The California Family's Complete Guide to Funding Your Living Trust
This guide is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every family's situation is different. When in doubt, consult a licensed attorney before taking action.
You did the hard part. You sat down with an attorney, made the difficult decisions, and signed the documents. So why does your family still face the risk of probate?
Here is something most people are never told clearly enough: a trust is only as powerful as what you put inside it. A signed trust document sitting in a drawer with no assets transferred into it is, for most purposes, an expensive piece of paper. If you were to pass away or become incapacitated today, a court would likely treat your estate as if no trust existed at all — because from the court's perspective, the trust owns nothing.
This is called an unfunded trust, and it is extraordinarily common. It is not a reflection of bad planning. It is a reflection of the gap between the legal drafting process (which ends at signing) and the funding process (which is your job, and which nobody may have walked you through in detail).
Funding your trust means transferring ownership of your assets from your individual name — or from joint ownership — into the name of your trust. It also means updating beneficiary designations on certain accounts so that the right people (or the trust itself, in some cases) receive those assets correctly.
These are two different mechanisms:
These require retitling — the legal owner of record is changed to the trust.
These require beneficiary designation updates — not retitling. Module 4 covers this in detail.
If assets remain in your individual name at death, your family may face probate — the court-supervised process your trust was designed to avoid. California offers some simplified procedures for smaller estates, but they have important limits:
Even with these simplified pathways, the streamlined options still involve court filings, waiting periods, and value caps. If your home is worth more than $750,000 — common in our market — those shortcuts don't apply at all. A properly funded trust keeps court involvement out entirely (or to an absolute minimum), regardless of the value of the asset, and lets your successor trustee transfer property without a court petition. That is the whole point of having a trust: not just to qualify for a shortcut, but to avoid the courthouse altogether.
Full probate in California is a public court process that typically takes 9 to 18 months and costs a percentage of the gross estate value in statutory attorney and executor fees — regardless of how simple the estate actually is. That is the outcome your trust was designed to prevent. This guide exists to make sure it doesn't happen to your family.
Work through this guide module by module. Each section covers a different category of asset, explains what needs to happen and why, and points you toward the worksheets at the back. The worksheets are designed to be filled in, printed, and kept with your trust documents — or shared with your successor trustee so they know exactly where things stand.
Pull out your trust document. You will need your trust name (usually on the first page — something like "The [Your Name] Family Trust dated 2026") and your trustee name. You'll use both repeatedly throughout this process.
This guide is educational, not legal advice. It provides general frameworks for California families and general awareness of issues that arise in other states. Every family's situation is different. If your circumstances are complex — blended family, business ownership, out-of-state property, taxable estate — please work with a licensed estate planning attorney rather than relying solely on this guide.
You'll see invitations to "call us" or "ask us." Here's what that means: if our firm prepared your estate plan, we're your point of contact — call us anytime. If another attorney drafted your trust and you're using this guide to fund it, please contact that attorney for help with these steps. You are also welcome to reach our office if you'd like to engage us for trust funding guidance. Either way, the information in this guide is for general educational purposes only.
Before the detailed modules, here is the whole funding job at a glance. Every asset falls into one of three actions. The modules that follow explain each one in depth; this is your checklist.
If our firm prepared your trust, our office prepares and records the deed(s) transferring your real estate into your trust — no action needed from you on the deed itself. If another attorney drafted your plan, ask whether deed preparation was included, or contact our office if you'd like us to help. Your one job below is the insurance step.
A) Banks with a physical branch: Physically go to the branch with your Estate Planning Binder and tell the banker you want to transfer the title of your taxable accounts to your trust. Bring both your trust and your trust certification — some banks want to see both — and to save repeat trips, bring all of your estate planning documents.
B) Banks without a branch (online / brokerages): Go online or call their (800) number to download or request Trust Account forms for your personal taxable accounts and previous company stock plans. Fill them out using the information in your Trust Certificate and submit them back to the institution.
Note: You may be required to open a new "trust" account and complete an "in-kind" transfer, depending on the institution's rules.
for S-corporations and multi-member LLCs. Transferring these the wrong way can trigger tax problems or violate your operating agreement.
