How to Transfer an Automobile to a Living Trust in Washington
A living trust, also called a revocable trust, is a trust you set up to avoid probate procedures and costs for your estate. It is called a revocable trust because you can revoke it at any time. To set up a living trust, you need to transfer ownership of all property you want to exclude from probate from you to the trustee of the estate. In most cases, you will be the trustee of your living trust during your life or until you are incapacitated. This means you will usually be transferring ownership from yourself to yourself as trustee for your trust. Transferring an automobile to your trust is fairly easy.
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Things You'll Need
- Title to the automobile
- Proof of tax payment
- Vehicle identification number
- Vehicle license number
Instructions
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Turn the title of the automobile over and fill it out. If you are the trustee for your estate, you will need to sign both as the seller and the buyer. If someone else is the trustee, that person will sign as the buyer. If the car is less than 10 years old, you will also need to add the odometer reading.
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Write a letter stating that you are giving your car to your trust as a gift and sign it. If you have already paid use tax on the vehicle, you will not have to pay taxes for this transfer if you show this letter and proof that the tax was paid at the time you register the car with the new ownership.
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File a report of the sale with the state within five days of the sale. You can file online for free. You will need to know the address of the trustee (if it is not you), the vehicle identification number, and the vehicle license plate number.
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Obtain a Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application. You can download one or pick one up at any vehicle licensing office.
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Complete the form with the trustee of your living trust as the new owner or the vehicle. File it within 15 days of the transfer at a vehicle licensing office. The filing fee is $15.50 (2010). If you do not want to go to an office, you can have your form notarized, after you show a picture ID. Then send the form, the letter of gift, and your check to:
Vehicle Licensing
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9900
Olympia, WA 98507-9909
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References
- Photo Credit yellow car, a honda japanese sport car model image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
