The Blog
Asset protection questions, answered.
Plain-language answers to the questions people actually search — trusts, lawsuits, offshore planning, and protecting what you own. For the firm’s in-depth guides and the Cook Islands Trust library, see the articles library.
40 posts
Understanding the Prevalence of Lawsuits in Modern America
America really is litigious - but the volume comes from incentives, not temperament. The real drivers of the lawsuit boom and what they mean for your assets.
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Colorado Asset Protection Laws: What You Need to Know
Colorado offers solid automatic exemptions but no reliable domestic asset protection trust. Here's what state law shields and where it falls short.
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Barry Engel: The Man Who Wrote the Asset Protection Statute
In 1989 a Denver attorney helped draft the amendments that created modern offshore asset protection. Almost every structure since works inside that framework.
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How to Hide a Bank Account From Creditors (And Why You Shouldn't)
Hiding a bank account from creditors fails - debtor exams, subpoenas, and FATCA make accounts findable. What works is lawful, disclosure-proof protection.
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Offshore Trust Reporting: What the Criticism Leaves Out
The reporting burden is the main argument against going offshore. But refusing the structure over it is like refusing to fly because some pilot once crashed.
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Can I Lose My House in an At-Fault Car Accident in Florida?
Florida homestead protection means an at-fault accident rarely takes your home - but savings, wages, and other assets are exposed. What is safe and what is not.
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Are IRAs Protected From Lawsuits? What the Law Actually Says
Sometimes - and far less than 401(k)s. Outside bankruptcy, state law decides what an IRA keeps; in bankruptcy a federal cap applies. Here is the full picture.
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What Assets Can You Lose in a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
If a malpractice verdict exceeds your policy limits, personal assets - accounts, real estate, practice interests - are exposed. What is at risk and what holds.
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What Is an Offshore Trust? How It Works and Who Needs One
An offshore trust is an irrevocable trust governed by a foreign jurisdiction's laws - built to put assets beyond the reach of U.S. judgments. How it works.
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What Is Wrong With the Justice System in America? A Lawyer's View
A lawyer's measured answer: the real problem is economics - defense costs, contingency fees, settlement pressure - and why planning beats hoping for reform.
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We Filed a Bar Complaint Over How Offshore Case Law Is Described
Our State Bar of Nevada complaint concerns inaccurate descriptions of court decisions: the 45-case chart, and three lists still posted after it came down.
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How Much Does a Nevis Trust Cost?
Nevis trust setup is often quoted around $5,000-$10,000 with annual costs on top - but the sticker rarely reflects full legal oversight. The honest picture.
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Does an S Corp Protect Personal Assets? What It Actually Covers
Partly - an S corp shields personal assets from business debts, but not your shares from personal creditors or your own wrongful acts. Where the gaps are.
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The Fanady Case: The Trust Held, the Man Went to Jail
Steve Fanady has been jailed since 2022 over a divorce judgment. The Belize trust was never reached. Both facts are true, and the second one is the lesson.
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FTC v. Affordable Media: What the Anderson Case Actually Decided
The Andersons went to jail. The Cook Islands trust assets were never recovered. What decided the case was retained control, not the offshore structure.
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How to Emotionally Survive a Lawsuit
Lawsuits run months to years, and the stress is real. How to hold up - routine, support, a working attorney relationship, and control over what you can control.
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Fact-Checking an Offshore Trust Guide Against the Case Law
An offshore trust guide misstates three cases: contempt was denied in Grant, Solow never tested the trust, and Affordable Media turned on retained control.
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What Assets Can Be Taken in a Lawsuit? (And What's Safe)
A winning creditor can take any non-exempt asset: accounts, investments, non-homestead real estate, business interests. What is exempt varies by state.
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Can You Set Up a Trust Without an Attorney?
Yes - every state lets you create your own trust. Whether you should depends on the trust type, your assets, and funding, which is where most DIY trusts fail.
