Going to get a suppressor for my son for Christmas.  I would prefer it to be a surprise, but I assume he will have to do the paperwork, sign it?  I am not sure of a way around that.

Any thoughts?  I was thinking of doing it as a direct to hopefully process faster.  I do have a trust.  I did modify it for a revision so that he is no longer a co-trustee, but just a beneficiary as I understand that will still allow him to independently use suppressors and possess them without me being present.

You buy with a Trust.

Then add him after approved. Thus it is a surprise.

Not likely. Most cases a beneficiary cannot control trust assets, that is the whole purpose of the trust. Might want to add him back as trustee.

Hmmm...since I also already have a Trek that is on the trust when he was a co-trustee, I could give him that one and take the new one for me.

Would I need prints and photos to just add him back in as a co-trustee after the submission?

I have a Specwar 556k I have in jail and the trust I used I had him as just a beneficiary.  I could just add him back on as a co-trustee after the fact and no photos or prints would be needed?

The ATFs position seems to be that any changes to a trust under submission where an item is still pending approval, if those changes add responsible persons then a Responsible Person Questionaire would need to be submitted referring to the pending item(s).  I don't remember where I saw this.  Doesn't seem worth hanging up a pending item by injecting new info to coordinate.

My Specwar has been pending since mid-April 2017, so hopefully sometime soon!  

Was going to get him a .30 cal QD can, but since he only has an AR and is still in college and doesn't hunt, he can start with a sub-$300 Trek.  Figure he can get others on his own later.

Keep him as a beneficiary (aka, not a responsible person) for now, buy the suppressor and submit the paperwork as your trust.  Of course you and any other trustees/responsible persons will have to submit prints, photos, etc.

Then, once the form comes back approved, modify your trust to make your son an trustee who can control trust property.  He could then take possession of the suppressor without him having to send prints, etc.  The ATF has said that this is fine, they do not have the legal authority to control trusts so they can only require you send a "snapshot" of your trust and it's RP's at the time of submitting a new form.  Once the form is back and approved, you can always modify your trust at will, adding or removing Responsible Persons.