Trust Questionnaire - California Trusts Online

Please complete our Trust Questionnaire below.

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1. Trust Name

Your Trust needs a name. What do you want to name your Trust? Many people use their last name. For example, the “Doe Family Trust.” Some people add the year their Trust was created. For example, the “Doe Family 2022 Trust.” However, there are no specific legal requirements.

Trust Name: *

2. Trust Settlors

Who is creating this Trust? These individuals are called the “settlors” or “trustors.” We will call them “settlors” for this questionnaire since that term is used more commonly. We will use the plural of settlor since Trusts are often created by two individuals, such as a husband and wife, but only one person is needed to create a Trust.

Settlors' Names: *

3. Irrevocability After Death

If there are two settlors, should the Trust become irrevocable after the death of the first settlor? Meaning, the surviving settlor cannot make changes to the Trust, including changes to the beneficiaries, etc., once the first settlor dies. This sometimes is selected by settlors who have children from a previous marriage, where one settlor does not want their children from that marriage disinherited after their death. If you select “No,” the surviving settlor can make changes to the Trust after the first settlor dies (common).

Irrevocability After Death of First Settlor? *YESNONot Applicable

4. Marriage of Settlors

Are the settlors married or registered domestic partners?

Married or registered domestic partners? *YESNONot Applicable

5. Original Trustees

Who will be the first or original trustees of the Trust? These individuals will manage the Trust on behalf of the settlors during the settlors’ lives. These individuals can be and are often the settlors themselves (very common). If the original trustees are also the settlors named above, please re-enter their names.

Original Trustees' Names: *

6. Successor Trustees

Who will be the INITIAL successor trustee? The INITIAL successor trustee will serve as trustee of the Trust after the original trustees are gone. There can be one or more than one INITIAL successor trustee, but if there will be more than one, please enter their names together and it will be presumed that those individuals will make decisions together. If you want to name additional successor trustees after the INITIAL successor trustee, please provide their names under the next question below.

Initial Successor Trustee Name(s): *

7. Additional Successor Trustees

Please name any additional successor trustees after the INITIAL successor trustees, if any. These individuals will serve as the trustees of the Trust after the initial successor trustee, or if the initial successor trustee is unable or unwilling to act when their time comes to serve as successor trustee. There can be one or more than one, and each of them can serve separately, together, or in succession, as you designate. If you designate more than one successor trustee after the initial successor trustee(s) name above, please enter their names in order of succession (who is in charge 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.) and enter their names together if you want them to make decisions together. For example, “John and Jane Doe" if you want them to serve as one trustee making decisions together.

Additional Successor Trustee Names (optional):

8. Trust Assets

What are the assets or property the settlors want in their Trust?

Type of Asset:

Address, Account #, Description:

Exact Name(s) on Account:

9. Beneficiaries

Who will be the beneficiaries of the Trust? These are the individuals who will benefit from the Trust after the settlors are gone. Please also provide the beneficiaries relationship to the settlors (son, daughter, friend, etc.) and their birth dates.

Name of Beneficiary: *

Relationship to Settlors: *

Date of Birth: *

10. Beneficiaries' Distributions

What do the settlors want each beneficiary to receive from the Trust? Explain for each beneficiary (a certain percentage of assets, specific assets or property, etc.)

Description of Asset: *

Name of Beneficiary (from above): *

11. Beneficiaries' Children

If any of the beneficiaries (named above) have children, do the settlors want those children to receive that beneficiary’s interest in the Trust if that beneficiary dies before the settlors?

Transfer of Beneficiary's Interest to Their Children? *YESNONot ApplicableIt's more complicated than that (Explain below):

Your Contact Info

Your Name: *

Email Address: *

Phone:

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