A living trust is a useful legal tool that facilitates the direct transfer of assets to heirs, bypassing the often complex probate process. If your circumstances change and you need to revoke your living trust, the process varies depending on the trust’s type and other factors.
A living trust is established during your lifetime to streamline the transfer of assets to your heirs upon your death. It designates a trustee to manage the trust's assets for the beneficiaries while you're alive. Unlike a will, a living trust usually avoids probate.
There are two main types of living trusts:
Revoking a living trust may be necessary for various reasons:
Common scenarios for revocation include divorces or substantial changes in your estate plan. Often, it may be simpler to revoke and create a new trust than to amend an existing one.
For a revocable living trust, follow these steps:
After the death of the trust creator, the trust typically provides for its termination and the distribution of assets to beneficiaries. In many cases, transferring assets to beneficiaries effectively revokes the trust. Consult a lawyer if needed to ensure proper execution of these steps.
Instead of revoking, you might consider amending or restating the trust. Amendments are used to make specific changes, while a restatement involves updating all terms of the trust while keeping its name.
Revoking a living trust is straightforward with revocable trusts but more challenging with irrevocable ones. The key steps are transferring assets back into your name and completing the necessary paperwork.