what does it cost to hire a family asset protection attorney

by Gerardo Daugherty 6 min read

If you hire an attorney to build your trust, you’ll likely pay more than $1,000, and fees will be higher for couples. You can also use online software to create trust documents at a cheaper rate. Note that fees vary by state, which means fees for living trusts in Ohiomight be different from those for living trusts in New York.

Asset protection planning can be fairly straightforward. Sometimes there are no tax issues involved and the client's goal is simply to shield the family home or retirement savings from liability claims. In these cases you might expect legal fees in the range of $5,000-$6,500 depending on the complexity involved.

Full Answer

How much does it cost to set up an asset protection trust?

Legal fees for more complex matters are usually in the range of $4000- $5,000 for most clients. The Wall Street Journal claims that legal fees for an offshore asset protection trust range from $20-50,000. This amount is way out of line with what legal fees should be. “Asset-protection trusts don’t come cheap.

Do asset protection lawyers charge a lot of fees?

Asset Protection Planners has in-house attorneys who can help you. An asset protection attorney can be your experienced guide through the daunting process of setting up a asset protection plan to secure your wealth. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone. There are legal professionals in-house who you can call right now to help you create your plan.

Do I need a lawyer to protect my assets?

The main step this lawyer can help you with is in the drafting of an asset protection plan. This plan is a strategic document that will help you protect yourself, your business, and your family. Essentially, this plan is designed to guard your wealth. Its purpose is to protect your assets and property from any creditor claims – it limits ...

What is asset protection law?

Oct 13, 2021 · What Does It Cost to Establish a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust? The cost of setting up a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust varies greatly, ranging from $2,000 to $12,000 or more. Although the cost can seem high at first, a MAPT actually saves people money in …

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What is a DAPt trust?

There are two major types of asset protection trust: • The Domestic Asset Protection Trust (DAPT) is a trust set up in another state, such as Nevada, with laws more accommodating to protecting your assets than those of California. • The Foreign Asset Protection Trust (FAPT) is a trust set up in another country entirely, such as the Cook Islands, ...

What is fraud transfer?

Fraudulent transfer occurs when you move a significant portion of your assets out of your possession in order to make yourself insolvent and thereby avoid having to pay a specific debt, while secretly retaining control of the assets with the intent to regain them later, once the debt has been avoided.

What are the risks of being sued?

The other factor to take into account is risk. Certain professions face a much higher risk level than others: 1 Doctors and lawyers may be sued for malpractice. 2 Business owners may be sued for discrimination. 3 Real estate owners may be sued for injuries that happen on their property. 4 Designers and manufacturers of products may be sued for product liability.

What is asset protection?

The goal of asset protection is to protect wealth, property, and other assets from creditor claims. Asset protection strategies are used both by individuals and companies. They help limit creditor access to valuable assets and properties in a legal fashion.

What is the lowest tier of asset protection?

To get a better idea of how to decide what to do, the lowest tier of asset protection may include buying a homeowners or auto insurance policy. Altering the deductible and coverage level helps you create the right coverage for your personal or business property. Moving up in the asset protection continuum could include setting up a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. An LLC may provide protection for rental property or other real estate. A corporation can own your business. The protection of an LLC or corporation comes from protecting your identity, separating you from your asset in the eyes of the creditor. Plus, it could be a good idea at this level to set up a life insurance trust to protect the cash value of your life insurance policy. A powerful strategy further up on the continuum often includes creating an asset protection trust.

Can a corporation own a business?

A corporation can own your business. The protection of an LLC or corporation comes from protecting your identity, separating you from your asset in the eyes of the creditor. Plus, it could be a good idea at this level to set up a life insurance trust to protect the cash value of your life insurance policy.

Is there a one size fits all asset protection plan?

A final thing to note with asset protection and your attorney is that there is no “one size fits all” plan. Asset protection operates on a continuum, varying in complexity and coverage based on the individual or company’s need. Like any profession, with attorneys, There are good and bad ones.

Can you get sued for asset protection?

