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“ADVERTORIAL How Could a Family Trust Help Protect Your Estate in 2026? Smart takeaways to help preserve your wealth and pass your legacy to the next generation: Protect your assets from probate Shield assets from creditors, lawyers and possibly divorce Help potentially minimize estate tax exposure Ensure your assets are managed according to your wishes Need Clarity? Get matched with vetted fiduciary financial advisors and have a FREE introductory call, with no obligations. Take Matching Quiz Join 400,000+ Millionaires Who’ve Already Matched With a Wealth Manager Since 2021 In the press: More About Family Trusts For many investors, a family trust may be a key part of a smart estate and financial plan, especially for preserving and passing on wealth. However, setting up a trust isn’t one-size-fits-all. There are important choices to make: Revocable or irrevocable?  Who serves as trustee?  How will it be funded and maintained over time? How to Set Up a Family Trust Speaking with a financial advisor may help find the trust option that best suits your needs. Next, a trustee must be designated – yourself or someone else. Then, decide which family members you want to potentially benefit from the trust and determine exactly what they may get. From there, you’d create the trust agreement. This is when it could be better to work with a professional, especially if you have substantial assets. Next, the trust must be funded by transferring assets to the ownership of the trustee. These decisions will likely depend on your specific goals, family dynamics, and long-term strategy. This could be why many investors may work with a fiduciary financial advisor to help integrate trust planning into their broader wealth planning strategy.  Advisors may be able to help coordinate with estate attorneys, optimize for tax efficiency, and ensure your trust supports your retirement, investment and legacy goals. SmartAsset’s latest proprietary model reveals that working with a financial advisor could potentially add from 36% to 212% more dollar value to investors’ portfolios over a lifetime, depending on multiple unique, individual factors.1 Net worth from age 45 to 77 Final lifetime net worth with and without a financial advisor. Disclaimer: This example demonstrates the potential final lifetime portfolio value, accounting for estimated investment returns, tax savings and inflation over different life stages for an individual starting with $500,000 at age 45, through age 77. Under a set of core assumptions, this consumer profile is projected to have a final lifetime portfolio value of approximately $3.24 million if retaining the services of a financial advisor – not accounting for additional savings or portfolio withdrawals – versus a final estimated lifetime portfolio value of $1.56 million without the services of a financial advisor. This example is based on the valuation framework presented in SmartAsset’s whitepaper “The Value of a Financial Advisor: What’s It Really Worth?” (Nov. 2024). The value of professional financial advice is only an illustrative estimate and varies with each unique client’s individual circumstances and portfolio composition. Carefully consider your investment objectives, risk factors, and perform your own due diligence before choosing a financial advisor. If you’re thinking about creating or updating a trust, now may be the right time to speak with a fiduciary financial advisor.  That’s why we created a free tool to help match you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, each legally bound to work in your best interest. It’s never too late to plan to work toward a comfortable retirement. Get your financial advisor matches today. Click Your State to Get Matched With Financial Advisors Who Serve Your Area After you choose your state and answer a few questions, you can compare fiduciary financial advisors who serve your area and decide which to work with. AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC Find a Financial Advisor Find financial advisors who serve your area, free! This is a hypothetical example and is not representative of any specific security. Actual results when working with a financial advisor will vary. This scenario is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an actual client. Results may vary. This is not an offer to buy or sell any security or interest. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Working with an adviser may come with potential downsides such as payment of fees (which will reduce returns). Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. There are no guarantees that working with an adviser will yield positive returns. The existence of a fiduciary duty does not prevent the rise of potential conflicts of interest. SmartAsset.com is not intended to provide legal advice, tax advice, accounting advice or financial advice (Other than referring users to third party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries (“Adviser(s)”) with a regulatory body in the United States). The article and opinions in this publication are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you consult your accountant, tax, or legal advisor with regard to your individual situation. SmartAsset Advisors, LLC (“SmartAsset”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Insight Technology, is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. SmartAsset’s services are limited to referring users to third party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries (“Adviser(s)”) with a regulatory body in the United States that have elected to participate in our matching platform based on information gathered from users through our online questionnaire. SmartAsset receives compensation from Advisers for our services. SmartAsset does not review the ongoing performance of any Adviser, participate in the management of any user’s account by an Adviser or provide advice regarding specific investments. We do not manage client funds or hold custody of assets, we help users connect with relevant financial advisors. Sources: 1. “The Value of a Financial Advisor: What’s It Really Worth?” SmartAsset (Nov. 2024) Get Smart with Your Assets Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | About Us | Disclosure Brochure © 2025 SmartAsset”