How to Execute the Revocable Trust
A revocable trust is a way of transferring assets from one person to another. The only issue is who will control the assets once it is complete. You can create a revocable trust just about anything: real estate, stocks, money.
What’s important is that the assets remain in your name (and possibly yours alone) so that you can pass them on after your death without being probated. To create a revocable trust, the key figure is the grantor (you) who has the authority to make decisions regarding the trust’s disposition.
All revocable trusts have one thing in common: they give power to a third party (often called a beneficiary) who can dispose of the assets however he/she pleases up until the time the trust is established.
Create a document:
Create a document that places all your assets in the trust account. This isn’t just for estate planning purposes, but it will allow your loved ones to see how much money is invested in your business, personal life, and other assets.
When you create these bank documents, be sure to set up an automatic transfer from your paycheck into the trust account once it reaches certain levels. This prevents your loved ones from ever having to ask why there isn’t more cash in your account or why you haven’t been paying bills on time.
Transfer the titles:
When you die or become incapacitated, appoint a fiduciary (someone who will act as a successor trustee in your place) to manage your assets for you. Your estate may consist of non-cash items, stocks, bonds, land, or any other assets you believe are worth protecting.
The fiduciary is responsible for overseeing your assets so that they are invested in the most suitable businesses and properties while minimizing risk and maximizing return on investment. It is important that the new trustee understands your preferences and directs all assets toward specified goals.
Execute a revocable trust:
Execute a revocable trust means giving someone else the option of taking your assets should you pass away, but without requiring that person to act immediately. You can let your estate lapse into the hands of a trusted person or institution, but without putting a time limit on when the assets may be disbursed. Anyone can use the assets in your name, even if you have no further interests in the property.
The revocable trust gives you the freedom to plan ahead without worrying about what might happen to your assets should something happen to you before you die–like getting into financial difficulties or getting into legal issues.
Tip:
In a revocable trust, you always have the right to make changes to the specifics of the document, even if you aren’t the primary trustee. The purpose of a revocable trust is to create a single entity that can pass from one generation to another without challenges or disputes over material facts.
Making changes to a revocable trust is not as difficult as it might sound. Typically, trust creators create a new trust document for each generation of beneficiaries they serve.