Wills vs. Trusts for Athletes: How to Protect Your Legacy On and Off the Field

As an athlete, you spend years building something meaningful—your career, your income, your reputation, and your future. Yet when it comes to estate planning, many athletes have nothing at all or delay the conversation or assume a simple will is “good enough.”

One of the first questions athletes often ask is whether they need a will, a trust, or both. Unfortunately, the answers they hear—from teammates, agents, social media, or even well-meaning professionals—are often incomplete or misleading. Some athletes receive no information at all how to protect what they are earning.

The truth is this: estate planning isn’t about choosing a document. It’s about creating a plan that actually works when something happens to you—whether that’s an injury, an unexpected health event, or death—and protects the people you love from chaos, court, and costly mistakes.

In this article, you’ll learn the real difference between wills and trusts, how each works in practice, and what athletes should consider when building a plan that protects their legacy.

What a Will Does—and What It Doesn’t

A will is often the first estate planning document people think of. A properly drafted will allows you to name who receives your assets after you die and who should raise your children if you have them.

But for athletes, a will alone has serious limitations.

First, a will must go through probate, a court-supervised process that varies by state but is always public, time-consuming, and expensive. For athletes with name recognition, public probate means your financial details can become part of the public record—something most athletes would prefer to avoid. Further, athletes often live, train and own property in different states or even different countries at different parts of the year, making a will alone extremely limiting.

Second, a will does nothing while you are alive. If you become incapacitated due to injury, illness, or an accident, your will offers no authority for anyone to manage your finances, pay bills, renegotiate contracts, or make medical decisions on your behalf.

While powers of attorney can help during your lifetime, they end at death, often leaving loved ones confused about what happens next. This gap is one of the biggest reasons families end up in court—even when documents exist.

Because of these limitations, many athletes turn to trusts for more comprehensive protection.

How a Trust Works for Athletes

A trust is a legal structure that can hold your assets during your lifetime and distribute them according to your instructions when you die—or continue managing them long after.

Unlike a will, a properly funded trust avoids probate, allowing your loved ones to step in immediately without court delays or public disclosure. For athletes, this privacy and efficiency are often essential.

Trusts also offer flexibility and control that athletes often need, including the ability to:

• Protect assets from lawsuits, creditors, or career-related liability

• Control distributions during high-earning years

• Support family members without giving them unrestricted access

• Plan for long-term wealth beyond a short athletic career

A common misconception is that signing a trust automatically protects everything. It doesn’t. Assets must be properly funded into the trust—meaning titles, beneficiary designations, and ownership structures must all be coordinated. When this step is skipped, even the best trust can fail, sending assets right back into probate.

That’s why the real value of a trust comes from guidance, education, and ongoing review—not just paperwork.

Key Questions Athletes Should Ask When Choosing Between a Will and a Trust

For athletes, estate planning decisions are rarely one-size-fits-all. Instead of focusing on documents, start by considering your goals.

1. Do you want privacy and control?

If keeping your financial life private and avoiding court involvement matters to you, a trust is often the better option—especially for athletes with visibility or complex finances.

2. Do you have children—or plan to?

A will alone does not fully protect children. You need clear guardianship instructions, temporary care planning, and a system that ensures funds are available for their care without giving them control too early.

3. Do you earn in bursts or through contracts?

Athletes often experience irregular income, bonuses, endorsements, and contract renegotiations. A trust can provide continuity and management during transitions, injuries, or retirement.

4. What happens if you’re injured or incapacitated?

A trust can allow someone you choose to step in immediately—pay bills, manage investments, and keep your life running—without court intervention.

5. Do you want your legacy to last beyond your career?

Athletic careers are often short, but their impact can last generations. Trusts allow you to protect assets long-term, support causes you care about, and ensure your wealth is used intentionally.

The Most Important Thing to Know

Choosing a will or a trust is only part of the equation. Documents alone don’t protect your legacy—a working plan does.

That means:

• Education so you understand your choices

• Coordination across legal, financial, and beneficiary decisions

• Ongoing reviews as your career, income, and family evolve

That’s why we begin every estate plan for athletes with an Athlete Legacy Session™, designed to help athletes make informed decisions now—and ensure their plan actually works when it matters most.

What to Do Next

My role isn’t just to draft documents. It’s to help you create a comprehensive plan that protects the people you love, safeguards what you’ve built, and preserves your legacy long after your playing days are over.

If this feels overwhelming or expensive, consider the alternative: frozen assets, court battles, public records, and loved ones left guessing during an already difficult time. Planning now is far less costly—financially and emotionally—than leaving a mess behind.

Start with a 15-minute discovery call, where we’ll help you identify your next best steps toward an affordable, effective plan tailored to your athletic career and future goals.

Click here to book your discovery call: CLICK HERE or call our office 978-351-8383.

This article is a service of Athlete Legacy™ a part of Legacy Gurus™, a Personal Family Lawyer® firm. We don’t just draft documents—we help athletes make informed, empowered decisions about life, legacy, and long-term protection for the people they love.