Domestic Asset Protection
A domestic asset protection trust (DAPT) is a secure, convenient, and affordable way of protecting your assets against claims and lawsuits. At Blake Harris Law, we can help you set up a DAPT that safeguards your property and complies with state law.
What Is a domestic asset protection trust (DAPT)?
A DAPT is a type of trust that allows the same person to be grantor and beneficiary. Since it’s an irrevocable trust, it helps protect property from creditor claims, divorcing spouses, and other types of lawsuits. A DAPT is a highly useful estate planning instrument that keeps assets out of probate and allows you to provide for beneficiaries on predetermined terms. Although some situations call for the higher-level protection of an offshore trust, a DAPT is often the most practical asset protection solution for many people.
Why should you consider a domestic asset protection trust?
A DAPT is a convenient and cost-effective domestic asset protection and estate planning solution that allows you to:- Defend against claims and lawsuits. When you run into heavy creditor claims or a major professional lawsuit, you need a reliable legal instrument to protect your assets. As an irrevocable trust, a DAPT severs the direct legal link between you and your property, which keeps your trust-held assets out-of-bounds for claims.
- Protect both personal and business property. A limited liability company or a corporation can also give your assets a degree of legal protection, but the advantage of a DAPT is its ability to shield both business and personal assets.
- Provide for beneficiaries on your terms. A domestic asset protection trust protects your children’s inheritance from future claims, lawsuits, and divorces. You can also pre-arrange terms for trust asset distribution, thereby giving all parties peace of mind.
- Safeguard a variety of assets. This includes cash, cryptocurrency, real estate, stocks and bonds, your business, and even collections of art or other valuables.
- Save on setup and annual fees. An offshore trust offers ironclad asset protection, but its costs may render this option impractical. A DAPT is a relatively affordable asset protection solution that works for estates with moderately-high worth.
Why work with Blake?
Attorney Blake Harris is passionate about helping you protect your assets from lawsuits. Before founding Blake Harris Law, Blake worked for one of the largest wealth management firms in the United States, where he helped high/ultra-high-net-worth clients protect their personal assets. Since then, Blake has gained extensive experience in all areas of asset protection and has assisted clients worldwide with asset protection planning.
Over the years, Blake has built and continues to nurture a vast network of legal and finance professionals in countries such as Belize, the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands, Lichtenstein, New Zealand, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Switzerland. Blake’s knowledge, experience, and connections enable him to handle even the most complex and sensitive asset protection issues that other attorneys find challenging or are unwilling to represent. Whether you are looking to set up an offshore trust, establish a foreign limited liability company, or protect your digital assets, Blake will work hard to protect your wealth.
Protecting your financial assets is a fundamental step towards limiting your exposure to legal risks. While people generally associate trusts with succession planning, many trusts can provide legal protection not only for the next generation, but during your lifetime as well. An affordable and increasingly popular type of trust for asset protection is a dDomestic asset protection trust (DAPT).
DAPTs can provide a legal separation for yourself and designated assets. This allows you to protect your assets from lawsuits, financial claims, and a host of other potential legal events. Even if you believe you’re unlikely to face a lawsuit in the near future, a DAPT allows you to have greater peace of mind over your property.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to forfeit control over your assets if you form a trust. While the legal arrangements change the nature of your ownership, you can still maintain your ability to use and enjoy your assets with a DAPT.
In many cases, individuals who choose to form DAPTs will use the trust as part of a long-term estate and asset protection planning strategy. DAPTs can be formed to suit your individual needs and preferences. Whether you’re trying to protect a child from future financial exposure or prevent yourself from losing money to aggressive plaintiffs or creditors, DAPTs can be a very effective solution.
At Blake Harris Law, we’ve helped countless clients protect their assets with domestic asset protection trusts (DAPTs). If you’re ready to learn more about this unique legal arrangement, we’re the perfect resource for you and your loved ones.
What is a domestic asset protection trust?
A domestic asset protection trust (DAPT) is a legal structure which allows you to protect your assets from lawsuits. In essence, a DAPT is an irrevocable trust in which the beneficiary can be the same person that created the trust, and the trust’s assets are shielded by that individual’s creditors.
Due to the simplicity and flexibility of domestic asset protection trusts, they have grown as increasingly popular options for asset protection. While business owners have traditionally been able to protect themselves using limited liability companies or corporate entities, a domestic Asset Protection Trust allows individuals to protect their personal assets as well as any business or investment assets. This type of trust can help level the playing field when it comes to personal exposure to creditors and lawsuits.
It’s not just traditional creditors that a DAPT can protect you from. DAPTs also provide protection from legal complaints, malpractice claims, and a host of other financially consequential events.
A domestic asset protection trusts can allow you to shield yourself from the implications of lawsuits. Not only will this help you protect your financial health if legal action is brought against you, it can also help you deter lawsuits from being filed in the first place. A creditor might be less likely to seek money from you if they’re aware you have legal protections in place.
Assets that a domestic asset protection trust can protect include:
- Bank accounts
- Cryptocurrency and other digital assets
- Primary residences
- Other real estate investments
- Stocks, bonds, and other financial securities
- Intellectual Property
- Businesses, LLCs, and other corporations
- Art and antique possessions
- A range of other assets
What states are DAPT legal in?
One of the main considerations when creating a DAPT is selecting the proper jurisdiction. At present, fewer than half of all U.S. states have enacted DAPT legislation. While some states have clear legislation recognizing the protections afforded to this type of trust, other states have laws that imply DAPTs are permitted.
Below, is a list of eighteen states that have recognize domestic asset protection trusts in their state statutes. It’s important to note that you must seek legal advice if you want to fully comprehend the protections afforded to any type of trust in your state.
