Yes. By federal and state laws, certain types of assets and accounts may be entirely or partially protected from lawsuits or creditors. The amount and type of assets that are protected varies from state to state.
Assets That May Be Protected
NOTE: The following assets may be protected from lawsuits and creditors, but they are not protected for nursing home and Medicaid planning purposes.
- Real estate owned jointly by husband and wife—referred to as “tenants by the entirety” is afforded protections in certain contexts.
- Death benefits from life insurance policies if the beneficiary is a spouse, or a trust for the spouse’s or child’s benefit.
- Annuities, if the beneficiary is a spouse, child, or a trust for a spouse’s or child’s benefit.
- Retirement plans such as IRAs, 401(k)s, pension plans, profit sharing plans and similar plans.
- Asset protection trusts for your benefit established by someone else, such as your parents or grandparents.
- Assets held in a limited liability company (LLC), depending upon the context.
- Assets held in a family limited partnership (FLP), depending upon the context.
- Assets held in certain types of asset protection trusts established by you for your own benefit.
Assets That Are Not Protected
- Real estate held solely in your name.
- Real estate owned jointly with someone other than your spouse.
- Cash value and death benefits from life insurance policies if the beneficiary is your estate or someone other than your spouse, a child, or a trust for your spouse’s or child’s benefit.
- Stocks, bonds, and brokerage investment accounts.
- Cash, Certificates of Deposit (CDs), checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts.
- Monies owed to you (such as notes receivable or mortgages receivable).
- Business interests, such as stock or ownership interest in your corporations, partnerships, limited liability company (LLC) or sole proprietorships.
- Tangible personal property, such as china, antiques, silver, crystal, jewelry, furniture, appliances, collections and other valuables.
- Vehicles, such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, airplanes, boats, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), motor homes, recreational vehicles (RVs) and similar.
Please note that this article is meant to provide a general overview and is not a substitute for legal advice. That said, plan ahead! Don’t leave yourself or your loved ones stuck dealing with the financial aftermath that a lawsuit, medical bills or long-term care costs, or unexpected tragedy can bring to your family. Contact Carolina Family Estate Planning today at (919) 586-8222 or fill out our online form to speak with someone about registering for a seminar or a Vision Meeting. You may also wish request a free copy our book, Estate Planning Pitfalls: The Twelve Most Common Threats To Your Estate & Your Family’s Future.
