because you won’t have to worry about the estate being probated separately in each state after you pass away, so long as the property is inside the trust.
As you can see here, neither one of these tool is an all-encompassing solution, so you should talk about your needs with an experienced estate planning attorney. We can help at [email protected]