Most major banks and credit unions will not lend money to an irrevocable trust. They would generally require the property in the irrevocable trust to be sold off because a property cannot simply be removed from the trust to facilitate the loan.
If you have an irrevocable trust, it is still possible to take out a loan. An irrevocable trust cannot guarantee the loan. However, if it is set up correctly, an irrevocable trust can secure a loan with the property or other assets that are held in the trust.
The downside of irrevocable trust is that you can't change it. And you can't act as your own trustee either. Once the trust is set up and the assets are transferred, you no longer have control over them, which can be a huge danger if you aren't confident about the reason you're setting up the trust to begin with.
If you want to protect assets with a trust, some irrevocable trusts will do the trick. When you put money in an irrevocable trust—one you don't control and can't revoke—then the money probably won't be considered yours anymore, and it won't be available to creditors.
The purpose of an irrevocable trust is to move the assets from the grantor's control and name to that of the beneficiary. This reduces the value of the grantor's estate in regard to estate taxes and protects the assets from creditors.
The only time you might want to consider creating an irrevocable trust is when you want to (1) minimize estate taxes, (2) become eligible for government programs, and (3) protect your assets from your creditors. If none of these apply, you should not have one.
In California, creditors have limited access to irrevocable trusts because the trust creators cede all control of trust assets. But on rare occasions, the trust language could allow creditors to reach a beneficiary's distributions from an irrevocable trust.
Generally speaking, the type of trust in question determines whether a creditor or collector could attempt to access the assets inside. In most situations, the less control a beneficiary has over their trust, the less likely it is that a creditor could seize the assets.
An asset protection trust (APT) is a trust vehicle that holds an individual's assets with the purpose of shielding them from creditors. Asset protection trusts offer the strongest protection you can find from creditors, lawsuits, or any judgments against your estate.
For lawsuit-proof wealth, you need an irrevocable trust or another protective entity. Since you cannot revoke or change an irrevocable trust, your creditors have no greater power to unwind your trust and reclaim its assets. But for an irrevocable trust to protect you, it must be presently funded.
The 5-Year Rule involves a meticulous review of financial transactions conducted by an individual seeking Medicaid within the five-year window. If any uncompensated transfer of assets is detected during this period, it triggers a penalty.
Loss of control. If you create an irrevocable trust, you typically cannot change the terms of the trust or change the beneficiaries. (If you create a revocable trust, you usually can change the terms of the trust and change the beneficiaries while you're alive.) Other assets may still be subject to probate.
It's possible to refinance a property that's in a trust, but the process has a few extra steps and you'll need the consent of the trustor. Before you can start the transactional process of refinancing, you need to temporarily transfer the title to the property out of the trust.
Note: A trust must meet Fannie Mae's revocability and other eligibility requirements at the time the loan is delivered. Trust eligibility is not affected if the trust documents contain a provision that the trust will, in the future, become irrevocable upon the death of one of the settlors.
A living or revocable trust can get a loan or mortgage from a bank, credit union, or other organizations that provide loans to entities. However, a trust can only obtain a loan or mortgage this way if the original trustee is still alive.
A third-party member, called a trustee, is responsible for managing and overseeing an irrevocable trust.
Sometimes trusts can give assets to the beneficiaries and protect those assets from the beneficiaries' creditors. But a Living Trust does not shelter the settlor from creditors. A creditor of the settlor has the same right to go after the trust property as if the settlor still owned the assets in his or her own name.
Irrevocable trusts
The assets move out of your estate, and the trust pays its own income tax and files a separate return. This can give you greater protection from creditors and estate taxes.
Also, an irrevocable trust's terms cannot be changed, and the trust cannot be canceled without the approval of the grantor and the beneficiaries, or a court order. Because the assets within the trust are no longer the property of the trustor, a creditor cannot come after them to satisfy debts of the trustor.
Irrevocable trusts safeguard assets from creditors.
Creditors can't claim assets in an irrevocable trust. The reason is that you don't control the assets, can't revoke the Trust, and therefore can't be considered the owner of the assets.
Irrevocable trusts give the grantor no flexibility and strip them of control over the asset once the asset is placed in the trust. This greater sacrifice in turn grants better protection because it essentially takes the asset away from the grantor and therefore takes it out of reach of the creditor.
It is unacceptable for a trustee to withdraw funds to borrow or use for personal reasons other than what is outlined in your trust. It is an unwise decision and could be caught during a trust accounting, which is an annual requirement needed in the state of California.
If you owe money, any assets that you hold in a revocable trust will be considered part of your net worth. Creditors can seize these assets through collections actions. And courts can order you to pay debts based on what's in the trust. They are even considered part of your total assets during a bankruptcy proceeding.
Irrevocable Trusts
The assets in an irrevocable trust are typically distributed according to a predetermined schedule, such as monthly or yearly, or upon specific events, such as when the beneficiary reaches a certain age, gets married, or achieves another milestone.