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Good Things Come in Threes: The 3 Main Roles in a Trust.

A revocable living trust (aka a “living trust,” referred to here simply as a “trust”) is a wonderful estate planning tool. But understanding who the parties in a trust are can get a bit confusing.

In today’s post we are going to review the 3 distinct roles of parties involved in a trust.

The Trust Agreement

A trust is simply a document—called a “trust agreement”—that is created (with the help of an estate and probate lawyer), to manage assets during a person’s (or couple’s)  lifetime and then to distribute them after his/her (their) death.

Trusts hold and manage a variety of assets. These can be bank accounts, real property, investments and more. After the trust is created, it is important to “fund” the trust by changing the ownership of the assets to the trust.

Because it is the trust that owns the property at the time of death, assets placed in a trust do not have to go through probate.

Who’s Who in a Trust

There are 3 distinct roles involved in the creation, operation, and distribution of a trust. They are:

  • The Grantor/Settlor
  • Trustee, and
  • Beneficiary

Now, let’s look at each role.

The Grantor/Settlor

The key person in any trust is the person who makes or creates the trust. Depending on which state you live in, this person may be called the:

  • grantor
  • settlor
  • trustor, or
  • trustmaker

Regardless of the name he/she goes by in your state (we will use grantor/settlor here), the grantor/settlor is pivotal role in any trust. It is the grantor/settlor who creates the trust, decides how the trust will operate, and funds the trust with his/her assets (money and property).

Trustee

The trustee has a very important role as well. The trustee is the person who is in charge of running the trust. He/she is responsible for taking care of the trust assets—for example, by making sound investments—and making distributions.

The trustee (or successor trustee if you are the original trustee) also administers the trust after your death. In a way, after your death, the trustee’s role is similar to that of an “executor.”

The trustee may be entitled to a fee for his/her services, but the trustee does not receive your property/assets.

Beneficiary

The beneficiary (or beneficiaries if there is more than one) “benefits” from the creation of the trust because the beneficiary is the person who receives the income or property from the trust in accordance with the instructions written down in the trust agreement.

Can You Have More Than One Role in a Trust?

Now that we know who the players are, let’s discuss whether you can play more than one role in a trust.

The answer is, so long as you are living and not incapacitated—yes.  As long as these conditions are met, (i.e., you are living and not incapacitated), when you create a living trust as part of your estate plan you can wear all 3 hats.

You can be the grantor/settlor who creates the trust.

AND you can be the trustee who invests and manages the trust assets during your lifetime.

AND you can be the beneficiary of the assets in the trust.

What Happens if You Become Incapacitated (or die)?

If you should become incapacitated (or die) you will no longer be able (or be around to) operate the trust as trustee.

So, at the time of death/incapacitation, a successor trustee will take over administration of the trust.

How are Trust Assets Distributed?

When you die, the trustee (or your successor if you were the initial trustee) must pay all claims against your estate and all taxes. It is also the trustee’s duty to distribute all assets to your beneficiaries as described in the trust agreement.

Most trusts start out with the same person (i.e., the grantor/settlor) playing all three roles.

Then, at the time of death or if he/she should become incapacitated, who plays the role of trustee and beneficiary will change in order to facilitate the grantor/settlor’s wishes as stated in the trust agreement.

To learn more about living trusts, consult with experienced estate and probate counsel.

Talk to Our Estate Planning Attorneys

Our team here at SJF Law Group works hard to ensure that your wishes will be followed, and your loved ones taken care of when you are gone. Our estate planning lawyers expertly guide individuals and families through the complex probate process and capably handle all aspects of the creation, administration, and settlement of estates and trusts. When you work with our Florida estate planning attorneys at SJF Law Group, you get more than just an estate plan: you get peace of mind.

As trusted probate and estate planning lawyers, we serve individuals and families in the vibrant communities of Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Miami, FL. We are also pleased to offer the options of both in-person and virtual appointments throughout Florida to make our services accessible no matter where you are located.

If you want to discuss your specific situations with one of our estate planning lawyers, do not hesitate to reach out to our law firm at 954-580-3690. You can also fill out our contact form.

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