Funding your revocable trust is a fundamental part of the trust-making process, a part that often gets overlooked.
A trust, in and of itself, is little more than a vehicle through which your assets can pass to your beneficiaries after your death (while at the same time avoiding probate). In a sense it is like a bucket: a container that alone is largely useless, but when filled becomes incredibly useful. Like a bucket, your trust needs to be filled with your assets in order for it to effectively govern where they go after your death.
How do you fill your trust? By funding it.
Funding can be a tedious and often complicated process. Houses and bank accounts must be retitled in the name of the trust. In other cases, such as with Life Insurance, the name of the trust must be made beneficiary of the account. It requires work with the various institutions that govern each piece of property, and can vary in terms of execution. Unfortunately, revocable trusts created by attorneys and individuals are often left completely unfunded. As a result, the trusts are rendered useless, and at the death of the respective grantors the entirety of their estates will have to pass through probate.
If you have a trust that has not been funded, begin the process right away, employing the help of trusted professionals. If you have not yet created your trust, we suggesting finding an estate planning attorney that will help you with the funding process, in addition to creating your trust document.
Consider contacting the estate planning and living will and trust attorneys at Celaya Law today to schedule an appointment to get your documents in order.