Many times we get questions from clients asking if their revocable trust provides asset protection from creditors. The answer to this is the typical legal answer “It Depends”. That is it depends on who owes the money. In Florida a revocable trust can provide some limited protection against the creditors of your beneficiaries through a spendthrift clause, but it will not provide protection from the creditors of the person who creates the trust. Upon your death, the assets in your revocable trust are available to your creditors.
There is a new type of irrevocable trust that is similar to a revocable trust in terms of management, control, and no negative tax effects. This special irrevocable trust is called an IPUG and can be structured to provide asset protection for the items placed in the trust.
An IPUG can be designed to protect an entire asset, the principal, or the income from the asset. The most common design is to protect the entire assets. If you are concerned about protecting your assets from future creditors and the creditors of your children, an IPUG may be the right choice for you.
More articles on what an IPUG is and the benefits of using an IPUG trust.