The foundation of your estate plan
Living Trusts
A living trust can help organize how assets are managed during incapacity and transferred after death. Discuss funding responsibilities and nonlegal support with RJP; independent attorneys provide legal services separately.
What a Trust Actually Does
A revocable living trust sets out how trust assets are managed during your lifetime and distributed after death. Assets properly held in the trust generally pass under its terms rather than through probate. Funding, beneficiary designations and your circumstances still matter. An independent estate planning attorney can explain how these rules apply to you.
Signing a trust is one step. Ask what funding assistance is included, which assets need attention, and who is responsible for each transfer.
Support Around Your Living Trust
Discuss nonlegal planning support with RJP. Ask for the written scope, responsibilities and fees before work begins.
- Independent legal services, with clients separately consulting an attorney for legal advice and document preparation
- Funding responsibilities, identifying eligible assets and who handles each transfer
- Plan reviews, discussing changes and when an attorney should review legal documents
- Successor-trustee support, with scope and separate legal work confirmed in written service terms
Why Families Choose RJP
Attorney-Drafted, Advisor-Guided
Clients separately consult independent attorneys for legal advice and document preparation. RJP provides nonlegal planning support. On average, our clients pay about half compared to a traditional law firm.
Keep Your Plan Under Review
Life changes. Ask how reviews work, when legal updates may be needed, and which services are included in your agreement.
Settlement Support for Your Family
Ask about nonlegal successor-trustee support. Confirm the scope, responsibilities and any additional professional services in writing.
A useful plan connects your documents, asset ownership and beneficiary designations. Ask your independent attorney which steps apply to your circumstances.
Is a Living Trust Right for You?
These are reasons to discuss your options with an independent attorney, not rules that every household needs a trust.
- Arizona Homeowners. Review how your home is titled and how you want it to pass. Estate value alone does not determine whether a trust is needed.
- Parents with Minor Children. A trust can set terms for managing an inheritance. Discuss guardian nominations separately with your attorney.
- Married Couples. Discuss shared and separate property, beneficiaries and children from prior relationships before choosing a trust structure.
- Anyone with Retirement Accounts. Review beneficiary designations and tax consequences with your attorney and tax advisor. Retirement accounts are not ordinarily retitled into a living trust.
Your First Step Starts Here
At our live, free estate planning seminars across Phoenix and Tucson, we walk you through how to protect you and your loved ones from probate. We give you a step-by-step plan that's simple and clear. Sign up today for peace of mind tomorrow.
Client Testimonials
Common Living Trusts Questions
Answers to the questions Arizona families ask most about living trusts.
Keep Learning
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From the Blog
- Trust vs. Will: Key Differences and Arizona Examples
Compare asset ownership, probate, privacy and lifetime authority, with practical Arizona examples.
- How to Fund Your Trust in Arizona: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn why trust funding matters and which assets may need follow-up after signing.
- Is a $250K Estate Too Small for a Trust?
Questions to consider when weighing estate size and whether a trust fits your goals.
Glossary
- Revocable Living Trust
A trust you can change or revoke during your lifetime that holds title to your assets.
- Trust Funding
The process of moving assets into the name of your trust so it can actually do its job.
- Pour-Over Will
A will directing estate assets to a trust after death; those assets may still require probate.
- Successor Trustee
The person who steps in to manage the trust if you become incapacitated or pass away.
- Probate
A court process that may be needed to administer an estate and transfer certain assets after death.
- Beneficiary Designation
The form attached to a retirement account, life-insurance policy, or bank account that names who receives it at death. It overrides what your will or trust says.