Gun Trusts
Every Owner Needs a Gun Trust
Every responsible gun owner needs a gun trust for three important reasons:
1) Gun Trusts offer flexibility and guidance with a gun collection
2) Guidance is given for estate administration where the surviving spouse may have no idea how to handle a firearms collection lawfully
3) Gun Trusts also provide flexibility for NFA items (suppressors, SBR's, etc.) ownership where individual ownership limits the ownership rights (access, possession, etc.) to merely one individual
NWGLG is here to help you navigate this process
Our Trusts
Northwest Gun Law Group offers two types of trusts to protect you and your family
Bronze Trust
The Bronze Edition Gun Trust is designed as an inexpensive entry-level trust to help you get started with NFA ownership. It can be upgraded to a Silver Edition Gun Trust at a later time if necessary.
Silver Trust
The Silver Edition Gun Trust is designed for the firearms collector who understands the value of proper planning when dealing with NFA items, such as suppressors, SBRs, as well as non-NFA items such as regular rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
Bronze Edition Gun Trust
The Bronze Edition Gun Trust is designed as an inexpensive entry-level trust to help you get started with NFA ownership. It can be upgraded to a Silver Edition Gun Trust at a later time if necessary. The Silver Edition Gun Trust allows for spousal planning, multiple current co-trustees, and more.
NWGLG offers the ability to get started with this process entirely online, please complete the purchase and instructions will be emailed to you directly.
Available in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska
Silver Edition Gun Trust
The Silver Edition Gun Trust is designed for the firearms collector who understands the value of proper planning when dealing with NFA items, such as suppressors, SBRs, as well as non-NFA items such as regular rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
A Silver Edition Gun Trust has various options specifically tailored to your specific needs:
JOINT TRUST - If a married couple are both actively buying and selling firearms
INDIVIDUAL TRUST - This specifically for individuals or a married couple where only one spouse is the firearms enthusiast
All versions allow for appointment of current co-trustees who can be in possession of trust property, subject to applicable state laws. Silver trust provides guidance on ownership and disposition of entire gun collection in order to avoid the “accidental felony."
NWGLG offers the ability to get started with this process entirely online, please complete the purchase and instructions will be emailed to you directly.
Our Silver Edition trust includes free delivery of trusts via a scheduled Zoom call
Available in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska
Gun Trust FAQs
I’m interested in a Firearms Trust. Where do I start?
We offer two types of firearm Trust: Bronze and Silver. The bronze trust is designed as a quick way to get you into a firearm trust for the purposes of owning NFA items. Bronze Trusts are designed only for NFA items and only for yourself. You can always upgrade to a Silver Trust at a later date, but make sure you pick a trust name you like as we won’t be able to change it. A Silver Trust covers non-NFA items and NFA items and allows you to add Co-Trustees. For this trust you’ll need to fill out a Silver Intake Form and email it in to info@nwglunlawgroup.com. We draft your trust here at the office and then we will mail it out to you the week of our monthly delivery session. These are generally held via zoom or google meet on a Saturday morning..
How do I determine if my Silver Trust should be Individual or Joint?
Joint Silver Trusts may be created by married couples or registered domestic partners only. If your spouse or registered domestic partner co-owns firearms with you and is heavily involved with firearms, you probably want a Joint Trust. Keep in mind that a Joint Trust means you are both responsible persons for purposes of 41F and you will both have to submit finger prints and photographs for the purposes of obtaining NFA items. If your spouse or domestic partner merely has access with no or occasional use of firearms and it is really YOUR collection, an Individual Trust is probably best. You can always separately name any other individual as a Co-trustee, which can make NFA purchases under ATF Rule 41F which has been in effect since, July 13, 2016 simpler.
Can my brother and I/my dad and I/my friend and I form a joint trust together to own all our firearms?
No, for a variety of reasons. A joint trust is advisable only between spouses or domestic partners. However, you may add other individuals to your trust as Co-trustees meaning that subject to state and federal laws those individuals can have access to your trust property, but their property will not be part of the trust. Your brother or friend could form their own trust for their trust property and add you as a Co-Trustee to have access to their trust property.
How do I add Co-Trustees?
Adding Co-Trustees is only available on a Silver Gun Trust and is done through a separate two part form after the creation of your gun trust. During the delivery session the attorney will explain how to add and remove Co-Trustees and the restrictions around what specific Co-Trustees can have access to.
How do I add firearms to the trust?
NFA items need to be purchased in the name of your trust. The trust will have to be established, signed and notarized before you submit your ATF forms and your trust will be the “applicant”. You will be the responsible person. Non-NFA items can not be purchased by a trust, so you’ll execute a general assignment of your interests in these firearms to the trust. The attorney will cover this process during the delivery session.