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Retirement Income and Protection Plan: How to Build One
A retirement income and protection plan pairs saving with creditor protection - which accounts are shielded by law, where the gaps are, and how to close them.
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How to Open a Swiss Bank Account as a U.S. Citizen (5 Steps)
Yes, U.S. citizens can open Swiss bank accounts - often remotely. The five-step process, required documents, deposit minimums, and FBAR/FATCA reporting rules.
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What Happens If a Defendant Does Not Pay a Judgment?
An unpaid judgment does not fade - creditors can garnish wages, levy accounts, and lien property. How collection works, and why protected defendants settle low.
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The Most Ridiculous Lawsuits in America (and What They Teach)
The hot-coffee case, the $54 million pants, the 11-inch footlong - what America's most ridiculous lawsuits really teach about defending what you own.
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Can I Pay Bills With Money in a Trust? What You Need to Know
Yes - trust money can pay bills, but how depends on the trust type and your role. Why settlors of asset protection trusts should never pay bills directly.
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Attorney-Client Privilege vs. Confidentiality in Asset Protection
Confidentiality is a promise - privilege is a legal wall courts enforce. Who builds your asset protection plan decides what a creditor can discover later.
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Irrevocable Trusts in a Divorce Settlement: How Courts Treat Them
An irrevocable trust usually survives a divorce settlement intact - but courts can count it, offset it, or reach it. What decides which, and what to disclose.
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How Often Can I Pull Assets Out of My Trust?
Revocable trust - as often as you like. Irrevocable trust - you receive distributions on the trust's schedule, not yours. How withdrawal frequency works.
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Asset Protection Trust Cost: Full Pricing Breakdown
Asset protection trust costs run from about $5,000 for a domestic trust to $25,000 for a Cook Islands Trust. Here's what each price actually buys.
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Can an Inheritance Be Taken in a Divorce?
In most states an inheritance is separate property a divorce court will not divide - until you commingle it. How transmutation works and how trusts prevent it.
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Prenup vs. Trust: Which Is Right for Your Asset Protection?
A prenup is a contract both spouses must sign - and can later challenge. A trust works without your partner's agreement and blocks creditors too. How to choose.
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How to Set Up an Irrevocable Trust: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to set up an irrevocable trust in five steps - goals, structure, trustee, drafting, and funding - plus when an offshore trust beats a domestic one.
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Who Owns the Property in an Irrevocable Trust?
The trustee holds legal title, beneficiaries hold the beneficial interest, and the grantor owns nothing - which is exactly why the assets are protected.
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Best Asset Protection States for Trusts & LLCs (Ranked)
Compare the best states for asset protection trusts and LLCs. Nevada, South Dakota, Delaware, and Wyoming ranked by statute strength and court track record.
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What Is a Bulletproof Trust? (And Does One Exist?)
No trust is literally bulletproof - but some come far closer than others. What the term really means, and which structures hold up when tested in court.
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Using a Trust to Protect Assets in a Divorce: What Works
A trust can protect assets in a divorce - if it holds separate property and was funded before trouble. Which trust types work, and where courts push back.
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The Best Asset Protection Attorney: How to Choose
There is no single best asset protection attorney - but there are objective markers that separate real counsel from marketing companies. What to look for.
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Can You Add Assets to an Irrevocable Trust After It's Created?
Yes, in most cases. Irrevocable means the terms are locked, not the funding. How additional contributions work - and why each transfer has its own clock.
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Can the IRS Seize an Irrevocable Trust? An Honest Answer
Sometimes, yes. The IRS is not an ordinary creditor - federal tax liens and fraudulent-transfer rules reach many trusts. When trust assets are at risk.
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Do Irrevocable Trusts File Tax Returns? Grantor vs. Non-Grantor
It depends on the trust type. Grantor trusts report income on the settlor's 1040; non-grantor trusts file Form 1041. How to tell which one you have.
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How to Protect Your Money During Divorce: An Honest Guide
Most divorce asset protection happens before the divorce - not during it. What courts unwind, what disclosure requires, and the planning that actually works.
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