How to Set Up a Living Trust for Your Home in California
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
Release Date: 04/30/2025
Why Your Trust Might Be Useless
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com In this episode, I explain why creating a revocable living trust isn’t enough—you have to fund it. A trust without assets is just an empty bucket. I walk you through what it means to fund your trust, how to transfer real estate, financial accounts, and other assets into it, and why failing to do so can send your estate straight to probate court, even if you thought you had everything in place. I also cover common mistakes people make when setting up their trusts, how to avoid them, and...
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Estate Planning Is About Choice
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com Estate planning is about making your own decisions—who gets your property, your keepsakes, your accounts—whether it’s family, friends, or even organizations you care about. In this episode, I explain how a revocable living trust helps you stay in control of where everything goes when you’re gone. I talk about why most of my clients prefer using a trust over a will, how it helps avoid probate, and how to ensure your legacy reflects your values and priorities. Your plan, your choice....
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Estate Planning for Non-Family Beneficiaries
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com Can someone who isn’t a relative inherit your home, bank accounts, or other assets? Absolutely. In this episode, I answer one of the most common estate planning questions I get: how to leave property to a friend, a partner, a charity, or anyone outside your family. I explain how to do it legally and clearly using tools like joint ownership, beneficiary designations, wills, and especially revocable living trusts. You’ll also learn how to disinherit family members and why trusts offer...
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Selling a Home in a Living Trust—What You Need to Know
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com Can you sell a house that’s owned by a revocable living trust? Absolutely—and it’s often easier than you think. In this episode, I explain how to handle real estate sales when a property is titled in a trust. All it usually takes is providing a certificate of trust to your realtor and title company to prove who the trustee is. No court, no probate, no delays. I cover how estate planning with a living trust streamlines real estate transactions, avoids costly probate in California, and...
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Preventing Inheritance Fights with a Solid Estate Plan
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
Free Estate Planning Strategy Session for California Residents When your adult children don’t get along, the last thing you want is for them to hash it out in probate court. In this episode, I talk about why a revocable living trust is critical if there’s sibling tension, personality clashes, or a blended family dynamic. Without a clear estate plan, your house, bank accounts, and other assets can become battlegrounds. I explain how to create instructions that minimize conflict, avoid probate, and protect your legacy. Don’t leave your family with a legal mess and emotional fallout—set...
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DIY Estate Plan? Risky Move: Lawyer’s Opinion
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
Creating your own estate plan might seem easy with online tools, but I’ve seen firsthand how do-it-yourself wills and revocable living trusts can fall apart. In this episode, I break down the most common mistakes people make using DIY estate planning kits—missing successor trustee provisions, unfunded trusts, and documents that don’t meet California legal standards. If you’re using an online service like LegalZoom or trying to write your own last will and testament, you’ll want to hear why those shortcuts can cost your family time, money, and peace of mind.
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What a Beneficiary Does—and Doesn’t—Do After You’re Gone
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at When someone passes away with a living trust, it’s the trustee—not the beneficiary—who’s in charge. In this episode, I break down the difference between being a trustee and a beneficiary, and why it matters for your estate plan. From distributing assets to paying debts and filing final tax returns, the trustee carries the legal responsibilities. I also explain why many people name a responsible adult child as both trustee and beneficiary, and what that really means in practice. If you’re setting up or...
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Why I Don’t Review LegalZoom Trusts
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at Thinking about using LegalZoom or another online service for your will or living trust? Before you do, hear me out. As a California estate planning attorney, I’ve seen the hidden risks—missing trustee provisions, vague distribution clauses, and documents that don’t follow state law. In this episode, I explain why most DIY estate plans don’t work when families need them most, and what to look for if you’re setting up a revocable trust or last will and testament on your own. Don’t let a few shortcuts today...
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Keep Childrens Names OFF The Deed to Your Home
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
If you’re a California resident and ready to take the next step in securing your estate, visit my website at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com to learn more. Free Strategy Session for California Residents: https://calendly.com/mpevney/strategysession I’m diving into one of the most common and costly mistakes I see people make with their estate plans—putting a child on the deed to their home to avoid probate. This topic came up after someone left a comment saying, “My 48-year-old son is on the deed to my home and is now trying to control it—what can I do?” If that situation sounds...
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Why Your Living Trust Needs Its Own Bank Account
Passing It On: Estate Planning for Families
👉 California residents: book your free estate planning strategy session at Setting up a living trust is only step one. If you haven’t opened a bank account in the name of your trust, your assets might still end up in probate. In this episode, I explain why funding your trust matters, how to title accounts correctly, and the simple steps to open a trust bank account. Whether you’re just getting started or updating an older estate plan, this one detail can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your legacy, avoiding court, and keeping your family out of probate....
info_outlineSetting up a living trust for your home is a crucial step in protecting your property and avoiding probate. In this episode, I walk you through the process step by step:
1. Create the Trust — Draft a legal document that clearly states who should inherit your home after you pass away.
2. Sign and Notarize — Ensure the trust is properly signed and notarized according to California law.
3. File the Deed — Draft, sign, and file a new deed with the county records office to formally transfer your home into the trust.
Taking these steps now can save your loved ones time, money, and stress down the road.
California residents: Protect your home with a FREE estate planning strategy session. Schedule yours now at www.ocestateplanlawyer.com.
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