Your Legacy. Your Control. Your Living Trust.

A Fortis Planning living trust keeps you in charge while safeguarding your estate and ensuring your family’s future security.

Benefits Of A Living Trust

A living trust is designed with you in mind. It allows you to maintain complete control of your assets during your lifetime, provide clear instructions for your care if you become incapacitated, and ensure your wishes are carried out after you pass. At Fortis Planning, we take the time to understand your circumstances and goals so we can create a trust that protects your assets and directs them exactly where you want them to go.

When properly structured and funded, a living trust becomes one of the most powerful tools in estate planning. It not only secures your legacy but also simplifies the process for your loved ones, which is why it remains the most popular estate preservation solution we provide.

What Is A Living Trust?

A living trust is one of the most effective tools in estate planning because it allows for the smooth transfer of assets after death without the need for probate. When you create a living trust, you appoint a successor trustee who has the legal authority to manage your affairs if you become incapacitated and to distribute your assets after your passing. Because the trust, not the probate court, controls the transfer, your beneficiaries can receive what you intended for them without costly delays, court oversight, or unnecessary stress.

Almost any type of asset can be placed into a living trust. Real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, fine art, jewelry, business interests, and even intangible property such as intellectual property rights, mineral rights, or cryptocurrency can all be held in trust. By keeping these assets within a living trust, they remain accessible for distribution according to your wishes rather than being tied up in probate.

Probate is a court-supervised process that often proves time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating for families. During probate, assets are frozen, beneficiaries wait, and costs accumulate. A living trust allows you to bypass this process entirely, ensuring your wealth passes directly to the people you choose in the manner you specify.

How Does A Living Trust Work?

A living trust is a legal entity that can own property and manage assets, giving you the ability to control your estate without holding everything in your personal name. When you create a trust, ownership of your assets is transferred into it, a process known as “funding the trust.” This allows you to clearly specify what should happen if you become incapacitated or after your passing, so that difficult decisions are already made and your wishes cannot be overridden.

For example, if you move an investment property, bank account, or vehicle into the trust, the trust, not you personally, becomes the legal owner. Together, these assets form what is known as a trust fund. As the grantor, you typically serve as your own trustee, maintaining full control during your lifetime. You also name a successor trustee who steps in to carry out your instructions if you are incapacitated or after you pass. This may be a trusted family member or a qualified professional. By law, the successor trustee must follow the directions outlined in your trust.

From your trust fund, you can distribute inheritances to your beneficiaries—your heirs or anyone you designate. You also have the ability to place conditions on distributions, such as requiring a grandchild to finish college before receiving funds. In this way, a living trust not only protects your assets but also allows you to shape how your legacy is managed and passed on.

What Are The Advantages Of Using A Living Trust?

A living trust can save your family both time and money by avoiding probate, the court-supervised process required to validate a will. Probate is often lengthy, complicated, and expensive, and your beneficiaries cannot access your assets until it is completed and all legal fees are paid. With a properly funded trust, ownership of your assets transfers efficiently and directly to your heirs as you have designated, bypassing the delays and costs of probate.

Privacy is another major advantage. Unlike a will, which becomes part of the public record after death, a living trust remains private. This means the details of your assets and distributions are not open to public view and can only be shared by the trustee with those who are entitled to the information.

A living trust also provides greater protection against disputes. Because wills are public and subject to probate, they are more vulnerable to being contested, sometimes even by individuals who had no role in your life. A living trust, however, is not a matter of public record and is much harder to challenge. To contest it, someone would have to prove coercion or fraud, which makes your wishes far more secure.

Take the First Step Today!

Don’t leave your future to chance. The decisions you make today shape the legacy you leave tomorrow. Our team of dedicated estate planning professionals is here to guide you through the process with clarity, care, and expertise. Whether you’re looking to protect your loved ones, preserve your assets, or minimize tax burdens, we’re committed to providing solutions tailored to your unique goals.

Here’s what you can expect from your complimentary consultation:

  • A Comprehensive Review of Your Needs: We’ll take the time to understand your financial and family situation, your goals, and your concerns.

  • Clear Explanations: Estate planning can feel overwhelming, but we simplify the jargon and outline your options in straightforward terms.

  • Tailored Strategies: Whether it’s asset protection, tax advantage accounts, or veterans’ trusts, we provide recommendations that align with your specific circumstances.

  • A Path Forward: You’ll leave with a clear understanding of your next steps and how we can support you in achieving your estate planning goals.

Why Wait? Your Future

Deserves Attention Now.

Don’t leave your future to chance. The decisions you make today shape the legacy you leave tomorrow. Our team of dedicated estate planning professionals is here to guide you through the process with clarity, care, and expertise. Whether you’re looking to protect your loved ones, preserve your assets, or minimize tax burdens, we’re committed to providing solutions tailored to your unique goals.

Fortis Planning, LLC is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. All documents are reviewed by licensed attorneys in the appropriate state.

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