Wills vs. Trusts: Which is the right choice?

Most people don’t like to discuss their own demise. Frankly, it’s not the most enjoyable thing to think about. However, drawing up a will or trust allows you to designate exactly where and how you want your assets to be distributed if you pass away. It’s a common misconception that using a trust can save you on estate taxes. In reality, there are other major differences between wills and trusts that could save you time, money, and headaches in other ways. Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Wills

Advantages: Wills are usually cheaper and easier to create. If you have a smaller estate, the costs of creating a trust could exceed the savings of avoiding probate. Plus, you don’t have to worry about some of the formalities that come with holding your assets in a trust, like retitling any of your assets. Lastly, using a will requires court supervision of your estate, which is helpful if you’re skeptical that your assets would be distributed according to your wishes.

Disadvantages: Wills must be probated. That means a court must supervise the distribution of the assets, making the process more costly as well as time-consuming. In addition, the court documents are public records, so anyone can go to the courthouse to see how your estate was distributed. Also, your will doesn’t take effect until you’re deceased, meaning you can’t use a will to name someone to take care of you if you’re incapacitated. Other documents are needed to do that.

Trusts

Advantages: A living trust allows you to pass your property to your heirs without going through probate, which usually allows for faster distribution than wills. If you have multiple properties in multiple states, a trust can pass the assets without the need for additional proceedings. With a will, you might need to go through subsidiary probate proceedings in the other states as well. Lastly, trust documents are effective immediately, allowing you to include things like end-of-life directives or assign a guardian in the event that you’re incapacitated.

Disadvantages: Generally, trusts have higher preparation costs than wills and they require you to retitle your assets in the name of the trust, taking up time and money. If you don’t retitle your assets, they won’t pass through the trust and instead will go through probate. Also, trusts don’t offer any kind of special asset protection, meaning your creditors can still get assets in your revocable trust.

Estate planning can be murky waters to navigate without the help of an Attorney. When making decisions this important, you need a trusted estate planning attorney to ensure your documents are correct and cover every possible area of your plan. Call Chuck Bendig.

Charles Bendig

I’m Chuck Bendig,

“For 40+ years, I’ve served Ohio residents. My private practice spans family law, estate planning, and personal injury cases. My commitment is rooted in genuine care for the individuals I serve.”

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