This article aims to clarify common misunderstandings about trusts. It explains that trusts are often used to protect assets for beneficiaries, such as children, and allow trustees to control funds and make payments over time rather than distributing everything at once. While trusts can be complicated and misused to avoid taxes in some cases, the author argues they traditionally served an honorable purpose of protecting assets when owners were away and often aim to benefit recipients responsibly rather than for nefarious reasons. The main uses of trusts are to pass assets to children over time at the trustees' discretion, make gifts that don't impact state benefits eligibility, and pass wealth tax-free while maintaining some control.