Drafting a Trust In Springfield, Missouri

Find the right Drafting a Trust attorney in Springfield, MO

A trust in Springfield, Missouri is an arrangement under which property is possessed by one person, but used solely for the benefit of, and legally owned by, another.

Trusts serve a variety of purposes. For instance, they can be set up to ensure that the beneficiary (say, a child) will perpetually have enough money to live off of, but will be unable to spend it all on frivolities.

If you want to set up a trust, you can make the beneficiary's use of the property as restricted or as permissive as you like. As a simple instance, you might want to dictate that the beneficiary can only use the money for emergencies, or for general living expenses. If the trust is thoroughly drafted, this is entirely feasible.

A trust could, of course, be much more permissive, if the creator of the trust wants it to be. You could set up a trust authorizing the beneficiary to spend as much of the money in it as they like, on anything. Of course, in such a case, the trust fund might not last very long, particularly if the beneficiary is a younger person.

What to Include in Any Springfield, MO Trust

To set up a legitimate trust in Springfield, Missouri, 4 elements are necessary. First, the trust must have a stated purpose, and this purpose must be precisely laid out in the documents that formulate the trust.

Second, every trust, to be valid, has to assign a trustee. This is the individual or other entity (such as a corporation) who oversees the property that embodies the trust. They possess and control the property, and are accountable for seeing that it is utilized according to the purpose of the trust.

The third required element to make a valid trust is the beneficiary or beneficiaries. Because a trust, by definition, is set up to benefit someone or something, that entity must be identified in the trust. Nonetheless, if the person(s) meant to benefit from the trust do not yet exist, they can still be legitimate beneficiaries, as long as they are part of an identifiable class of people, and can be easily identified if they are born. For instance, you could set up a trust to benefit your grandchildren, even if you don't truly have any grandchildren yet.

Lastly, and perhaps most especially, the trust requires a "body." The body of a trust is the thing (typically, but not always, money) that is directly being held in trust, and therefore overseen by the trustee, and utilized to help the beneficiary.

Can A Springfield, Missouri Trust Drafting Attorney Help?

While the elements of a valid trust are fairly simple and easy to memorize, drafting a trust that is likely to be carried out according to your wishes can be fairly complicated. For that reason, a Springfield, Missouri attorney experienced in estate planning can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Springfield

Springfield, Missouri is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri. It has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Springfield has a long and fascinating history. During the Civil War, Missouri was a border state, and its population was divided in its loyalty to the Union and the Confederacy. Both the Union and the Confederacy claimed Missouri, and its star was on the flags of both sides. It also had two separate governments, one loyal to the union, and one to the confederacy. Both purported to be the legitimate government of the entire state. There were many small skirmishes between rival towns and neighbors, essentially creating a war within a war. As a result, Springfield, MO was the site of many clashes during the war. Springfield, MO also gave rise to the "Wild West" era of American history. In 1865, there was a "quick draw" shootout in the town square. This was the only such shootout ever recorded in American history, even though they're now a staple of Western movies.

Modernly, Springfield is a thriving city, with an economy based on education, healthcare, manufacturing, and tourism. Kraft Foods and 3M, among other major corporations, have manufacturing facilities in Springfield, MO.

As a result, it goes without saying that there are many sophisticated and skilled attorneys in Springfield, MO. If you can think of a legal practice area, you can be almost certain that there's at least one (and probably more) Springfield, MO lawyer who practices it, and can help you with your legal problem.

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