Asset protection planning might seem like something only for the super wealthy. Elder Law explains that anyone can get sued. Lawsuits can come from a variety of places, including car accidents, credit card debt, foreclosures, unhappy customers, and more.

What happens to Medicaid when a person dies?

This ensures that the assets will not be subject to Medicaid estate recovery. In simple terms, when a Medicaid patient dies, the state in which the person resided and earned Medicaid benefits seeks reimbursement for the long-term care it provided. This is achieved through the estate of the deceased.

How long is the look back period for Medicaid?

In most states, this is a 60-month period. During the look-back period, Medicaid verifies that no assets were sold or given away for less than their true value in order to meet the asset eligibility cap. Transferring funds to a Medicaid asset management trust is considered a gift for Medicaid purposes.

Does gifting assets violate Medicaid?

Although gifting assets provides more flexibility and does not entail any legal work, it also violates Medicaid's look back law. As previously stated, as a consequence, this results in a time of Medicaid ineligibility. As with MAPTS, gifting can take place 5 years before the need for Medicaid in most states.  Furthermore, capital gains taxes are a common issue when it comes to gifting.

Can a revocable trust be used for Medicaid?

Revocable trusts, in most cases, do not protect assets from Medicaid's wealth cap and estate recovery. Furthermore, in California, the state can only request compensation for long-term care expenses from assets that go through probate (the formal method of distributing a deceased person's assets).

Can a trust be cancelled?

This means the trust can't be cancelled or altered. Once assets are moved into a trust, they no longer belong to the trustmaker, and he or she cannot reclaim them. Medicaid considers the assets to be still held by the Medicaid claimant if they are in a revocable (changeable or terminated) trust.

What is trust in estate planning?

A trust is an important estate-planning tool that can shield your legacy from taxes and probate. How much does it cost to set one up? Menu burger. Close thin.

What is a living trust?

A living trust is an estate planning tool that allows you to protect and manage your assets during your lifetime. With a living trust, you can act as the trust’s trustee, or manager, and ultimately determine who will receive your assets after you’ve passed away. Another perk is that your assets won’t be subject to probate following your death.

Can you make changes to an irrevocable trust?

All trusts are either revocable or irrevocable. If you choose a revocable trust, you’ll be able to make changes to its provisions. You won’t be able to do the same with an irrevocable trust. When you sign up for this kind of trust, you transfer ownership of your assets to another individual or trustee.

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Not Everyone Needs An Asset Protection Trust

  • We regularly encourage clients to consider the dangers of frivolous lawsuits in today’s world, and especially within the litigious state of California. No matter how hard you try to be a good citizen, no one is immune to being sued, and even a small lawsuit could cause you severe financial hardship. So, everyone needs to give at least some thought to asset protection. That being said, …
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How Much Will An Asset Protection Trust Cost Me?

  • The Basic Numbers
    How much will it cost you to set up a foreign or domestic asset protection trust? Of course, we can’t give you a precise figure here. There are a whole bunch of factors that affect the cost of an asset protection trust, and the only way to get a firm estimate is to consult with one of our attor…
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Factors Affecting The Cost of An Asset Protection Trust

  • There are a number of factors affecting the price you will have to pay to set up an asset protection trust. While we cannot get into all of them, it’s worth going through a few of the biggest. The first and most obvious factor is the location of your trust. If you go to a foreign jurisdiction, such as the Cook Islands, you will pay a lot more than you would pay for setting up an asset protection trust …
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When Should I Set Up An Asset Protection Trust?

  • So, when is it actually economical for you to set up an asset protection trust? Again, we can’t offer specifics regarding your personal situation. However, as a general rule, setting up an asset protection trust becomes the proper move when you have at least $1 million in assets to protect. When it comes to offshoring your assets, the bar is even higher; generally, you would do best to …
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in Essence…

  • There is a very simple trade-off when it comes to asset protection trusts: peace of mind versus cost. It is not always easy to navigate the balance between these two values, and that is why the best option is to speak directly to an attorney who is an expert at asset protection. It is important to have someone who will help develop a strategy that will meet your unique needs. Everyone’s a…
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