Do I Have to Transfer All My Assets to My Revocable Living Trust?

Assets with beneficiary designations, such as a life insurance policy or annuity payable directly to a named beneficiary, need not be transferred to your Revocable Living Trust. Furthermore, money from IRAs, Keoghs, 401(k) accounts and most other retirement accounts transfer automatically, outside probate, to the persons named as beneficiaries. Bank accounts that are set up as a payable-on-death account (POD for short) or an "in trust for" account ("Totten Trust") with a named beneficiary also pass to that beneficiary without having to be titled into your Trust. It is important, however, to seek the counsel of an experienced estate planning attorney who can advise on and assist with transferring necessary assets to your Trust.