A flat-fee service of Anderson Law Firm — Fountain Inn, SC
Give them the home.
Keep the 4% rate.
The 4% Residence Trust lets your child or loved one claim South Carolina’s owner-occupied property-tax rate on a home you provide — with the control and asset protection an outright gift can’t offer. One flat fee: $2,495. Screening starts with a 15-minute discovery call — call the office or send a message to Jillian or Leanne.
- 6% to4%
- Rate
- School taxes off
- Exemption
- $2,000–$6,000/yr
- Typical savings
Illustrative ranges. Actual results depend on your county, district, and assessor determination.
- Licensed SC attorney-drafted
- Flat fee, no surprises
- Trust + deed + 4% application support
- Serving all 46 SC counties
Who it’s for
College Housing
Buying a condo or house for your student near Clemson, USC, Furman, or anywhere in SC? Let them claim it as their legal residence so the property can qualify at 4%.
A Home for a Vulnerable Loved One
Provide a home for a disabled or spendthrift beneficiary while a trustee you choose — not the beneficiary — controls the property.
Smarter Than an Outright Gift
Keep the property protected from your beneficiary's creditors, divorces, and impulse decisions, instead of handing over the deed.
How it works
- 1
Start with a discovery call
Call (864) 228-7808 or send a brief message to Jillian or Leanne to schedule a 15-minute discovery meeting. Screening begins on the phone — not with an online form.
- 2
We draft your trust and deed
After a conflict check and signed engagement letter, we prepare your irrevocable residence trust and the SC deed funding it.
- 3
Sign and record
Sign at our Fountain Inn office, then our office handles recording the deed with the county.
- 4
Apply for the 4% rate
Your beneficiary applies for the 4% legal-residence assessment — we help with the county application as needed.
Savings calculator
County figures are placeholder averages. Millage varies by district within each county — check your tax bill for the exact rates and enter them here.
Estimates only — rates vary by county and district; eligibility is determined by the county assessor.
- Over 5 years
- $23,560
- Over 10 years
- $47,120
The $2,495 flat fee typically pays for itself in under a year.
Estimates for illustration only. Millage rates vary by county, district, and year; other exemptions and credits are not modeled. Eligibility for the 4% rate is determined by the county assessor.
$2,495 flat fee
- Custom irrevocable residence trust agreement
- South Carolina deed transferring one SC property into the trust
- County 4% legal-residence application support
- Attorney consultation and signing appointment
- Deed recording handled by our office
Recording fees and county charges are billed at cost. Additional properties are quoted separately. Screening starts with a 15-minute discovery call — nothing is started or paid online.
Why the 4% Residence Trust makes sense
| Feature | Gift the house outright | Keep it in your name | The 4% Residence Trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property-tax rate | 4% (if they qualify) | 6% (non-resident rate) | 4% (if they qualify) |
| Control over the property | Beneficiary controls it | You control it | Trustee (not beneficiary) controls it |
| Protection from beneficiary's creditors / divorce | No protection | No protection | Protected |
| Ability to name a successor trustee | No | No | Yes |
General comparison for illustration. Whether any property qualifies for the 4% assessment ratio is determined by the county assessor. Asset protection outcomes depend on timing, design, and facts specific to your situation.
Frequently asked questions
A standalone irrevocable trust that holds a South Carolina home for your beneficiary. Because the beneficiary holds the equitable interest and occupies the home as their legal residence, the property can qualify for South Carolina's 4% owner-occupied assessment ratio and the school-operating-tax exemption — instead of the 6% rate with full millage that applies to second homes and investment property.
Most commonly: parents buying housing for a college student; families providing a home for a disabled or spendthrift loved one; and anyone who wants to provide a residence without handing over the deed outright.
An outright gift gives up all control: the home is exposed to your child's creditors, lawsuits, and divorce, and they can sell or borrow against it at will. The trust keeps a trustee you choose in control of the property while still delivering the residency benefit.
Once created and funded, the trust generally can't simply be undone, and the property belongs to the trust — that permanence is what makes the beneficiary's interest real enough to support the 4% claim. We'll walk through exactly what you're giving up and keeping before you sign.
The beneficiary must actually occupy the property as their legal residence (generally their true home — driver's license, voter registration, tax filings). The county assessor makes the final call on every application; no result can be guaranteed.
Often yes, but transferring mortgaged property raises lender-consent and due-on-sale questions we'll review together before recording anything.
The custom irrevocable residence trust agreement, the South Carolina deed transferring one SC property into the trust, attorney consultation and signing, deed recording handled by our office, and help with the county's 4% legal-residence application as needed. Recording fees and county charges are billed at cost. Additional properties are quoted separately.
After a discovery call and a signed engagement letter, documents can be ready as quickly as one week. Timing depends on the facts of your matter and how promptly we receive what we need — we'll give you a clearer range on the call.
Transferring property into an irrevocable trust for a beneficiary could have gift, income, and capital-gains implications that depend on your situation. Please speak with your tax advisor, or Anderson Law Firm can advise on those tax questions for an additional fee. This website is not tax advice.
Not necessarily — Medicaid and creditor-protection outcomes depend on timing and design and are outside the scope of this flat-fee service. Ask us on a discovery call if that's a goal.
Signing is typically at our Fountain Inn office; ask us about arrangements if that's difficult.
All 46 South Carolina counties. The property must be in South Carolina.
Schedule a 15-minute discovery meeting
Call our Fountain Inn office to schedule a brief 15-minute discovery meeting, or send a message to Jillian or Leanne. They will follow up to set a short phone call. Sending a message does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Primary
Call the office
The fastest way to schedule a 15-minute discovery meeting is to call Anderson Law Firm.
Call (864) 228-7808or
or
Secondary
Message Jillian or Leanne
Leave your name, phone, and email. Jillian or Leanne will reach out to schedule a brief phone call.
Ready to look at the 4% rate?
Call to schedule a brief 15-minute discovery meeting, or send a message to Jillian or Leanne asking them to schedule a short phone call.