Do I need US residency to qualify for a trust in Nevada?
US residency is not required. Nevada trusts are available to both US and non-US residents — Nevada law imposes no additional qualifications based on residency. International families are drawn to Nevada specifically for its asset protection statutes, privacy protections, and stable legal system, all within a US domicile that has operated under continuous rule of law since the country's founding. If you're looking to protect wealth, provide for a US-based beneficiary, or plan around tax exposure, a Nevada trust offers a level of structural flexibility and privacy that many other jurisdictions — inside and outside the US — cannot match.
Why Nevada
Among all US jurisdictions to choose from, why do experts specifically go to Nevada?
Every US state has its own trust statutes, but these three features confirm how Nevada's statutes make it the single most favored destination for both domestic and international families.
Dynasty provisions
A Nevada trust can enjoy some of the longest dynasty provisions available worldwide.
24-month statute
A Nevada trust subscribes to one of the shortest statutes of limitations in the country — all assets are secured from non-exception creditors after just 2 years.
0% state tax
A Nevada trust imposes no state income tax, no estate tax, no gift tax, and no corporate income tax — no personal or state income tax, protected in the Nevada constitution.
Benefits of establishing a U.S. trust
Why do international families choose US regulations to establish a trust?
- The US relies on FATCA for its own tax reporting framework and has not adopted the OECD's Common Reporting Standard (CRS) used by most other countries — a meaningful distinction for cross-border privacy planning.
- US trusts benefit from strong asset-protection and privacy statutes, backed by a stable and predictable legal system.
- US trusts have access to the world's deepest pool of investment capital and financial markets.
- US trusts can hold real estate of any type, regardless of the grantor's or beneficiary's nationality.
- US trusts are not subject to forced heirship rules — your estate passes to the beneficiaries you choose.
- Nevada specifically permits self-settled trusts — a grantor can be both the trust's creator and a beneficiary, preserving control while gaining asset protection.
- Nevada's decanting statute allows a trust to be modified without court approval, giving families flexibility if circumstances change.
50 U.S. jurisdictions — four standouts.
| Nevada | Delaware | South Dakota | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asset protection | 2-year statute of limitations | 4-year statute of limitations | 2-year statute of limitations | 4-year statute of limitations |
| Exception creditors | Non-exception creditors; state supreme-court precedent | Exceptions for marital and tort claims | Exceptions for marital and child-support claims | Exceptions for marital and tort claims |
| Dynasty trust | 365 years | Perpetual | Perpetual | 1,000 years |
| Directed trusts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| State income tax | None — constitutionally prohibited | None — by statute | None | None |
| Private trust companies | Regulated & unregulated permitted; low requirements | Permitted, high requirements | Regulated permitted; low requirements | Regulated & unregulated permitted; low requirements |
Should you be considering a U.S. trust?
Common circumstances that make a US Trust in Nevada popular to international families.
Common examples that international families prefer in establishing a US trust, making Nevada the logical choice over other jurisdictions:
- A Nevada trust imposes no state income tax, no estate tax, no gift tax, and no corporate income tax — all of these are protected within the Nevada constitution.
- Your family owns or seeks to acquire assets, including all property types, within the US.
- You want to consolidate and reduce some of your estate-tax reporting liabilities to a single no-estate-tax state jurisdiction.
- Immigration planning — a Grantor or Beneficiary plans to pursue academic or residency options to stay in the US permanently.
- Most contributions from your foreign asset sources to a US Trust do not face any gifting tax assessments.
- If a Grantor or Beneficiary enters into a marriage anywhere worldwide — Nevada's Trust statutes provide protection against claims from spousal divorces.
Other ways we serve international families.
Dynasty Trusts
A Nevada Trust can extend your legacy for centuries. Protect your estate from non-exception creditors, future family disputes, and shoulder tax savings for your beneficiaries.
Successor Trustee Services
Trust administration needs can change. Crawford Trust can assist in your successor trustee circumstances.
Private Trust Company Services
When assets demand more privacy, Crawford Trust can help family offices identify and provide roles into an independent private trust company structure.
Get in touch
Considering a Nevada trust from outside the U.S.?
Our trust officers regularly work with non-U.S. families and their advisors to evaluate whether a Nevada trust is the right structure — and to coordinate with counsel in the family's home jurisdiction.