Does a Completed Trust or Will Need to be Registered with the County?

The answer to this question depends on which state and county the Donor (the person making the Trust) or the Maker (the person creating a Will) resides.

In the vast majority of states, a Living Trust and/or a Last Will and Testament do NOT need to be registered or filed while the Donor or Maker is alive.

Only upon the death of the Donor is the Will filed with the probate court to initiate the probate estate, to transfer or “pour” the assets into the Trust (and only those assets that have not been transferred to the Trust while the Donor is alive are affected).

However, we suggest you contact the probate court in the county and state in which you live to confirm the details of your specific location.