Asset Protection – Part 3

This week, we’ll take yet another look at asset protection.

In the Part 1, we saw that much depends upon whose assets you are looking to protect. We saw that, if the assets are yours, you have fraudulent transfer issues to consider. In Part 2, we looked at assets that are coming to you from another person, such as assets you are inheriting. In this Part 3, we’ll look at a few ways you can protect your own assets from creditors. Of course, this assumes that the transfers are not fraudulent conveyances as explained in Part 1.

There is no panacea or solution for every circumstance. But, here are a few strategies and some of their pros and cons:

• Liability Insurance. I’m listing this first since it is often forgotten. Clients often have insurance for their home and auto. But, often, clients do not have an umbrella policy or other liability insurance, other than as a driver. An umbrella policy is often a very inexpensive way to insure against many risks. However, it is limited to liability from certain activities.
• Gifting Assets. You can gift assets to family members, such as your spouse, and remove those assets from the reach of your future creditors. Such a transfer is irrevocable and you cannot force a return of these assets. The transfer could be problematic in the event of a divorce.
• “Tenancy by the entirety.” Tenancy by the entirety is a form of joint tenancy, only available between married couples, which is available in about half the states. In most states with tenancy by the entirety, both real property (like a house) and personal property (like a brokerage account) may be held in that form. In about 1/3 of the states with tenancy by the entirety, it is only available for real estate. With tenancy by the entirety, a creditor of one spouse cannot attach the property. However, a creditor of both spouses, like someone who slips on the sidewalk of the home held in tenancy by the entirety, could reach the asset. The tenancy by the entirety form ends at the death of the first spouse. If the spouse with creditors is the survivor, that spouse receives the property by operation of law and it is no longer protected from their creditors due to tenancy by the entirety.
• 529 plans. Assets deposited into a 529 plan for children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and step-grandchildren may be protected in bankruptcy up to the maximum amount allowed for a 529 plan in your state, as long as the assets were deposited more than 2 years before a bankruptcy filing. For example, in California, the maximum for 529 plans is $475,000 per beneficiary. The account owner can still withdraw these funds and use them for themselves. So, this could be a way to shield a large sum if you think ahead. However, investments options may be limited and there may be negative income tax consequences if the funds are not used for higher education.