I congratulate you.It seems that you want to hold stock in a safe environment, and gradually transfer ownership to the eventual heirs.This is an excellent idea.The Entity that you want to use for this is a Family Limited Partnership (FLP).First, you create a Single Member LLC to act as the General Partner. You file Form 8832 to elect to be treated for tax purposes as an S Corp.Then the LLC, acting as the General Partner, forms the Family Limited Partnership, with you, individually, and let’s say your four heirs, each individually, as the Limited Partners.For an Example, you put $750,000 into the FLP and the FLP buys stock.The Ownership of the FLP is divided up as 92% for you and 2% for each of your four heirs.That means that upon formation of the FLP, you have gifted to each of them a partnership interest worth $15,000 (2% X $750,000). This is the amount of the annual Gift Tax Exclusion for 2023 so there is no tax due.The reason you use a FLP is that the Limited Partners have no say-so in running the partnership. The General Partner does that, and you, through the LLC, are the General Partner. The Partnership Agreement will prohibit the partners from selling their interest or pledging it as security on a loan, and they will sign proxies authorizing you to vote their interest.If the FLP has income, each partner will receive a Schedule K-1 (1065) for his share of the income, deductions, and credits, but will not receive the money, except for a small amount to pay the taxes due on the income, unless you want them to receive the money.Each year, you can gift another 2% of your ownership interest to each of the other partners, so that in 11 years, they will own a total of 96% and you will own 4%, but as the General Partner, you will still be in control.At this point, depending on your age, and on their ages, you can either gift the remainder or pass it in your Will.Family Limited Partnerships are great for tax planning and estate planning, as well as asset protection.If one of the partners get a Judgment lien against them, their partnership interest cannot be taken, it can only be subjected to something called a Charging Order, which says that the holder of the Judgment lien receives any distribution that they would receive. But, it is up to the General Partner whether to make a distribution, which, of course, you wouldn’t.I hope this helps.Good Luck.Michael Lantrip, Attorney | Accountant | InvestorMichael Lantrip