Asset Protection Services
Recognized among the nation's leading asset protection attorneys, Skabelund PLLC designs the structures that keep wealth beyond the reach of lawsuits and creditor claims - for physicians, business owners, real estate investors, and families nationwide - and maintains them year after year.
- AV Preeminent Rated
- Avvo 10.0
- Best Lawyers Recognized
- Licensed in AZ, OK, TX and UT
What Are Asset Protection Services?
Asset protection services are legal strategies, designed and implemented by an attorney, that shield personal and business wealth from future lawsuits, creditor claims, and judgments. The core tools are limited liability entities, statutory asset protection trusts, and exemption planning under state and federal law - combined into a coordinated plan that is put in place before a claim ever arises.
Note: this page covers legal asset protection services provided by a law firm. It does not cover physical security or retail loss-prevention services, which sometimes use the same phrase.
Our Asset Protection Services
Every plan is custom-built from the same set of proven legal structures. As a national asset protection practice, Skabelund PLLC has designed plans for portfolios valued at upwards of one hundred million dollars - and the same discipline applies at every level of wealth.
Asset Protection Risk Assessment
Every engagement starts with a structured review of what you own, how each asset is titled, what state and federal law already protect, and where a lawsuit could actually reach.
Take the risk assessmentLLC and Entity Structuring
Operating companies, holding companies, and charging-order-protected LLCs that separate risk-generating assets from safe assets so one claim cannot cascade through everything you own.
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts
Statutory trusts in jurisdictions such as Nevada, South Dakota, Delaware, and Arizona that allow you to remain a discretionary beneficiary while placing assets beyond the reach of future creditors once the seasoning period runs.
Protective Trust Structures
Spendthrift trusts, hybrid trust designs, and decanting of older trusts into stronger modern structures - so wealth already in trust gets the full protection current law allows.
Exempt Asset Planning
Positioning wealth inside categories the law already shields - ERISA-qualified retirement plans, IRAs, and the homestead - before building anything more complex on top.
Real Estate Asset Protection
Entity stacking, titling, and equity strategies for rental portfolios and appreciated property, designed so a claim against one asset stops at that asset.
Strategies for real estate investorsBusiness Owner and Professional Protection
Liability shields for business owners, physicians, dentists, and other professionals whose work exposes personal wealth to claims that insurance alone will not absorb.
Plans for business ownersOngoing Plan Maintenance
Annual reviews to keep the plan aligned with your life and the law, a subscription program for clients who want more frequent counsel, and support if litigation ever does arise.
Why clients stay with usWho Our Asset Protection Services Are For
Certain careers and balance sheets attract claims. These are the clients we build for most often - each links to a dedicated strategy guide.
Doctors and Physicians
Malpractice exposure does not have to mean personal exposure.
Asset protection for doctorsBusiness Owners
Keep company liabilities away from family wealth - and plan for the exit.
Asset protection for business ownersReal Estate Investors
Every door you own is an opportunity - and a potential plaintiff.
Asset protection for investorsAthletes and Public Figures
Visibility invites opportunistic claims. Structure removes the target.
Asset protection for athletesHigh-Net-Worth Families
Multi-generational wealth needs structures that outlast any one lawsuit.
Why families choose SkabelundWindfall Recipients
A business sale, inheritance, or settlement deserves protection from day one.
How to protect your assetsHow Our Asset Protection Process Works
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Risk Assessment
We map your assets, titling, existing entities, insurance, and exposure - and identify what the law already protects.
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Custom Plan Design
You receive a written plan with the specific entities, trusts, and exemption moves recommended for your situation, with flat project pricing quoted before work begins.
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Implementation
We draft and file the structures, retitle assets correctly, and coordinate with your CPA and financial advisor so nothing is left half-built.
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Annual Review and Maintenance
We meet with clients every year - or more often through our subscription program - so the plan keeps pace with new assets, new laws, and new risks.
Asset Protection, Explained by the Attorneys
New episodes of The Asset Protection Show biweekly: attorney John Skabelund on trusts, LLC structuring, privacy planning, and tax strategy - with guests such as Tax Foundation President Emeritus Scott Hodge.
Explore The Asset Protection Show - watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Audacy.
Asset Protection Numbers That Matter in 2026
Before building anything, know what the law already protects. These are the figures our attorneys reference most often in planning.
Figures verified July 31, 2026. Statutory amounts adjust periodically; see the disclaimer at the end of this page.
Domestic Asset Protection Trust Seasoning Periods by State
The seasoning period is the statutory window during which assets transferred into the trust remain reachable by certain creditors. Choosing the jurisdiction is one of the most consequential decisions in trust-based planning.
| State | Seasoning Period | Planning Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 18 months | Shortest seasoning period among the major DAPT jurisdictions; no state income tax. |
| Arizona | 2 years | Home-state option frequently used for Arizona residents who want local administration. |
| South Dakota | 2 years | Strong privacy statutes and no state income tax; a leading jurisdiction for large trusts. |
| Delaware | 4 years | Deep body of trust case law and a well-developed professional trustee industry. |
Not sure which jurisdiction fits your situation? That is exactly what the risk assessment answers - or go deeper with our guide to asset protection planning.
