living trust forms

Living Trust Forms - Save Thousands By Preparing Your Own

December 18, 2004
By Kathy Curtis

True or False: You must have an attorney to prepare living trust forms? No, you don't. These forms are available online or at your state attorney office.

How Did This Belief Come About?
Many people have the false assumption that it costs hundreds to thousands of dollars to prepare a living trust. However, in today's electronic age, the cost to obtain a living trust form is free. The cost to file is often free too. However, the cost to do so correctly can be disastrous if you have complicated assets or complicated situations.

When the pilgrims came over with the Mayflower, they also brought along legal formalities, such as trusts and wills. These forms were reserved for the privileged since the costs were extraordinarily high. In fact, until the 1960s, only the wealthy filed trusts since the cost often reached into the thousands.

Check The T's and Dot The I's
Not every person's belongings and life events are easily transferable into a trust. If divorce or multiple marriages are involved, divvying assets fairly among the beneficiaries can be tricky. For this reason, a trustworthy law firm should be consulted. The ins-and-outs on how to transfer asset titles and such into a trust can be somewhat mind-boggling as well. Again, a law firm or estate planner can assist you with how to make your trust work best for you. Which type of living trust is applicable to your situation depends on whether you own a considerable fortune or would like to revoke (change) decisions during your lifetime.

Online estate planners are easy to find. These services usually provide the trust form for free. Preferably look for no-obligation applications are over the pushy trust mill approach. Many trust mills want quick answers and provide packets that are not always upheld by every state. Make sure your forms are appropriate for your state laws. A few notable estate planners and legal sites worth checking out are

§ 1StopLegal.com (all 50 states)
§ FTC.gov (Federal Trade Commission offers valuable resources)
§ LegalZoom.com (questionnaire is free)

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