Living Trust FAQ

Questions:

• What is a living trust?
• Why should I make a living trust?
• How does a living trust avoid probate?
• Is it expensive to create a living trust?
• Is it a hassle to hold property in a living trust?
• Is a living trust document ever made public, like a will?
• Does a living trust protect property from creditors?
• If I make a living trust, do I still need a will?
• Can a living trust reduce estate taxes?

Answer:

Is it expensive to create a living trust?

A basic living trust isn't much more complicated than a will, and you probably won't need to hire a lawyer. With a good self-help book or software program, you can create a valid Declaration of Trust (the document that creates a trust) yourself. If you run into questions that a self-help publication doesn't answer, you may need to consult a lawyer, but you probably won't need to turn the whole job over to an expensive expert. To make a living trust online, see Nolo's Online Living Trust.