Yeah I'm not sure about the time period rules for transferring assets into trust. Though another friend is facing bankruptcy and is trying to offload a property out of his name beforehand. He's not done it so I can't talk on the success here. If it was me facing divorce I'd be looking into this with urgency as it wouldn't surprise me if there's a way.
Regarding full control within a trust, it's not considered personal assets. Remember it all works on ownership. You can only be taxed or give away (wholly or partially) that which YOU own.
You don't own a trust. You hold a position in it (e.g. grantor, trustee or beneficiary). So you can control the trust like it was your own but the assets are the trusts.
It's the same as when you buy an asset - e.g. house - within a limited company. You could own the company, be it's sole shareholder and only director. But if YOU get sued then that house is not yours so it's not under threat of repossession or crap like that. It's the exact same with a trust.
why a trust for assets that you acquired before marriage?
why just don't make prenup contract?
It's so much easier and bulletproof.
It's all about ownership. The second YOU don't own a asset then it's not yours and can't be split in divorce.
A pre-nup is simply an agreement which says "hey bitch, you can't have what's mine if you leave". Where a trust says "sorry darling, I don't own it, so can't split it even if I wanted"