Any policy that might pay out to a minor is usually best changed to name your trust as the beneficiary. A minor cannot directly receive insurance proceeds, and your trust accounts for contingencies — a beneficiary dying first, or a designation never updated — where the policy's own terms and conditions will not. Failing to address this could open the door to probate. Naming the trust lets those contingencies be handled inside the trust instead.
talk to us first. There are real tax consequences under the SECURE Act, and the right answer depends on your situation.
If our firm prepared your plan, we'd rather answer one quick question now than fix an untitled asset later. If another attorney drafted your trust, contact them for help with these steps — or reach our office if you'd like to engage us for funding guidance. The modules that follow walk through each of these actions step by step.
You cannot fund a trust without knowing what you own. This module walks you through building a complete picture of your assets before you touch a single document.
Most funding mistakes happen because people start transferring assets before they know what they have. They remember the house and the main bank account — and forget the old 401(k) from a previous employer, the brokerage account they opened years ago, the life insurance policy their company provides, or the out-of-state vacation property they purchased a decade back.
Your first step is a complete asset inventory. This is not complicated — but it is important to be thorough. The worksheet at the back of this guide (Appendix B) gives you a structured format to complete this step.
Every piece of real estate you own, including your primary residence, rental properties, vacation homes, vacant land, and timeshares. For each property, note the address, how title is currently held (your name alone, joint tenancy with spouse, etc.), and whether there is a mortgage.
Every bank account (checking, savings, money market, CDs), every brokerage or investment account, and every account that holds cash or securities. Include accounts you rarely use and accounts you may have opened years ago at a different institution.
IRAs (traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE), 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, 457 plans, pension benefits, and any other tax-deferred or tax-advantaged retirement savings. Note: these are handled differently from other accounts — see Module 4.
Every policy with a death benefit, including term life, whole life, universal life, and employer-provided group life insurance. Note the policy number, insurance company, current beneficiary designation, and approximate death benefit.
Any ownership interest in a business, including sole proprietorships, LLCs, partnerships, S-corporations, and C-corporations. See Module 5.
Automobiles, motorcycles, boats, RVs, and aircraft. California vehicle titling into a trust has specific considerations — see Module 6.
Jewelry, art, collectibles, antiques, and other tangible items with meaningful value. These are typically handled through an Assignment of Personal Property rather than individual retitling.
Cryptocurrency, domain names, online business accounts, digital files with commercial value, and online financial accounts. See Module 6.
As you inventory, flag each asset with one of two labels:
Ownership is established by a legal document (deed, account registration, certificate of title). To move a titled asset into your trust, the title document must be changed. Examples: real property, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, business interests.
Distribution at death is controlled by a beneficiary designation form on file with the institution — not by your will or trust. To route a designated asset correctly, you update the designation form. Examples: IRAs, 401(k)s, life insurance, annuities, accounts with TOD/POD designations.
This distinction matters enormously. Many families transfer assets that should only have a beneficiary update, and miss updating beneficiary designations on assets that can't be retitled. Module 4 covers the retirement account rules in detail — including why accidentally retitling an IRA into your trust can trigger immediate taxation.
Before moving to Module 2, turn to Appendix B (Asset Inventory Worksheet) and fill it out as completely as you can. Leave nothing blank intentionally — if you are not sure whether you have an account at a particular institution, note it as "to verify" and follow up before proceeding.
Real estate is typically the largest asset in a California family's estate. It is also the most common reason a trust fails — because the property was never transferred into it.
If you own a home in California and it is still titled in your individual name — or in joint tenancy with your spouse — your family may face a court process when you die, regardless of your trust. The trust can only govern what it owns. Real estate transfers into a trust through a legal document called a grant deed.
As of April 1, 2025, California allows a streamlined court petition to transfer a primary residence valued up to $750,000 (AB 2016). That helps some families — but it is still a court petition with a waiting period, and it does nothing for homes above $750,000, which is a large share of homes in our market. When your home is held in your trust, your successor trustee can transfer it without any court petition at all. That is cleaner, faster, more private, and works regardless of the home's value. For anyone with a trust, putting the home in the trust is the better path.