The Attorneys Behind Your Plan
Asset protection is all Skabelund PLLC does - a focus that has made the firm a national name in the field. Your plan is designed and signed by the attorneys below, not handed to a document mill.
John Skabelund
Founding Attorney, J.D., M.B.A.
- J.D. and M.B.A., Arizona State University; admitted to the Arizona Bar in 2012
- AV Preeminent peer-review rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Avvo rating of 10.0
- 2023 Attorney of the Year - Trusts and Estates category
Logan Woodruff
Attorney, J.D.
- Multi-state practice supporting the firm's licensure in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah
- Holds the Series 65 - Uniform Investment Adviser Law examination
- Focused on entity structuring and trust-based protection strategies
Rated, Reviewed, and Recognized
Independent rating bodies - America's Most Honored Lawyers (top one percent), Best Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and Avvo - place Skabelund PLLC among the nation's leading asset protection attorneys.
"Excellent service with prompt follow-up, and a willingness to educate on the right way to establish an asset protection plan. I appreciate the service I've received and would recommend!"Chris Morrison, Client — read more client testimonials
Where We Work
Skabelund PLLC is licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah, meets with clients across the country by video, and regularly builds plans using out-of-state trust jurisdictions such as Nevada, South Dakota, and Delaware.
Tempe Headquarters
1400 E. Southern Ave., Suite 1020
Tempe, AZ 85282
Main: 480-323-9100
Direct: 480-660-4600
Asset Protection Services: Frequently Asked Questions
What do asset protection services include?
A complete engagement typically includes a risk assessment, entity structuring such as LLCs and holding companies, protective trust design including domestic asset protection trusts, exemption planning around retirement accounts and the homestead, coordination with your CPA and financial advisor, and ongoing annual reviews that keep the plan current.
How much do asset protection services cost?
Pricing depends on the structures your situation calls for. Skabelund PLLC quotes flat project pricing after the initial risk assessment, so you know the full cost before any work begins, and offers a subscription program for clients who want ongoing counsel throughout the year.
When should I put asset protection in place?
Before a claim exists. Courts can unwind transfers made after a creditor's claim arises under state voidable transaction laws, and asset protection trusts carry statutory seasoning periods of 18 months to 4 years depending on the state. The strongest plans are built while the horizon is clear.
Can I still protect assets after being sued?
Options narrow significantly once a lawsuit or demand letter exists, because transfers made at that point can be challenged as voidable. An attorney can still review which assets are already exempt by statute and how to structure go-forward income and acquisitions, but pre-claim planning is far more effective and far less expensive.
Are asset protection trusts legal?
Yes. Domestic asset protection trusts are authorized by statute in states such as Nevada, South Dakota, Delaware, and Arizona, and courts respect trusts that are properly drafted, properly funded, and compliant with those statutes and with voidable transaction rules. Legitimacy comes down to doing it correctly - and doing it on time.
Which assets are already protected without any planning?
Federal law gives ERISA-qualified retirement plans such as 401(k)s essentially unlimited creditor protection, IRAs are protected in bankruptcy up to $1,711,975, and most states shield some home equity through a homestead exemption - Arizona's is approximately $437,600 in 2026. Coverage varies widely by state, which is why every plan starts with an exemption review.
Do you only serve Arizona?
No. Skabelund PLLC is licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah, works with clients nationwide, and regularly builds plans that use out-of-state trust jurisdictions such as Nevada, South Dakota, and Delaware when they fit the client's goals.
Is this the same as hiring a security company?
No. Some companies use the phrase asset protection services to describe physical security or retail loss prevention. The services on this page are legal services: attorney-designed entities, trusts, and exemption strategies that protect wealth from lawsuits and creditor claims.
Asset Protection Resources
Guides and Tools
Homestead Exemption Guides
Media and Insights
Arizona service areas: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Paradise Valley - plus statewide Arizona and clients searching nearby. Licensed in AZ, OK, TX, and UT with nationwide planning capability.
Start With a Risk Assessment
Tell us what you have built. We will show you exactly where it is exposed - and what it takes to close the gaps before anyone comes looking.
Last updated: July 31, 2026. Exemption amounts, trust seasoning periods, and other figures on this page were verified as of this date. Statutory amounts are adjusted periodically and vary by state.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, nor does reading it create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is different; consult a licensed attorney about your specific circumstances before acting. Attorney advertising. Skabelund PLLC operates pursuant to the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct and is licensed in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.