A trust involves changing ownership of property to the trust, such as changing the title of a home, cars, and other property from "Jane and Bob Smith" to "The Jane and Bob Smith Family Trust." It's no small task and involves all kinds of legal paperwork.
A trust is lawyer territory if you want it to be legally sound. If you still want to DIY it, try the Nolo Press.
My heart skipped a few beats when I read your introductory question. I would compare trying to create a living trust, w/o legal expertise, as similar to doing your own brain surgery. It can't be done, realistically, and could create more problems than you realize.
Estate planning law firms in my experience have several attorneys focusing on different aspects of trusts, including ones beyond living trusts. These attorneys are knowledgeable in many areas, keep up on changing laws and can structure a trust that suits you, specifically.
You should also inquire about treatment of taxes on assets (especially stocks) that are transferred (i.e., "funded") into trusts.
Could you explain (a) why you specifically feel you need a living trust and (b) why you're not considering an attorney? Cost?
Anyone not experienced with trust creation and planning could inadvertently make so many mistakes that much of the assets would be lost....including to the IRS. You wouldn't want that, would you?
FreqFlyer made a good point about changing laws. One of the top notch estate planning lawfirms for which I worked had multiple practice areas, including estate planning. E-mail newsletters were sent to interested parties, addressing critical changes in laws affecting the gamut of issues in EP and Trust practice.
You need to know for a fact that the forms you're using incorporate the latest legal and tax requirements, to the extent that such are addressed in trusts.
Never do a trust without a Lawyer. Go to a Trust and Estate Lawyer. As far as Trusts go, be certain that you need one. You give us no information here. Often a will is more than sufficient. Do not mess with legal things on your own. The results can be catastropic.
barrontamara163, a Living Trust is not a do-it-yourself project. It can be quite complex.
Call your Area on Aging and see if they can recommend an Elder Law Attorney. Plus the Attorney can notify you if there are any State law changes that would need to be up-dated on the Trust.
Are you looking for a living trust? Living will? Are you wanting to find Last Wishes? POLST? If end of life forms, many doctor's offices will have them, hospitals, etc....
Are you in the US?
Search this site or the internet for advanced directives.
POLST is a doctor's order while a living will is a legal document. That means they'll be used differently by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and hospital personnel. Some seniors may want to have both a POLST and a living will to make sure their end-of-life wishes are protected in all situations.
Another member of the forum pointed out to me (thank you Caroli1, I found that in her state Missouri, it is called a TPOPP Transportable Physician Orders for Patient Preference) that a POLST is not recognized in all states they go by various names so search for what the form might be called in the state where you live OR if you have a home in 2 states obtain one from each and travel with both at all times.
Google “living trust” and you'll find many sites where you can print out those forms. Make sure you choose your own state. However, when you're talking about something as important and possibly as complicated as a trust, or living wills, or POAs, you're much better off seeing an elder care atty. You can't ask a form questions.
I highly recommend using lawyers to prepare legal documents. There are far too many opportunities to make a mistake without proper legal representation.
A trust is lawyer territory if you want it to be legally sound. If you still want to DIY it, try the Nolo Press.
Estate planning law firms in my experience have several attorneys focusing on different aspects of trusts, including ones beyond living trusts. These attorneys are knowledgeable in many areas, keep up on changing laws and can structure a trust that suits you, specifically.
You should also inquire about treatment of taxes on assets (especially stocks) that are transferred (i.e., "funded") into trusts.
Could you explain (a) why you specifically feel you need a living trust and (b) why you're not considering an attorney? Cost?
Anyone not experienced with trust creation and planning could inadvertently make so many mistakes that much of the assets would be lost....including to the IRS. You wouldn't want that, would you?
FreqFlyer made a good point about changing laws. One of the top notch estate planning lawfirms for which I worked had multiple practice areas, including estate planning. E-mail newsletters were sent to interested parties, addressing critical changes in laws affecting the gamut of issues in EP and Trust practice.
You need to know for a fact that the forms you're using incorporate the latest legal and tax requirements, to the extent that such are addressed in trusts.
Do not mess with legal things on your own. The results can be catastropic.
Call your Area on Aging and see if they can recommend an Elder Law Attorney. Plus the Attorney can notify you if there are any State law changes that would need to be up-dated on the Trust.
Are you in the US?
Search this site or the internet for advanced directives.
POLST is a doctor's order while a living will is a legal document. That means they'll be used differently by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and hospital personnel. Some seniors may want to have both a POLST and a living will to make sure their end-of-life wishes are protected in all situations.