A Grantor Retained Annuity Trust is irrevocable.
Yes, Grantor Retained Annuity Trust should be capitalized as it is a specific type of trust.
it remains a grantor trust
Revoking a trust means it goes back to the grantor. Who is, in your example, deceased.I trust (no pun intended ... well, maybe a little bit) you see the problem here.Essentially, the distinction between a revocable and irrevocable trust vanishes when the grantor dies.
It depends upon how the trust is written. Generally, yes.
The Uniform Trust Code contains provisions relating to liability of a revocable trust for payment of the grantor's debts. The definition of revocable clarifies that revocable trusts include only trusts whose revocation is substantially within the grantor's control. The trust remains revocable until the grantor's death. Upon the death of the grantor the trust becomes irrevocable and not responsible for the payment of the grantor's debts. Any assets of the estate are not protected from debts, as the now irrevocable trust's are, and must be used to pay debts until the estate, not the trust, becomes insolvent.
If the irrevocable trust is properly drafted and is not, in fact, a grantor-owned revocable trust, then it should have its own unique Taxpayer Identification Number ("TIN").
The person who created the revocable trust, known as the settlor or grantor, holds the power to revoke the trust during their lifetime. Once the settlor passes away, the trust becomes irrevocable and the terms cannot be changed.
In my experience, this would be considered, in layman's terms, a trust in which the grantor, when alive, created a discretionary trust, then the gantor died. Now, the trust is in the hands of the trustee appointed by the grantor, which makes it irrevocable. When the grantor was alive, it was revocable. Now, the complex part usually means that in any given tax period, the trust had distrubutions of principle of some sort. I hope this helps.
In my experience, this would be considered, in layman's terms, a trust in which the grantor, when alive, created a discretionary trust, then the gantor died. Now, the trust is in the hands of the trustee appointed by the grantor, which makes it irrevocable. When the grantor was alive, it was revocable. Now, the complex part usually means that in any given tax period, the trust had distrubutions of principle of some sort. I hope this helps.
Warning! An irrevocable trust is not created when the grantor (trustor) is also the trustee. By transferring their property to a trust of which they are the trustee the grantor has retained control over the property. Irrevocable trusts are usually set up for tax purposes. The grantor cannot retain any control over the property in order for the trust to qualify as an irrevocable trust. The trust you describe has failed and left the trust property exposed to creditors and taxes. You need to consult with an attorney who specializes in trust law and tax law.
You cannot have the same person as grantor, trustee and beneficiary in any trust. There is no trust created in such a set up. The grantor in an irrevocable trust cannot be the trustee. The property in an irrevocable trust must be permanently separated from the grantor's control.
The grantor has no control over the assets in an irrevocable trust. Those assets are under the control of the trustee.