July 5, 2017

Are you concerned that a lawsuit or other threat could jeopardize your personal finances? While some people face a higher likelihood of an incident like this, everyone should be concerned about asset protection planning. 

Accomplishing asset protection planning is often successful after you consult with an attorney who has experience in this area. Holding assets outright and in particular, those assets that may be exposed to serious risk like real estate investments can be a big mistake in the event that a creditor or lawsuit threatens you in the future.

A limited liability can be structured to hold some assets. This is often used in conjunction with the benefits of providing an orderly transfer of assets to the next generation and reducing your estate taxes.

So long as you respect the legal formalities associated with an LLC, you can also tap into their asset protection planning potential. A limited liability company can be extremely valuable for isolating a risky asset. If in the event that you hold real estate and an injury happens to someone on the property, your personal assets could be tapped for that. However, if the property is owned by an LLC, then the injured party is only eligible to reach the assets in the LLC.

Furthermore, personal creditors typically cannot reach assets inside an LLC. The creditor is limited to a charging order that entitles them to collect distributions made from an LLC to you but not the underlying LLC’s assets. Consulting with a knowledgeable asset protection planning attorney is strongly recommended.