Ensure every asset is properly inside your living trust so your estate plan actually works.
Based on: Your House Is in the Trust—But Is Everything Else? by American Estate Planning Series
▶ Watch the source video on YouTube
Did you know that having a living trust with only your house inside it is almost as dangerous as having no trust at all? Most people spend thousands of dollars setting up a revocable living trust, file the deed for their home, and then walk away feeling protected — not realizing their bank accounts, investments, and personal property could still end up in probate court.
Here's the hard truth: a trust only controls what's actually inside it. If your checking account, savings, CDs, brokerage accounts, or tangible personal property are not properly titled in the name of your trust — or at minimum have the trust listed as beneficiary — those assets are flying blind when you pass away. Estate planning attorney Michael Pvy recently worked with a client whose trust was 25 years old, and the only thing inside it was the family home. Everything else? Completely exposed. In California, that mistake can cost your family tens of thousands of dollars in probate fees and over a year of court delays. This isn't a rare edge case — it's shockingly common.
Imagine your family receiving everything you worked for, smoothly, without a single court appearance. No probate. No waiting. No unexpected legal bills eating into what you built. That's exactly what a fully funded trust delivers — and it's completely achievable with the right step-by-step plan.
Michael Pvy is a California estate planning attorney who creates estate plans for families every day. The insight he shares in his American Estate Planning Series comes straight from real client situations — like the one he describes in this very video. He knows exactly where the gaps appear, what beneficiary mistakes look like, when a pour-over will isn't enough to save you, and how retirement accounts like 401ks and IRAs require special handling that most people get wrong.
This checklist takes everything Michael covers and turns it into a clear, step-by-step action plan you can work through with your attorney, your bank, and on your own. From drafting an assignment of personal property to updating beneficiary designations, titling bank accounts correctly, and knowing when to revisit your plan after a major life event — every task is laid out for you. Download it, print it, and check off each item with confidence.
Every checklist item comes with actionable notes to guide you — things like "Don't forget to do this before you start," "Avoid this common mistake," or "Set a reminder for 30 days out." Nothing vague, just clear next steps.
+ 11 more action items inside...
Instant PDF download. Start taking action today.
✓ Instant download · ✓ PDF format · ✓ No subscription