How to Transfer the Assets in a Living Trust to the Trustee
When you establish a living trust, you must "fund" it. That is, you must deposit assets into the trust and transfer control over them to the trustee. If you don't complete this process, the assets do not belong to the trust and will go through probate upon your death, defeating the purpose of having a trust in the first place. In most cases, depositing assets to a trust is simply a matter of transferring ownership to the name of the trust.
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Instructions
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Gather your account statements, stock certificates, deeds and any other paperwork related to the assets you want to deposit to the trust account.
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Determine how you will title things for the trust. This is often something like "Jane M. Doe Revocable Living Trust U/A 01/02/2010, Jane M. Doe, Trustee." U/A stands for "under agreement." Different asset types and business entities may vary in their requirements; your attorney can tell you which are the most important elements to include.
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Contact each of the agencies or companies where your assets are stored and request instructions for the title transfer. Each agency has its own documentation requirements and forms.
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Complete forms and assemble paperwork for each title transfer. If you're using an outside trustee, don't forget to update the address of record as well. Make sure to have your signature notarized.
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Physical investment assets, like gold, should be transferred into the trust via a legal document of deposit if you are your own trustee. Place the items in a safe place, such as a bank safe deposit box, that is registered to the trust to avoid confusion. If you are using a separate trustee, transfer the assets to that person's physical custody. The trustee will provide you a receipt.
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Follow up on each asset to make sure the registration is complete.
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Provide your trustee with a list of assets and their original costs. If you are your own trustee, create this list and file it in a secure place.
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Tips & Warnings
If you hire a corporate trustee or custodian, the trust company will assist you in this process.
Make sure to follow the instructions for re-registering each asset. Improper registration may mean an incomplete deposit of trust assets.
