Question about setting up trusts for my children

[needhalc]

I am in NC, but the trust was created in CA. My mother passed last year and I am the executor/trustee of her estate. Its fairly small, under $100k. I am not a beneficiary, but my kids (and all of the grandkids) are. All of the other grandkids are adults except my kids. My kids are to receive 20% each. She had a trust and it says that the minor children are to have their money held in trust. It can be used for health, education, support and maintenance. But because I am the trustee, I can manage the money anyway. My question is that it looks very expensive to have a trust setup, and I would rather put all the money into one place and invest it in CD's, etc. The plan is to use it for college (the kids are 13). What would be the problem if I did it this way?

 

[LdiJ]

I am in NC, but the trust was created in CA. My mother passed last year and I am the executor/trustee of her estate. Its fairly small, under $100k. I am not a beneficiary, but my kids (and all of the grandkids) are. All of the other grandkids are adults except my kids. My kids are to receive 20% each. She had a trust and it says that the minor children are to have their money held in trust. It can be used for health, education, support and maintenance. But because I am the trustee, I can manage the money anyway. My question is that it looks very expensive to have a trust setup, and I would rather put all the money into one place and invest it in CD's, etc. The plan is to use it for college (the kids are 13). What would be the problem if I did it this way?

The money being in trust does not preclude you, as the trustee, from designating how the money is to be invested. Why do you feel that the trust setup is "expensive"?