RENT Magazine Q1'26

YOU NEED BUSINESS-LEVEL PROTECTION AND A PLAN THAT SURVIVES YOU.

Case Study: Building the Two-Layer Plan 4 When Todd and Angela worked with their estate planning attorney, their plan was built in layers. Their revocable living trust became the master plan, holding title to most properties, ensuring a clean handoff if one spouse became incapacitated, and avoiding probate in all three states. For their oldest duplex, located in a tougher rental market with more liability exposure, they established a separate irrevocable trust. The property’s income still flows to them through structured distributions, but its value is protected from direct legal risk. As a result, this plan keeps them in control of operations today, while building a fortress around their future wealth. Why It Matters 5 If you own rental real estate, you’re a business owner, not just an investor. That means you need business-level protection and a plan that survives you. Trusts aren’t only for the ultra-wealthy. They’re for anyone who’s built something worth protecting, whether that’s two single-family homes or a dozen small apartment buildings.

A thoughtful combination of revocable and irrevocable trusts and/or LLC’s can:

• Keep your real estate private and out of court

• Shield your assets from lawsuits and creditors

• Ensure income continues for your spouse or heirs

• Give you confidence that your years of effort will live on

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