Trusts Attorney
Keep Your Home and Savings Out of Probate and Under Your Control
A Trust Gives You More Control Over How Your Assets Pass to Your Family
A trust is a legal arrangement that holds your assets and sets the rules for how they’re managed and distributed. You choose who is in charge, who benefits, and when. Assets held in a properly funded trust can pass to your family without going through probate court.
Trusts fit many situations: homeowners who want their house to pass smoothly, parents who want children to inherit at certain ages, blended families who need to provide for a spouse and children from earlier marriages, and pet owners who want to fund their animals’ care.
Betz & Baril helps you decide whether a trust is the right tool. If a simple will does the job, we’ll tell you. If a trust fits better, we’ll draft it, explain it in plain language, and make sure it’s set up to work.
trusts we provide for Tennessee families
Every trust is built around your family and your assets. Here’s what we prepare:
Revocable Living Trusts
You keep control of your assets during your lifetime and can change the trust whenever you like. A successor trustee you choose takes over if you can’t manage things or when you pass away, and can distribute assets to your children at the ages you set.
Irrevocable Trusts
Once an irrevocable trust is signed, it generally can’t be changed or undone. In exchange, it can serve goals a revocable trust can’t. We explain the tradeoffs in plain language before you decide.
Testamentary Trusts
A testamentary trust is written into your will and takes effect after you pass away. It’s a common way to hold an inheritance for young children until they reach the ages you choose. Because it’s created by your will, the estate goes through probate first.
Special Needs Trusts
Leaving money directly to a family member with a disability can affect benefits like SSI and Medicaid. A special needs trust holds the funds for them instead, so they can receive support without losing eligibility.
Pet Trusts
Your pet can’t inherit money, but a trust can pay for their care. You name the caretaker and set aside funds for food, vet visits, and boarding.
CLIENT FEEDBACK
Answering Commonly Asked Trust Questions
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?
For some families, a will is enough. A trust is worth considering if you own a home, want to avoid probate for certain assets, want to control when children inherit, or have a blended family. We’ll go over your situation at the free consultation and tell you what we’d recommend, including when the answer is a will.
Does a trust avoid probate in Tennessee?
Assets titled in the name of a trust generally pass to your beneficiaries without probate. Assets left outside the trust, such as a home still in your own name, may still need to go through probate. That’s why funding the trust matters as much as signing it.
What’s the difference between a revocable and an irrevocable trust?
You can change or cancel a revocable trust at any time while you’re alive. An irrevocable trust generally can’t be changed once it’s set up, and it’s used for different goals. Most homeowners planning for their families start with a revocable trust.
What does it mean to fund a trust?
Funding means moving your assets into the trust’s name. For a home, that means signing and recording a new deed. For bank and investment accounts, it usually means retitling them or naming the trust as beneficiary. We handle the deed and guide you through the rest.
Can I change my trust after I sign it?
If it’s a revocable trust, yes. You can update beneficiaries, trustees, and instructions whenever your family or finances change. We recommend reviewing it after major events like a marriage, divorce, birth, or move.
Why Families Choose Betz & Baril for Their Trusts
You’ll know the cost before you commit. Every trust is a fixed fee, quoted at your free consultation. No hourly billing and no surprise invoices.
We’ll tell you if you don’t need a trust. If a will does the job for your family, that’s what we’ll recommend. You only pay for the documents you need.
Your trust is set up to work. Signing the document is only half of it. We prepare the deed and guide you through retitling your accounts, so your home and savings are actually in the trust.
You won’t be judged or rushed. Blended families, complicated relationships, and difficult decisions are normal here. We ask questions, listen, and take the time to get it right.
Find Out Whether a Trust Fits Your Family
Whether you’re starting from scratch or want a second look at a plan you already have, we’re glad to talk it through. The first consultation is free, and every service is a fixed fee quoted upfront.