Anything can be uncertain in the world of business. It won’t matter how much of an expert you are in business handling. One moment, your business is thriving. The next thing you know, the economy becomes unstable and affects a lot of businesses including yours.
If you have a business or own several properties and other assets, it is important to protect them at all cost. There are also people out there who might take advantage of your assets and attempt to file lawsuits against you. Asset protection is crucial at this point.
So how does asset protection work? How important is this for your personal and business life? What steps should you take to protect your assets? These questions need answers so you can understand why you should protect your assets at all costs.
How asset protection works
Protecting your asset means keeping it safe from those who won lawsuits against you. In other words, it is a strategy to safeguard your wealth. This may include your car, house and lot, and even your business. Protection of assets limits or prevents creditors from getting hold of your important assets.
At the same time, protection of assets can enable you to operate in compliance with the law. If you have asset protection, you won’t have to resort to conceal your possessions nor engage in fraud or tax evasion. Among popular ways to protect your assets include:
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Family limited partnerships
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Accounts receivable financing
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Asset protection trust
Protection of assets may also come in handy in case someone files a lawsuit against you. Other instances that may put your assets at risk if it’s not protected under the law include:
Work-related cases
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Copyright infringement
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Accidents caused by the company and/or its products
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Sexual harassment
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Medical/financial malpractice
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Vehicular accidents (ex. accidents while delivery is ongoing)
Personal cases
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Divorce
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Unpayable debts (ex. medical bills, mortgage loans)
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Vehicular accidents
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Property foreclosure
Planning for Asset Protection
To protect your assets, you should plan for it. It should be ahead of time and not by the time unfortunate events have already happened. You should consider what your objectives are. These may include:
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Your goals on estate planning
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Your short and long-term goals on the financial aspects of your life
You should identify your present and future income sources to determine your financial goals. You should also plan asset distribution among your trusted heirs after your death. Check whether your present assets are creditor-exempted. If not, make sure to convert them to as “exempted”.
For your estate objectives, you should determine your total current net worth. Likewise, you should determine how much you are expecting to get in the next years. From here, you can create your estate plan. The plan should include important details such as:
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Who will take care of you and your possessions in case of mental incapacity
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Who will take care of your underage children, spouse, and wealth in case of unexpected death
It is crucial to plan your protection of assets ahead of time. By doing so, you will be saved from the future headaches of creditors hounding you and your wealth.