Types of Trusts for Estate Planning
Trusts are the primary tool for estate planning beyond a simple will. Each type serves a different purpose, from avoiding probate to minimizing estate taxes to protecting assets.
According to the Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income, only estates above the federal exemption, which the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made a permanent $15,000,000 per person in June 2025, owe federal estate tax, taxed at a top rate of 40%. Which trust you need turns on that line: a revocable living trust avoids probate but keeps assets in your taxable estate, while an irrevocable trust can remove them and the tax on every $1,000,000 it shelters. See our methodology for how the exemption and rate figures are sourced.
Revocable Living Trust
Purpose: Avoid probate, maintain control during lifetime, provide incapacity protection.
The most common trust in estate planning. You create it during your lifetime, transfer assets into it, and serve as your own trustee. You can change or revoke it anytime. At death, assets pass to beneficiaries without probate.
- Pro: Avoids probate (saves time and money, especially in high-cost probate states)
- Pro: Provides management if you become incapacitated
- Pro: Private, unlike wills, trusts don't become public record
- Con: Does NOT save estate taxes (assets still count in your taxable estate)
- Con: Requires funding, you must retitle assets into the trust
- Con: No asset protection from creditors during your lifetime
Best for: Most people who want to avoid probate, especially in states with expensive or slow probate processes.
Irrevocable Trust
Purpose: Remove assets from taxable estate, asset protection, Medicaid planning.
Once created, you cannot change it without beneficiary consent. Assets transferred to an irrevocable trust are no longer "yours" for estate tax and creditor purposes.
- Pro: Removes assets from your taxable estate
- Pro: Protects assets from creditors and lawsuits
- Pro: Can help with Medicaid eligibility (5-year lookback applies)
- Con: You give up control permanently
- Con: Transfers may trigger gift tax (using your lifetime exemption)
- Con: More complex and expensive to set up
Best for: Estates above or near the federal exemption ($13.99M in 2025), or those needing asset protection.
Common trust types compared
| Trust type | Grantor retains control | Primary use case |
|---|---|---|
| Revocable Living Trust | Yes | Probate avoidance |
| Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) | No | Remove life insurance from estate |
| Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) | No | Transfer appreciation tax-free |
| Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) | No | Lock in 2024 exemption |
| Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) | No | Income + charitable deduction |
The right trust depends on whether your estate sits above or below the federal exemption.
Bypass (Credit Shelter) Trust
Purpose: Use both spouses' estate tax exemptions fully.
Created at the first spouse's death to hold assets up to the exemption amount. The surviving spouse can receive income from the trust, but the assets aren't included in the surviving spouse's taxable estate.
Less critical since portability was introduced in 2011, but still valuable for state estate tax planning in states with their own estate tax (which don't recognize federal portability).
Best for: Couples in estate tax states, or those who want to ensure the first spouse's exemption isn't wasted.
QTIP Trust (Qualified Terminable Interest Property)
Purpose: Provide for surviving spouse while controlling ultimate distribution.
The surviving spouse receives all income from the trust for life, but cannot change who receives the remaining assets at their death. Common in blended families.
Best for: Second marriages where you want to provide for your current spouse but ensure children from a prior marriage ultimately inherit.
Charitable Trusts
Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
You or a beneficiary receives income for a period, then the remainder goes to charity. Provides an immediate tax deduction and avoids capital gains on appreciated assets.
Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)
The opposite: charity receives income first, then the remainder passes to your heirs. Can significantly reduce gift and estate taxes on transfers to the next generation.
Best for: Philanthropically-minded individuals with appreciated assets or large estates.
Special Needs Trust (SNT)
Purpose: Provide for a disabled beneficiary without jeopardizing government benefits.
Assets in the trust supplement (not replace) government benefits like SSI and Medicaid. The trustee has discretion over distributions for quality-of-life expenses.
Best for: Families with disabled members who receive means-tested benefits.
Generation-Skipping Trust (Dynasty Trust)
Purpose: Pass wealth to grandchildren and beyond while minimizing transfer taxes across generations.
Uses the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemption ($13.99M in 2025, same as estate tax exemption) to establish a trust that can benefit multiple generations.
Best for: High-net-worth families focused on multi-generational wealth transfer.
How to Choose
The right trust depends on your goals:
- Just avoid probate? → Revocable living trust
- Reduce estate taxes? → Irrevocable trust or bypass trust
- Protect assets? → Irrevocable trust
- Blended family? → QTIP trust
- Charitable goals? → CRT or CLT
- Disabled beneficiary? → Special needs trust
- Multi-generation wealth? → Dynasty trust