A revocable living trust offers privacy, helps your family avoid probate, and provides a mechanism to manage your affairs if you become unable to handle them personally. In Four Corners, careful drafting supports ongoing financial management, simplifies guardianship decisions, and enhances control over when and how assets are distributed.
A coordinated plan reduces duplication and simplifies administration across generations. By aligning asset titles, beneficiary forms, and distribution schedules, families experience smoother transfers and fewer disputed outcomes during transitions.
Choosing us means working with a team that prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and thoughtful planning. We explain each option, tailor documents to your family, and prioritize efficient administration so loved ones can focus on healing and continuity rather than complex legal steps.
Clear communications with heirs and successors reduce confusion during transfers. We help document expectations, provide access instructions, and outline how distributions will occur to minimize disputes and ensure peaceful transitions.
A revocable living trust is a flexible estate planning tool that you create while you are alive, allowing you to manage and update assets as your situation changes. You remain the grantor and can modify the terms or revoke the trust at any time. Assets funded into the trust pass to beneficiaries without mandatory court supervision, but certain assets may require careful titling and coordination with wills and beneficiary designations to ensure a smooth transition at death.
In many cases, assets held in a valid revocable living trust do not pass through probate, which can save time and preserve privacy. However, not all assets may be automatically funded into the trust, so some probate may still be necessary. Working with a local attorney helps ensure your funding, titles, and beneficiary forms align so the plan operates as intended when you are no longer able to manage affairs.
Funding assets is essential for the trust to function. Consider real estate, bank accounts, investment accounts, and business interests. Retitling ownership and updating beneficiary designations ensures the trust controls distribution according to your plan. Your attorney can help identify assets that require titling changes and coordinate transfers to prevent gaps during administration.
Most plans benefit from at least an annual review to reflect life changes, tax updates, and new family needs. Regular check-ins help ensure the trust still aligns with your goals and remains legally compliant. If major events occur, such as marriage, birth, relocation, or significant asset acquisition, a prompt review is advisable to avoid misalignment.
Moving to a new state can affect funding requirements and formality. We review state laws, adjust documents, and coordinate asset transfers so your plan remains effective across borders. Our team helps you navigate multi-state assets, ensuring a smooth transition without compromising privacy or control.
Revocable living trusts are not typically taxed as separate entities during the grantor’s lifetime, but planning can still influence estate taxes by coordinating asset transfers and gifting. We explain available options and tailor a plan to your financial picture. It’s important to discuss with a local attorney whether additional tools, such as irrevocable trusts or advanced gifting strategies, are appropriate for your goals.
Revocable trusts do not provide creditor protection for the grantor. Assets remain accessible to creditors. However, they can shield beneficiaries from unnecessary probate exposure and provide a clear distribution plan to heirs.
Revocable trusts remain under your control and can be changed or dissolved; irrevocable trusts transfer control and often offer stronger asset protection and tax planning, but are not easily altered. The choice depends on goals such as tax efficiency, eligibility for government programs, and the level of asset protection you need.
Yes. Many clients choose a family member as trustee, often supplemented by a successor trustee. It’s important to select someone who is organized, fiscally responsible, and trustworthy to handle sensitive financial decisions. We can also discuss professional trustees or co-trustees if needed to balance expertise and accessibility.
Begin with a simple consultation where we review your goals, assets, and family situation. We outline a plan, create a timeline, and provide an estimate of costs. Then we draft and finalize documents tailored to Four Corners. Contact us by phone or our online form to arrange your appointment and begin securing your family’s future.