To transfer California real property into your trust, a new grant deed must be prepared, executed (signed in front of a notary), and recorded with the County Recorder in the county where the property is located. This is not a DIY process — the deed must be prepared correctly to be legally effective and to preserve your property tax protections.
An estate planning attorney or a title company. Do not use an online form generator for a property tax-sensitive transfer like this. Errors in deed language can trigger reassessment or invalidate the transfer entirely.
The exact wording should match your trust document. When in doubt, use the vesting language your attorney specifies — do not paraphrase it.
Once the deed is signed and notarized, it must be recorded at the County Recorder's office. Recording fees vary by county. As of the time this guide was written, California counties charge a per-page recording fee — verify current fees directly with your county recorder before submitting. In Los Angeles County, that office is the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
This is one of the most common concerns California homeowners have, and the answer is reassuring for most situations:
Transferring your property into a revocable living trust where you are the trustee and retain the right to revoke is an excluded transfer for property tax purposes under California law. Your Prop 13-protected base year value is preserved. You must file a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) with the deed, and in some cases a claim for exclusion — your attorney or the county assessor's office can confirm what is required in your county.
Proposition 19, which took effect in February 2021, significantly changed California's property tax inheritance rules. Under Prop 19, only transfers to a child who uses the property as their primary residence may qualify for a partial reassessment exclusion — and even then, only up to a capped amount of assessed value above the parent's base. If your child inherits the property and does not move in as their primary residence, the property will be fully reassessed at current market value. For high-value properties in today's California market, this can mean dramatically higher property taxes for your heirs. This is worth discussing with an estate planning attorney as part of your overall strategy — especially if you own multiple properties or a high-value home.
Most residential mortgages contain a "due-on-sale" clause that technically allows the lender to call the loan if you transfer title without their consent. However, federal law (the Garn-St. Germain Act) expressly exempts transfers of a primary residence into a revocable living trust where the borrower remains a beneficiary. For most primary residences, this exemption applies. That said, it is good practice to notify your lender and confirm in writing. For investment properties or unusual loan terms, confirm with your lender before transferring. This is not legal advice — verify with your attorney and lender.
If you own real property in another state, California's laws do not govern that transfer. Each state has its own deed requirements, recording rules, and property tax implications. An attorney licensed in the state where the property is located must prepare and record the deed. Failing to transfer out-of-state property into your trust can result in ancillary probate — a second, separate probate proceeding in that state in addition to any California proceeding. Your California trust can still govern the property once it is properly transferred; the issue is the mechanics of getting it there.
Rental properties can be transferred into a revocable living trust, but note the following before acting:
Online deed generators and fill-in-the-blank forms carry real risk for California property transfers. A deed with incorrect vesting language, improper legal description, or missing exclusion filings can result in reassessment, a cloud on title, or an ineffective transfer that is only discovered at death — when it is too late to fix.
Complete the California Real Estate Transfer Checklist in Appendix D for each property you own. Then contact an attorney or title company to prepare the deeds.
Retitling financial accounts is usually straightforward — but many families never do it, assuming their trust covers everything automatically. It does not.
Every bank account, brokerage account, and financial account that you own individually must be retitled into the name of your trust to be governed by it. "Retitling" means changing the name on the account registration from your individual name to your trust. The account number typically stays the same. The money inside is not moved — only the legal ownership changes.
You will contact each financial institution — in person for most banks, or through the brokerage's account servicing department — and request to change the account registration to your trust.
Bring both your trust document and your certification of trust — some banks want to see both. For efficiency and fewer trips to the bank, it is best to bring all of your estate planning documents with you. Most institutions will want to see them before making the change.
Most banks will retitle an account in-branch. Call ahead to confirm what you need to bring. Typically: a photo ID, your trust document and certification of trust (bring both — some banks want to see each), and your account information. To save yourself repeat trips, bring all of your estate planning documents. New checks and debit cards may be reissued in the trust name after retitling — ask whether this is automatic or requires a separate request.
Major brokerages (Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, Merrill, etc.) have trust account services departments. The process varies by institution, but generally involves completing a form to convert the account to a trust account. In most cases, the account number remains unchanged and holdings do not need to be sold. Contact your brokerage's trust services team — do not use the general customer service line.
