The transfer of assets into a trust can be accomplished in two ways.
1. Testamentary – done after probate, and the judge orders the transfer of assets. 2. During the grantor’s lifetime, in which case they are doing their own probate, which is much easier, allowing them to transfer their assets while leaving.
For things like real estate, you transfer the deeds. In business formations, you are transferring the ownership of the stock or LLC interest.
With respect to bank accounts, brokerage accounts, annuities, etc., you are changing the account owner to the trust you’ve established by just naming the trust as the new account owner. Assets that don’t have titles, like home furnishings, can be handled by simply executing an assignment of those assets to your trust. Also, don’t forget car titles, credit accounts, and things of that nature.
The probate process can be one way to do it, or you can elect to do it in their lifetime and save a lot of money in probate.
