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Signing your estate planning documents is an important step, but it is not always the last one. One of the things we discuss with clients after completing a living trust is what needs to happen next. A trust works best when the assets that are supposed to be part of it are properly connected to the plan. This is known as funding the trust. For example, real estate may need to be transferred into the name of the trust. Other assets may require different steps. [...]

A living trust and a prenuptial agreement serve different purposes, so having one does not necessarily mean you do not need the other. A living trust is an estate planning tool. It can provide for the management of your assets during your lifetime and explain how those assets should be handled after your death.

Many people have an estate plan that was prepared years ago and assume that because they have the documents, they are finished. That may not be the case. An estate plan should reflect your life as it is today. Over the years, your family, property, finances, and relationships may have changed considerably. Start by looking at the people named in your plan. Would you still choose the same successor trustee? Are the beneficiaries still correct? Have there been changes in your family that should be [...]