VII.4

Addiction Protection Trust

Support Without Destruction

This is one of the most emotionally sensitive categories in the collection. It deals directly with addiction, mental health, enabling, protection, and family fear. This category requires tremendous compassion and nuance.

What it is

An Addiction Protection Trust is a trust structure designed to provide support for a beneficiary struggling with substance abuse or destructive behaviors while limiting direct access to inherited assets.

Why people use them
  • prevent financial self-destruction
  • create accountability
  • preserve long-term support
  • reduce the risk that inheritance fuels addiction or harmful behavior
Biggest myth

This is punishment.

In many cases, these trusts are acts of protection and compassion — not control. The goal is often stability, safety, and long-term wellbeing.

Common structures

Trust provisions may involve discretionary trustees, treatment-related distributions, incentive structures, or staged access to assets.

Who this trust is good for
  • Families facing addiction concerns
  • Parents worried about inherited wealth misuse
  • Families seeking structured support systems
The Deeper Idea

This trust asks: "How do we support someone without unintentionally harming them?"

Conversations We’re Having About This Trust
Should inheritance be restricted in addiction situations?
The trust designed for difficult family realities.
Can trusts support recovery?

Schedule a Complimentary 30-Minute Consultation

At Hurwitz.Law, we believe that thoughtful planning begins with a meaningful conversation.

We offer a private, 30-minute consultation—by phone or Zoom—for individuals and families considering estate planning, elder law, or trust administration services. This conversation allows us to understand your goals, answer your questions, and help determine whether our firm is the right fit for your needs.

Our firm is intentionally boutique. We work with a limited number of clients so that we can provide a high level of personal attention and care. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.

This consultation is not a sales pitch. It’s a conversation rooted in clarity, respect, and the belief that your time—and your legacy—deserve both.

Schedule a Consultation

Prefer to talk first? Call us at (215) 967-7890.