Asset Protection Trusts
Move assets out of your name. Out of reach of lawsuits.
Domestic Asset Protection Trust (DAPT) templates plus state-specific setup guidance. Used by 19 U.S. states and growing. From $99.
What is a Domestic Asset Protection Trust?
A DAPT is a self-settled, irrevocable trust where you can be both the grantor and a discretionary beneficiary — and creditors generally cannot reach the assets after the statutory waiting period (typically 2-4 years).
That structure is illegal in most states under common law. But 19 states have enacted DAPT statutes that explicitly permit it. If you live in one of those states — or are willing to use an out-of-state trust company as trustee — a DAPT can be one of the strongest legal asset shields available.
Setup at a top firm: $15,000 — $50,000. Our DAPT template package: $99.
The 19 DAPT-friendly states
If you are a resident of one of these states, you can typically establish a DAPT under state law without involving a non-resident trustee. If you are not, you can still use a trustee in one of these states — but the analysis gets more complex.
Nevada, Delaware, and South Dakota are widely considered the strongest DAPT jurisdictions because of statute-of-limitations length, exception creditor scope, and case law history.
What’s in the trust template package
Asset Protection Trust Template
A fully drafted irrevocable trust with spendthrift provisions, distribution standards, and trustee removal mechanics.
Domestic Asset Protection Trust (DAPT)
Self-settled DAPT template designed for the 19 DAPT-friendly states, with state-specific addenda.
Fraudulent Transfer Checklist
The single biggest mistake people make: funding a trust after a claim arises. This checklist keeps you on the right side of the line.
Trustee Acceptance Documents
Forms for individual trustees, corporate trustees, and trust protectors — with the conflict-of-interest disclosures courts look for.
Funding Worksheet
A trust does nothing if it isn’t funded. Step-by-step worksheet for retitling real estate, brokerage accounts, and LLC interests into the trust.
State Selection Memo
Side-by-side comparison of Nevada, Delaware, South Dakota, and Wyoming — fees, statute periods, exception creditors, and court history.
When a DAPT actually makes sense
- You have a high-liability profession (physician, contractor, landlord) and want to shield non-business assets.
- You have significant savings or investment accounts not held in retirement vehicles.
- You are a real estate investor with equity beyond what an LLC alone can shield.
- You want to protect family wealth from a future divorce — your child's, not your own.
- You are not currently being sued. Funding a DAPT after a claim arises is a fraudulent transfer.