Monday, January 28, 2013

A Guide to Successfully Filling Out a Living Trust Form


Living trust forms are sensitive legal instruments that require careful following of instruction. First, let us define a living trust and then go on to discuss why it is necessary to understand how to fill out the form and how to go about it. A living trust, also known as a revocable living trust is a trust that is created by an individual who is alive with the purpose of holding the title of his or her assets and distribution of these assets upon the death of the individual. It is referred to as a living trust because it is created while the individual is still alive. On the other hand, is a trust is created through a will, it will be referred to as a testamentary trust, having been created through the individuals, last testament and will. Hence, the living trust will is not to be confused with a will.
The concept of a probate
It has come to be an exceedingly popular way of tax planning, and it helps in steering clear of a probate, which has been passed as a law in some States during the property succession process. The probate ensures that the deceased debts to any individual or institution, including the government, will be settled before distribution to the heirs begins. This process is expensive, time-consuming and feels like an invasion of privacy. Therefore, to stay away from all these, individuals are turning to trusts, which have added tax benefits too.
The procedure of creating such a fund is a bit complex and involves the filling out of a bunch of trust forms. This must be done with the utmost care and accuracy, because one false move on the forms and the whole trust could be in a lot of trouble and could go on for a long time. It is, therefore, imperative that an individual be extra vigilant when undertaking this exercise. Here, are some pointers that will aid when filling out living trust forms.
Filling the living trust forms
The first basic, and most straightforward, precaution that is ignored is folding the form.
1. The forms should always remain unfolded and must be free of any creases, stains or smudges. This is because computers read most of the forms, and any foreign appearance on the form may be tantamount to invalid or wrong information.
2. It is extremely critical that an individual be exceedingly careful when it comes to the detail. One should recheck the details filled in and do it a couple of times to make sure that one is on the safe side. This is important because a slight error in the details could change a lot in a court of law and an individual or the heirs could end up in an unpleasant situation just because of a small mistake when filling out the form.
3. As stated above, most of the forms are read by computers that have optical character recognition software, and so it is vital to write in a legible and clear handwriting so that the computer will read the correct information.
4. Always have copies of the forms in an easily accessible place because one may require referring to them in case of anything.
5. Always consult with the attorneys on any move an individual may wish to make (alteration or modification of the trust) because they are more qualified and experienced in dealing with matters that concern the living trust.
Follow the basic pointers above and be assured that there will be a smooth and uncomplicated process of creating a living trust. Always take necessary steps after this to preserve the living trust forms in the best condition.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6951614

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