CALIFORNIA GUN TRUSTS
What is a Gun Trust?
A Gun Trust is a legal document which tells the executor of your estate how to take care of and distribute your guns after you have passed. It is similar to a Standard trust accept that it ONLY has your guns in it. Think of a gun trust as a storage container that you put your guns into in order to give them to someone else
How Much Does a Gun Trust Cost?
I currently charge $500.00 for drafting all of the basic trust documents for you and customizing them to your particular needs.
How Long Does a Gun Trust Take?
Once you get me the paperwork I need, it will be ready for you to print and get notarized in about 3-5 business days.
I already have a regular trust, why would I need a Gun Trust?
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If you want, you can place all your guns in your regular trust. If the trustee(s) of your family trust is familiar with guns and aware of the laws governing gun safety and the physical transfer as well as legal transfer of firearms; then having your firearms in in a family trust should be fine. However, if your trustee(s) are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with guns and you want to make sure they are taken care of properly, you may want to have them in a dedicated gun trust.
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For example, let’s say your wife (who is the trustee of family trust in the event of your passing) greatly dislikes your guns, she and wants nothing to do with them. As a result, she would make a poor trustee for a trust involving firearms. In this case you may want to have your brother, a friend, a cousin, or your eldest adult child to be responsible for overseeing the transfer of your firearms, as per your wishes, in a safe and legal manner.
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Who would have access to my gun(s) if put into the trust?
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As the creator of the trust, you would have the first and primary access to the guns. However, any other beneficiary and/or trustee you nominate also could have access to them in your absence if you so desire.
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What is a gun trust good for?
A gun trust allows you to determine who gets the guns or who has access to your guns after you die.
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Can I put other guns in the trust later on?"
Yes - simply by adding (or removing) them to/from a single addendum page to the trust, you can add or remove all the guns you want. You can also change the beneficiaries and/or trustees at any time but the trust should be professionally amended in those cases.
Definitions
TRUST -Think of a trust as a storage container. It is created by a legal document, and you can put whatever you want in it. Trusts have limited usefulness to avoid probate, taxes and other purposes. While they generally do not last forever, they do extend well beyond the maker's death.
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TRUSTOR - Someone who creates a trust.
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TRUSTEE - A trustee is a person named by you to maintain the stuff you put into the trust.
BENIFICIARY - A beneficiary is a person you designate to benefit from the trust or to receive the items in the trust after you die or some set time in the future.
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