Some institutions prefer to wait until a CD matures before retitling, to avoid early withdrawal penalties. Others will retitle without requiring early redemption. Ask your bank which approach they follow. If you are close to maturity, it may be worth waiting. Sometimes a good backup option is adding your trust as the beneficiary of the CD rather than retitling it. Every institution is different, so follow their specific rules and regulations.
Treated similarly to savings accounts. If the account is through a brokerage, follow the brokerage process.
Ask your bank to add your trust as the authorized holder of the box — or to put access in the trustee's name. This ensures your successor trustee can access the box without a court order. If you have adult children, adding them to the box's title can also help ease access.
Many people have set up their bank accounts with Payable on Death (POD) or Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary designations years before creating a trust. If an account has a POD/TOD designation naming a specific person, that designation overrides your trust — the account will pass directly to the named person outside of trust, regardless of what your trust says.
You have two options for these accounts:
Option 1 is usually cleaner. Talk to your attorney if you have accounts with POD/TOD designations that you're unsure about.
If you and your spouse are co-trustees of the trust, accounts can typically be retitled into the trust directly. If only one spouse is the trustee, discuss the best approach with your attorney — the answer depends on how your trust is structured and whether you have a single or separate trust arrangement.
Use the Financial Account Retitling Tracker in Appendix C to log every account, the institution, the current titling, the date you submitted the request, and the confirmation you received. Do not consider an account retitled until you have received written confirmation and verified it in writing — a verbal assurance at the bank branch is not sufficient documentation.
This module could save your family tens of thousands of dollars. Retirement accounts and life insurance are handled through beneficiary designations — not by transferring them into your trust.
If you transfer an IRA, 401(k), or other tax-deferred retirement account directly into your trust by retitling it, the IRS treats this as a distribution. The entire balance becomes taxable income in the year of transfer. Do not do this. Retirement accounts are handled only through beneficiary designation updates.
Retirement accounts — IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457 plans, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs — are not governed by your trust during your lifetime or at your death. They are governed entirely by the beneficiary designation form on file with the plan administrator or custodian. That form controls who receives the account when you die, regardless of what your will or trust says.
The right action for retirement accounts is to review and update your beneficiary designations — not to change the account title.
Every retirement account should have both a primary beneficiary (the first person in line) and a contingent beneficiary (the backup if the primary predeceases you or disclaims). Many families name a primary beneficiary and leave the contingent blank — which can create complications if the primary dies before you do.
Sometimes — but not always, and the decision requires careful thought. There are legitimate planning reasons to name a trust as the beneficiary of a retirement account (protecting assets for a minor, a spendthrift beneficiary, or a special needs situation), but there are also significant tax traps. Under the SECURE Act rules (which changed the required distribution timeline for inherited IRAs), naming the right type of trust in the right way matters enormously. This is a decision to make with your estate planning attorney, not on your own.
Name your spouse as the primary beneficiary (if applicable) and name your adult children or other individuals as contingent beneficiaries. If you have a complex situation — minor children, a blended family, a beneficiary with special needs, or a very large retirement account — consult your attorney before making changes.
Life insurance policies pass at death entirely through the beneficiary designation on file with the insurance company — your trust has no control over the proceeds unless it is named as beneficiary. Review every life insurance policy you own, including employer-provided group life insurance, and confirm that the beneficiary designations reflect your current wishes.
The same primary/contingent structure applies: name a primary beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary for every policy.
This is more common than naming a trust as a retirement account beneficiary, and often makes sense — particularly if you have minor children, want the proceeds managed by a trustee rather than paid outright to a young adult, or want to ensure proceeds flow through your trust's distribution provisions. Ask your attorney whether this makes sense for your specific policy and estate plan.
In particular, any policy that might pay out to a minor is usually best changed to name your trust as the beneficiary. A minor cannot directly receive insurance proceeds, and your trust is built to account for contingencies — if a named beneficiary passes away before you, or a designation is never updated, the trust's provisions address what happens next. The insurance policy's own terms and conditions generally will not, which could open the door to probate. Naming the trust lets those contingencies be handled inside the trust instead.
