Quora Answer: Can I Take Money Out of My Child’s Trust?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Can I take money out of my child’s trust fund?”

If you are the trustee, and this is within the parameters of the trust document, yes, you can.  It would also be possible if you are the settlor of the trust.  If the trust is revocable, that is a simple matter of asset transfer.  If the trust is irrevocable, that would involve getting the consent of the trustees or beneficiaries, depending.

If you are neither, then you may not touch any of the assets of the trust, notwithstanding your relationship with your children, since you have no legal relationship with the trust, and by extension, the assets.