Minor Trusts in Murfreesboro
More Than 50 Years of Legal Service for Families Across Generations
If a child inherits property before being ready to manage it, a minor trust can establish who can oversee the property, how it may be used, and when distributions may occur. We create trusts for children as part of our intergenerational estate-planning work with Murfreesboro families.
Planning for a child’s inheritance is separate from choosing who would provide personal care. A guardian nomination identifies the person a parent would want to care for the child, while a trustee manages money, investments, real estate, or other property under the trust terms. The same person may serve in both roles, but the responsibilities are different.
Discuss your goals for your child’s inheritance with our attorneys. Call (615) 895-7000 to arrange a consultation.
When a Minor Trust May Fit Your Plan
A trust may be appropriate when a parent, grandparent, or other adult wants property managed for a child rather than transferred outright at a young age. The right structure depends on the child’s age, the property involved, the proposed trustee, and the family’s goals for future distributions.
One option is a testamentary trust, which is created through a will and takes effect after death. Another is a separate trust established during the person’s lifetime. Either approach should account for property governed by beneficiary designations, deeds, and other documents outside the will.
Assets and planning documents to evaluate include:
- Money, investments, and personal property passing through a will
- Life insurance and retirement accounts with beneficiary designations
- Real estate governed by a deed or other transfer document
- Current or future gifts intended for the child
- Guardian nominations addressing the child’s personal care
Key Decisions When Structuring a Minor Trust
Terms That Shape the Trust
The trust document guides the trustee by defining permitted uses of trust property, the timing or conditions for distributions, and the authority needed to administer the assets.
Important decisions typically include:
- Trustee: Who has the judgment, reliability, availability, and financial ability to manage the property
- Permitted expenses: Which costs may be paid for the child under the trust terms
- Distribution terms: When or under what conditions the child may receive property
- Successor trustee: Who may serve if the first choice can’t or won’t act
- Funding: Which assets are intended to pass into the trust
How Private Trusts Differ From Tennessee Custodial Transfers
The Tennessee Uniform Transfers to Minors Act provides a legally distinct way to hold custodial property for a child. When authorized by a governing will, trust, or judicial order, Tennessee law permits a personal representative or trustee to make an irrevocable transfer to a custodian for the child.
A custodian manages the property under the statutory arrangement. A private trust has its own trustee, administrative provisions, and distribution terms. Comparing these options requires careful consideration of the property involved, the desired level of control, and how each arrangement fits within the broader estate plan.
How We Coordinate Planning Across Generations
We tailor our guidance to each family’s circumstances and long-term goals. Our estate-planning practice includes wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, trusts for children, spendthrift trusts, and special needs trusts. This range of planning tools allows us to consider how each document works with the others.
We can help you evaluate:
- The intended beneficiaries and property
- Potential trustees and successor trustees
- Goals for permitted uses and distributions
- Related guardian nominations
- Beneficiary designations and other transfer documents
Murfree, Goodman & Rosado, PLLC is a family-owned law firm with more than 50 years of legal history. We serve individuals and families throughout Murfreesboro, Greater Nashville, and the surrounding areas of Middle Tennessee.
A plan may also need attention after significant changes to family relationships, assets, residence, beneficiary designations, or a child’s needs. Reviewing the documents can reveal provisions that no longer reflect the family’s circumstances or intentions.
Put Clear Instructions Around Your Child’s Inheritance
A carefully prepared trust can document who can manage a child’s property, how it may be used, and how distributions should be handled. It can also coordinate those financial decisions with guardian nominations, beneficiary designations, and the rest of the estate plan.
During a consultation, you can discuss the proposed trustee, the assets intended for the child, distribution goals, and related planning documents with our attorneys. We’ll provide guidance based on your family’s circumstances rather than a standard distribution formula.
Call (615) 895-7000 to arrange your estate-planning consultation with Murfree, Goodman & Rosado, PLLC.