HSAs have unique rules. If your spouse is the beneficiary, they inherit the HSA as their own HSA (maintaining tax advantages). If a non-spouse inherits, the account is liquidated and taxable. Do not name your trust as the beneficiary of an HSA without specific guidance from your attorney or tax advisor.
529 plans do not pass through your estate in the same way — they have a named account owner and beneficiary structure. If you are the account owner, the plan continues and can be transferred to a successor owner. Consult your plan administrator for the specific rules.
Annuities have beneficiary designations and also have specific tax treatment at death. Whether to name an individual or a trust as beneficiary of an annuity depends on the type of annuity and your goals. Consult your financial advisor and attorney.
Contact each retirement account custodian, insurance company, and plan administrator directly. Most institutions have a beneficiary designation change form — either online or available by request. You will need:
Keep a copy of every completed and submitted designation form. Log all designations in Appendix E (Beneficiary Designation Review Log).
If you own a business interest, it may be one of your most valuable assets — and the rules for transferring it into your trust are entity-specific. This module is more "know what you're dealing with" than "do it yourself."
Business ownership interests can and often should be held in a trust, but how the transfer works depends entirely on the type of entity. This is one area of trust funding where professional assistance is strongly recommended before taking action — the wrong transfer can create tax consequences, violate your operating agreement, or disqualify a business entity from its preferred tax status.
A sole proprietorship has no separate legal ownership structure — the business assets are your personal assets. The usual approach is a bill of sale that assigns the owner's interest in the business to the trust. You may also transfer specific underlying assets (equipment, accounts, intellectual property, etc.) individually, just as you would personal assets. If your sole proprietorship has contracts, licenses, or permits, review whether those are transferable or need to be reissued.
An LLC membership interest can be transferred into a trust, but the mechanics depend on your operating agreement. Many operating agreements require consent of other members, restrict transfers to non-members, or define the procedures for transferring membership interests. Before transferring your LLC interest to your trust:
For single-member LLCs (just you as the owner), the process is typically simpler — but still requires a properly drafted assignment.
S-corporations have strict IRS rules about who can be a shareholder. Not all trusts qualify as S-corp shareholders. If your trust does not meet the IRS requirements (generally: a Qualified Subchapter S Trust (QSST) or an Electing Small Business Trust (ESBT)), transferring S-corp shares into it could terminate the S-election — converting the corporation to a C-corporation with significantly different tax treatment. Do not transfer S-corp shares into your trust without explicit guidance from a tax attorney or CPA familiar with S-corporation rules.
C-corporation shares and partnership interests can generally be transferred into a revocable living trust, but review your shareholder agreement or partnership agreement first. Restrictions on transfer are common. Work with an attorney to prepare the appropriate transfer documents.
Any time there is a co-owner of a business interest — a business partner, a co-investor, a co-member — the transfer cannot happen unilaterally. The other owners' rights and any buy-sell agreement provisions must be considered. Review your buy-sell agreement to understand what rights your co-owners have at your death and whether the trust structure is compatible with those provisions.
This module tells you what to ask about — not what to do on your own. Business interest transfers involve intersecting areas of law (entity law, tax law, contract law, and estate planning). Work with an attorney who understands all of them together, not just one in isolation.
Everything else — from your grandmother's jewelry to your cryptocurrency wallet. These categories are often handled differently than financial accounts, and digital assets in particular are an area many estate plans leave dangerously incomplete.
Furniture, clothing, household goods, jewelry, art, collectibles, tools, sports equipment — in estate planning, these are called tangible personal property. Most of these items do not have individual titles, which means you cannot "retitle" them into your trust the way you would a bank account.
Instead, these items are transferred into your trust through a document called an Assignment of Personal Property (sometimes called a Transfer of Personal Property). This is typically a one- or two-page document that broadly assigns your tangible personal property to your trust by category, rather than listing every item individually.
Your estate planning attorney may have prepared this document as part of your trust package — check your trust binders. If not, ask your attorney to prepare one. A template is included at the end of this guide, but treat it as a starting point only — have an attorney review it before signing.
