Should you consider a revocable living trust?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to estate planning. The path you go down depends largely on your personal and financial circumstances, as well as what you hope to accomplish in the future.

It makes sense for everyone to at least consider adding a revocable living trust to their estate plan. It may not be the right decision for you, but that shouldn’t stop you from learning more. The knowledge you collect today could come in handy in the future.

Here are some of the reasons to consider a revocable living trust:

• It’s revocable: As the name suggests, you have the power to revoke this type of living trust at any point. For example, should you decide that a living trust no longer suits you, you can dissolve it and move on with other forms of estate planning.
• Privacy protection: A revocable living trust keeps the information pertained within it private. This is unlike a will, which becomes public record upon your passing. If you’re a private person while you’re living, you probably don’t want everyone to know your business after you’re gone. A revocable living trust protects against that.
• No probate: The assets housed within a revocable living trust are not subject to probate. This allows the assets to pass onto your beneficiary in a more timely manner. Furthermore, since there’s no probate for these assets, you don’t have to concern yourself with the cost associated with the process.

Many people shy away from the creation of a revocable living trust because they don’t understand the benefits. Others avoid this because they think that a will is the only thing they need.

It’s worth mentioning again that the word “revocable” is key to this type of trust. You can dissolve it or make changes at any time. You have full control over the trust until the day you pass away.

If you’re interested in adding a revocable living trust to your estate plan, consider the assets you want to move into the trust and the steps for doing so. When you understand the process, it’s easier to create a revocable living trust that suits both you and your loved ones.