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
If you’re not located in one of the above states, you may be wondering if you can create a domestic asset protection trust by transferring your assets to another state and forming a trust. The answer is, yes! Regardless of whether or not your state has enacted DAPT legislation, you can still create a DAPT in another jurisdiction.
Who is a good candidate for a DAPT?
Almost anyone can benefit from the advantages of a domestic asset protection trust. If you own assets you want to protect, a domestic asset protection trust is a suitable legal arrangement for yourself and your family.
Many people make the mistake of assuming a trust is only suitable for someone with an exceptionally large net worth. As long as you have assets or financial interests that you want to protect, a domestic asset protection trust can be an excellent choice. The reality is that the cost of setting up and maintaining a domestic asset protection trust is attainable for many middle-class individuals and families.
If you’re concerned about your exposure to malpractice claims, creditors, lawsuits, or any other financial risk, a domestic asset protection trust is an excellent solution.
Advantages and Benefits of a DAPT
If you’re considering a domestic asset protection trust as a form of financial protection, it’s critical to understand the benefits of this legal arrangement. We’ve outlined the primary advantages of DAPTs below.
Protection from Creditors, Claims, Lawsuits, and Other Financial Threats
Regardless of your financial and legal history, you’re always open to attack by aggressive creditors and unjust lawsuits. If you have never experienced a legal threat, you might not realize how quickly an innocent party can pay the price even if they were never at fault. The primary advantage of a DAPT is it helps you protect your personal assets from the reach of creditors and lawsuits – it acts as an insurance policy against legal threats.
Estate Planning
If you want to protect your assets for future generations, a DAPT is a perfect legal arrangement. Not only will this provide shielding for frivolous lawsuits and other claims, but it will also allow you to put measures in place to protect your heirs’ financial health. For example, if you have a relative who is incapable of managing money, you can use a DAPT to temper their future spending.
Privacy
DAPTs can do much more than protect your financial security; they can also protect the privacy of your family. If you want to shield ownership of particular assets from prying eyes, using a DAPT will provide a degree of privacy. Regardless of why you require privacy, this is a valuable benefit.
Disadvantages and Risks of a DAPT
While domestic asset protection trusts offer a range of obvious advantages, it’s essential to understand there are also a few drawbacks. We’ve outlined them in further detail below.
Legal Grey Zone on Trusts Across State Borders
If you live in a state that does not explicitly allow the protections of a DAPT, you might be considering the forming of a trust in another state to take advantage of the available financial protections. While this arrangement has become a popular choice with many Americans, recent caselaw suggests this type of arrangement can be susceptible to unfavorable court rulings.
As there is minimal caselaw to follow regarding out-of-state residents using DAPTs, you might receive the protection you desire from your creditors if you live in a state that does not allow DAPTs and form one in another state. If this is your situation, you may want to consider an offshore trust.
Exposure to Federal Rulings
Lastly, it’s important to note the small amount of caselaw surrounding DAPTs means there is little evidence this type of trust will hold up against federal judgments. As domestic asset protection trusts are not recognized in many parts of the country, you might have exposure to federal rulings.
Structuring a DAPT
Domestic asset Pprotection trusts are highly customizable. If you’re hoping to build a trust suitable for you and your family’s interests, it’s important to consult an experienced attorney to assist with its formation and funding. At Blake Harris Law, we can help you develop DAPTs tailor-made to your specific needs and requests.
We’re highly skilled at creating trusts that will withstand legal pressures. If you need assistance with this type of asset protection, don’t hesitate to contact our team for legal assistance. The sooner you protect your assets from outside threats, the quicker you can rest assured you are protected from unexpected legal threats.
Contact Blake Harris Law for More Information
If you’re considering DAPTs or other forms of asset protection, it’s essential to speak to a law firm that understands what your legal needs are and how to best achieve them. At Blake Harris Law, we have considerable experience helping our clients set up domestic asset protection trusts and other forms of asset protection structures. In doing so, we help our clients shield their economic interests.
If you’re searching for qualified legal professionals that can help you develop strong asset protection solutions for you and your family, you have come to the right place. If you would like to discuss what kind of asset protection is right for your situation, please contact Blake Harris Law to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding DAPT
A Domestic Asset Protection Trust is a trust that allows individuals to protect themselves from creditors and other financial repercussions. As an irrevocable trust, this is a legal arrangement that ensures your assets are protected from lawsuits and other frivolous actions. Unlike other trusts, DAPTs allow the individual who is forming the trust to appoint themselves as a beneficiary.
While this trust is often associated with personal asset protection, it’s also used by individuals who want to protect assets for future generations. Trusts can be formed with strict instructions in place, which means that DAPTs can be used to protect future generations from spending money unnecessarily.
DAPTs also provide privacy measures that allow you to shield the ownership of assets. This is particularly beneficial to privacy-minded individuals.
This will largely depend on your individual situation and how the trust is set up. Generally, a DAPT can be its own tax entity or the tax liabilities can continue to flow to the grantor, thus making the DAPT tax neutral.
By transferring your assets into an irrevocable trust, many state courts view the trust assets as no longer held under your control. In doing so, you can remove these assets from exposure to litigation and other claims directed at you as an individual. This also provides you with a degree of privacy and peace of mind.
One of the most common questions we receive is regarding the distinction between a DAPT and a revocable trust. With a revocable trust, you can benefit from many of the privacy features found in a DAPT, but you won’t benefit from any legal protection in the face of plaintiffs or creditors. Assets held in a revocable trust are still considered owned by the grantor or the original owner, a court can order the assets of the trust to be forfeited to pay creditors or satisfy a judgment.
Cook Islands Trusts Glossary
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