For valuable items — significant jewelry, fine art, collectibles worth more than a few thousand dollars — a general assignment may not be sufficient. Consider whether individual items should be specifically identified in your trust or in a separate personal property memorandum that the trust references. An appraiser can help establish current value for insurance and estate planning purposes.
In California, most estate planning attorneys recommend not transferring vehicles into your living trust. California's DMV process for retitling a vehicle into a trust is cumbersome, may affect your vehicle registration fees, and can complicate insurance. Instead, many California attorneys keep vehicles in individual name and plan for them to transfer at death via California's simplified vehicle transfer process (for example, the surviving spouse/registered domestic partner transfer process, or the small estate affidavit for personal property where the estate qualifies).
California DMV rules, forms, and thresholds change periodically. If you are considering transferring a vehicle into your trust, confirm the current process and implications directly with the California DMV or with your attorney before proceeding.
Digital assets are a growing part of most families' estates — and among the least understood from a planning perspective. Digital assets include:
Check whether your trust document gives your trustee authority to access, manage, and distribute digital assets. California has adopted a version of the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which establishes a framework for fiduciary access to digital accounts — but your trustee's ability to access those accounts also depends on whether the platform honors the request and what account-level tools you've set up in advance.
Cryptocurrency is controlled entirely by whoever holds the private key. If your successor trustee cannot find your private keys or wallet access, that cryptocurrency is permanently inaccessible — to anyone. Planning for crypto requires:
Most attorneys recommend keeping a separate, securely stored document — separate from your trust — that lists your digital accounts, access credentials, and instructions. This document should never be attached to the trust itself, but should be stored somewhere your successor trustee can access it. Update it regularly. Use Appendix F to inventory your digital assets (without passwords — keep credentials in a separate, secure location).
Most major platforms have built-in legacy tools:
Taking five minutes to set up these platform-level tools now saves your family enormous frustration later.
Completing the initial funding is a significant achievement. But your trust needs maintenance over time. Life changes — and when it does, your trust needs to keep up.
Many families fund their trust once and then treat it as permanently finished. Years later, they've bought a new house that was never transferred in, opened new accounts that were left in individual name, or forgotten to update beneficiary designations after a major life event. The trust is still sitting there — with a fraction of what it should contain.
The good news: keeping a funded trust current is much easier than the initial funding. It mainly requires building one habit: every time you acquire a new titled asset or open a new account, make the funding step part of the transaction.
One of the most significant triggers. A new spouse may need to be added as a trustee or beneficiary. A divorce may require removing a former spouse. Your estate plan should be reviewed — and likely updated — within 90 days of a marital status change.
Does your trust provide for new family members? Are they named as beneficiaries? Should a guardian designation be updated? Review your trust and beneficiary designations after every family addition.
If your successor trustee or a named beneficiary dies, your plan may have a gap. Review the successor trustee chain and beneficiary designations after any death in your immediate family or named circle.
Every time you purchase real property — primary residence, rental, vacation home, land — the deed should be prepared in the trust's name from the start, or transferred in shortly after closing. Do not let a new property sit in individual name for years. Not all purchases of real property will require an update to your overall plan, but it is always a good idea to check in with your estate planning attorney.
Ask every new bank or brokerage at account opening whether the account can be opened directly in the trust's name. Most can. This is easier than retitling later.
If you relocate from California, your California trust document generally remains valid, but state-specific provisions (healthcare directives, powers of attorney, property law references) may need to be updated for your new state. Consult a local estate planning attorney after any interstate move.
A substantial inheritance, sale of a business, real estate windfall, or major financial loss may affect your overall estate plan — particularly any tax planning provisions. Review with your attorney after any major financial change.
Tax laws and estate planning laws change. California's Prop 19, the federal SECURE Act, and federal estate tax exemption changes have all affected existing estate plans. A good practice is a periodic review with your estate planning attorney every 3–5 years even if nothing in your life has changed.
Once a year — pick a date that's easy to remember, like your anniversary or the first of the year — spend one hour going through this checklist:
One of the most loving things you can do for your family is to maintain your Estate Planning Portfolio — keep it clearly organized so your successor trustee can access it when the time comes, without having to hunt for anything.
A well-prepared portfolio contains:
Tell your successor trustee where this packet is. They cannot use it if they don't know it exists.
