Trust Funding
Address the ownership and transfer steps that may be needed to make a trust-based plan work as intended.
Funding is a separate step
Creating a trust document and actually funding it (transferring ownership of property into the trust) are often two separate parts of the planning process. A trust that hasn’t been funded generally can’t do what it was designed to do.
What funding can involve
Depending on your property, funding a trust may involve retitling accounts, changing beneficiary designations, or transferring real estate. Real estate transfers are often handled through a deed prepared specifically for that purpose. See Estate Planning Deeds for general information on that part of funding.
This is technical, document-specific work. It’s not something to attempt on your own; a transfer completed incorrectly can create real problems for a plan later. See Trusts for the broader concept of trust-based planning.
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