How Do I Know If My Living Trust Is Funded?
To check whether your revocable living trust is funded as intended, take one asset at a time. Find out how your estate plan says that asset should be held, then compare the plan with the current ownership record. For a savings account, that means checking the title on file with the bank. Signing a trust agreement does not automatically change that title. Fidelity’s estate-planning checklist
Start with one bank account
Suppose your attorney’s funding instructions say your savings account should be held in your living trust. Two weeks ago, you gave the bank the paperwork. Today, you open your banking app and see the same account nickname you’ve always seen: “Family Savings.”
Did the transfer go through? The nickname alone can’t tell you. Look for the full account title on a recent statement. It may identify the trust or list you as trustee. If you can’t find the full title, ask the bank for it. The Florida Bar’s guide to checking how trust assets are titled
Here’s a question you can use when you call or send a secure message:
“I submitted paperwork to change the ownership of my savings account ending in 4821. Could you tell me the full account title you have on file today and where I can get a written copy?”
What you do next depends on the answer.
- The bank is still processing the request. Write down when you submitted it, what the bank still needs, and when to follow up. Leave the completion date blank.
- The bank confirms the change. Compare the full title with your attorney’s instructions. If it matches, save the confirmation or updated statement, record the date you checked it, and note where you filed it.
- The bank says the trust is listed as a beneficiary. Ask who owns the account today. A payable-on-death beneficiary generally receives the account after the owner dies. That arrangement serves a different purpose from having the trustee hold the account during your lifetime. If the bank’s answer differs from your instructions, take both records to your attorney before making another change. Fidelity’s explanation of account ownership and beneficiary designations
Repeat the check across your assets
For each asset, write down four things: what your plan calls for, what the current record shows, where you saved the evidence, and what still needs attention. Use the record that fits the asset.
| Asset | What to check |
|---|---|
| Bank or taxable brokerage account intended for the trust | Ask the institution for the full account title and compare it with your funding instructions. |
| Home intended for the trust | Locate the current recorded deed. If you’re unsure who holds title or whether the wording carries out your plan, ask an estate-planning attorney in the state where the property is located to review it. |
| Retirement account or life insurance policy | Request the beneficiary designations currently on file with the provider. Compare them with your estate plan. Get individual advice before changing a retirement beneficiary, especially if you’re considering naming a trust. |
Ownership and beneficiary records answer different questions. A deed helps establish who owns a home today. A beneficiary designation tells you who is named to receive an account or policy benefit at death. Your plan may intentionally use both approaches. The Florida Bar’s revocable trust guide · Fidelity’s estate-planning checklist
Keep a record you can use again
Start with the savings account. Once you’ve checked it, move to the next asset on your list. If anything is unclear, write down the exact question and who can answer it. That gives you a place to resume when the bank calls back or you meet with your attorney.
Use Appendix B: Trust Funding Tracker (PDF) to keep your requests, completion dates, and confirmations together.
If you’re still building your asset list or want help organizing the rest of the work, The 21-Day Revocable Living Trust Blueprint walks you through the process one day at a time, from inventorying what you own to preparing the person who will manage your trust after you.