Print these pages. Fill them in. Keep them with your trust. Update them every year. These worksheets are the bridge between the guidance in this guide and the actual state of your estate.
Use this as your top-level progress tracker. Check each item off only when you have written confirmation — not just when you've submitted the request. Keep this page on top of your trust binder.
Complete every section. Write "N/A" where a category does not apply. Leave "To Verify" for assets you are unsure about — then follow up before proceeding with transfers. Update this worksheet annually.
| Property Address | County | Current Title (names as shown on deed) | Mortgage? | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y / N | Not StartedDone | |||
| Y / N | Not StartedDone | |||
| Y / N | Not StartedDone |
| Institution | Account Type | Last 4 Digits | POD/TOD? | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y / N | Not StartedDone | |||
| Y / N | Not StartedDone | |||
| Y / N | Not StartedDone | |||
| Y / N | Not StartedDone |
| Institution / Platform | Account Type | Last 4 Digits | Approx. Value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | Not StartedDone | |||
| $ | Not StartedDone | |||
| $ | Not StartedDone |
| Institution | Account Type | Primary Beneficiary | Contingent Beneficiary | Designation Current? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y / N / Unknown | ||||
| Y / N / Unknown | ||||
| Y / N / Unknown |
| Company | Policy # | Death Benefit | Primary Beneficiary | Contingent Beneficiary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | ||||
| $ |
| Asset Description | Type | Approx. Value | Notes / Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| $ | |||
| $ | |||
| $ |
Do not mark an account as "Complete" until you have received written or on-screen confirmation showing the trust as account holder. A verbal promise from a bank representative is not sufficient. Document the name of the person you spoke with and the date.
| Institution | Account (Last 4) | Date Requested | Contact Person | Confirmation # | Written Conf. Received | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone | |||||
| Y / N | PendingDone |
"I have a revocable living trust and I need to retitle this account into the name of the trust. I'd like to change the account registration to: [Trust Name], dated [Date], [Your Name], Trustee. I have a copy of my trust / certification of trust with me."
Complete one copy of this checklist for each California property. Attach a copy of the recorded deed when complete.
List every account or policy with a beneficiary designation. Confirm designations are current, primary and contingent beneficiaries are named, and that all named individuals are still living and intended. Review this log every year and after any major life event.
| Account / Policy | Institution | Primary Beneficiary | Contingent Beneficiary | Last Updated | Current? | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N | ||||||
| Y / N |
If your primary beneficiary dies before you and no contingent beneficiary is named, the account may pass through your estate — potentially triggering probate for an account that was specifically structured to avoid it. Name a contingent beneficiary on every account.
List your digital assets here for your successor trustee's reference. Do not write passwords in this document. Store credentials in a password manager, encrypted file, or purpose-built secure method — and tell your successor trustee where that secure location is.
| Platform / Service | Type of Asset | Approximate Value | Access Method (no passwords) | Action for Trustee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | ||||
| $ | ||||
| $ |
| Platform | Username / Email | Legacy Setting Activated? | Wishes (Memorialize / Delete / Transfer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook / Instagram | Y / N | ||
| Google / Gmail | Y / N | ||
| Apple ID | Y / N | ||
| Y / N | |||
| Y / N |
My passwords and account credentials are stored in:
Plain-language definitions of the key terms used throughout this guide. These are working definitions for general understanding — not legal definitions for court purposes.
This guide handles many common trust funding situations. But some situations require professional judgment. Use this decision guide to know when to proceed on your own vs. when to pick up the phone.
If you have completed this guide and still have questions — or if you'd like an attorney to review your funding status and confirm everything is in order — we're happy to help. If our firm prepared your estate plan, call us anytime. If another attorney drafted your trust, please reach out to them for help with these steps — or contact our office if you'd like to engage us for trust funding guidance.
The Law Office of Ishajeet K. Singh, APC serves families throughout California and Texas with estate planning, trust administration, and probate.
© Law Office of Ishajeet K. Singh, APC. All rights reserved. This guide is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and thresholds referenced are subject to change; verify current rules with a licensed attorney before taking action. Isha Singh is licensed to practice law in California and Texas.