Yes—you can absolutely have more than one trust in Georgia. In fact, using multiple trusts is often the smartest way to handle different goals, protect specific assets, and manage complex family or financial situations.
Why Someone Might Use More Than One Trust
While a single revocable living trust can be enough for many people, others benefit from using multiple trusts to:
- Separate business and personal assets
- Provide for children from a prior marriage
- Protect a loved one with special needs
- Preserve wealth while minimizing taxes
- Qualify for Medicaid or other benefits
Using different types of trusts allows for customized planning, greater control, and stronger legal protection.
Types of Trusts You Can Use Together
Revocable Living Trust
Used to:
- Avoid probate
- Maintain privacy
- Manage assets during incapacity
- Name beneficiaries for after death
This is the foundation of many estate plans—but it doesn’t protect assets from creditors or long-term care costs.
Learn more about creating a revocable living trust in Georgia
Irrevocable Trust
Used for:
- Asset protection
- Medicaid planning
- Life insurance (via an ILIT)
- Reducing estate taxes
Once assets are placed in an irrevocable trust, they are generally outside your estate and the reach of creditors.
Special Needs Trust (SNT)
Used to:
- Provide for a disabled loved one
- Preserve eligibility for SSI or Medicaid
- Cover supplemental needs like housing, transportation, or therapies
This trust ensures that the beneficiary’s quality of life is protected—without disqualifying them from public benefits.
Read more about our special needs planning services
Charitable Trust
Used to:
- Leave gifts to charitable organizations
- Reduce income or estate taxes
- Create a legacy of giving
Often used in high-net-worth or legacy-focused estate plans. For federal rules on charitable trusts, see the IRS’s charitable trust guidance
Testamentary Trust
Created within a will and only goes into effect after death. Often used to:
- Provide for young children
- Delay distributions
- Include trustee oversight
These are helpful when no revocable trust is in place during life.
Can Multiple Trusts Conflict With Each Other?
They can—but only if they’re poorly drafted.
To avoid overlap, confusion, or unintended tax consequences:
- Work with an experienced estate planning attorney
- Clearly define each trust’s purpose and assets
- Keep beneficiary designations and asset titles consistent with your plan
When Multiple Trusts Make Sense
You might want more than one trust if you:
- Have a child with special needs and other children without
- Want to separate marital and inherited property
- Own rental properties or a business and want liability protection
- Are planning for remarriage or a blended family
- Need to shield certain assets for long-term care planning
Trusts are not one-size-fits-all—and using more than one can be the most effective strategy.
Let Hurban Law Help You Build the Right Trust Structure
At Hurban Law, LLC, we help Georgia families design estate plans that are strategic, flexible, and legally sound. Whether you need one trust or several, we’ll help you create a plan that fits your assets, goals, and the people you want to protect.
Contact us today to discuss your options and build a plan with confidence.
