Home Blog Revocable Trust Review: Key Features, Review Tips, Legal Help

Revocable Trust Review: Key Features, Review Tips, Legal Help

Jump to Section

Quick Facts — Revocable Living Trust Lawyers

What is a Revocable Trust Review?

A revocable trust is a legal arrangement in which you control your assets during your lifetime, with the opportunity to amend the trust whenever you like. When you pass away, the trust transfers assets to your chosen beneficiaries.

If you want to set up a revocable trust, there are important things to know.

Read the rest of this article to explore the key features of a revocable trust, why you should review it regularly, and how a lawyer can help you with the revocable trust review process.

What are Key Features of a Revocable Trust?

A revocable trust usually contains the following key features and terms:

  • Grantor. This is the person who sets up the trust.
  • Trustee. This is the person who manages the trust.
  • Beneficiaries. These are the people or companies benefitting from the trust who will receive the grantor’s assets when they die.
  • Principal. This is the property or money that’s held by the trustee.
  • Amendments. The grantor can change their revocable trust at any time, such as by changing their nominated beneficiaries.
  • Without probate. It’s common for assets in a revocable trust to be transferred to beneficiaries without first having to pass through a court process.
  • Successor trustee. This is the person the grantor nominates to take over the trust after their death.

How Should You Review a Revocable Trust?

Once a revocable trust is established, it should be reviewed periodically or whenever a significant change has occurred in the grantor’s life, such as asset value changes. Here are some tips to help you review the trust effectively.

Check Asset Titles

All the assets in the revocable trust, such as properties and businesses, must be titled correctly. If they’re not moved into your trust and retitled upon transfer, they won’t be distributed according to your wishes.

Review Beneficiaries

It’s important to ensure that your wishes will be fulfilled upon your passing. Check that you’re happy with all listed beneficiaries and that their allocations are fair.

Consider Special Provisions

In some cases, grantors might wish to include special provisions in the revocable trust document, such as for minor children or beneficiaries with substance abuse concerns.

Confirm State Laws

You want to confirm that the state laws for your revocable trust are correct. Check the document for information about what state is identified as governing the trust. If this is left unspecified, you will have to determine it based on where the trust is being administered.

Align it With Other Documents

Your revocable trust should be aligned with your will, power of attorney, and other estate planning documents so that there is no contradictory information that could result in disputes.

Work with a Tax Professional

There might be tax consequences upon asset transfer or death. Without acknowledging or reviewing these, you could cause unnecessary taxes. Hire a qualified tax professional to identify and handle any potential tax issues.

Check for Vague Wording

You want to check that your revocable trust is drafted with clear, specific wording. If there’s anything vague or confusing, it can create conflict. The good thing about reviewing a revocable trust is that you can amend and improve it.

How Can a Lawyer Help You with a Review of Your Revocable Trust?

Hiring a lawyer for assistance with a revocable trust review is advisable because they will ensure that you maintain control of the trust and keep it legally compliant to avoid issues. A revocable trust should give you peace of mind that it’s properly structured and fulfills your wishes.

Here are some ways in which a qualified lawyer can assist you with a revocable trust:

  • They’ll assess your financial situation and estate planning goals to evaluate if a revocable trust is the best choice for you.
  • They’ll review the revocable trust document, ensuring that it’s clear and specific.
  • They’ll confirm that the trust is aligned with all relevant laws and rules to prevent legal disputes.
  • They’ll help you avoid mistakes by checking that all assets are transferred correctly.
  • They’ll reduce the risk of disputes by defining the correct processes for managing and distributing assets.
  • They’ll align the document with other estate-planning documents, such as your will and healthcare directives.
  • They’ll advise you on how to amend the revocable trust if your life circumstances change. This ensures that the trust is legally valid and aligned with your goals.

Where to Find a Lawyer for a Revocable Trust Review

If you need to hire a lawyer for help with a revocable trust, you don’t have to cold-call traditional law firms in your area. You can quickly find a lawyer on an online legal platform that connects you with a range of lawyers who have the expertise to help you with your concerns.

ContractsCounsel is one of the biggest online legal marketplaces that gives you access to a network of vetted lawyers. They’re experienced in revocable trusts to assist you with reviewing them for accuracy.

To request a drafting or review of your trust document, here are the easy steps to follow online.

1. Go to the ContractsCounsel marketplace, where you can post your project for free. Include some details of what you require, such as what assets are included in the trust or key terms you’d like reviewed, to help you connect with the most suitable lawyer.

2. Wait for bids. You’ll receive multiple bids from lawyers directly on the platform who can assist you.

3. Once you receive the lawyer bids, you should review the lawyers' profiles. There’s lots of info on the platform to help you choose the best lawyer, such as their location, client ratings, years of experience, and field of expertise.

4. Connect with a lawyer you think is best suited to your requirements and hire them to review your revocable trust.


ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.


Need help with a Revocable Living Trust?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 22,830 reviews

Meet some of our Lawyers

Michael B. on ContractsCounsel
View Michael
4.9 (31)
Member Since:
October 30, 2020

Michael B.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Illinois
16 Yrs Experience
Licensed in IL, MN, WI
University of the Pacific

Michael has extensive experience advising companies from start-ups to established publicly-traded companies . He has represented businesses in a wide array of fields IT consulting, software solutions, web design/ development, financial services, SaaS, data storage, and others. Areas of expertise include contract drafting and negotiation, terms of use, business structuring and funding, company and employee policies, general transactional issues as well as licensing and regulatory compliance. His prior experience before entering private practice includes negotiating sales contracts for a Fortune 500 healthcare company, as well as regulatory compliance contracts for a publicly traded dental manufacturer. Mr. Brennan firmly believes that every business deserves a lawyer that is both responsive and dependable, and he strives to provide that type of service to every client.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"I'm a solo developer launching my first app and needed privacy, terms, and disclaimer documents done properly. Mike delivered all three and they were thorough — the disclaimer in particular covers the specific ways an alarm app can fail, which is exactly the risk I needed addressed. What stood out was the follow-through. When I found a typo in one of the paragraphs he'd written, he confirmed the correction the same day and made a point of saying I could reach out again in the future. He was responsive throughout and easy to work with, and he clearly understood what a small software business actually needs rather than handing over boilerplate. If you're a small developer or single-member LLC trying to get your legal documents right before launch, I'd recommend him."

Karl D. S. on ContractsCounsel
View Karl D.
4.7 (2)
Member Since:
October 28, 2022

Karl D. S.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Middlebury, Connecticut
14 Yrs Experience
Licensed in CT, MA
Pepperdine University School of Law

Karl D. Shehu, has a multidisciplinary practice encompassing small business law, estate and legacy planning, real estate law, and litigation. Attorney Shehu has assisted families, physicians, professionals, and people of faith provide for their loved ones by crafting individualized estate and legacy plans. Protecting families and safeguarding families is his passion. Attorney Shehu routinely represents lenders, buyers, sellers, and businesses in real estate transactions, researching and resolving title defects, escrowing funds, and drafting lending documents. To date, Attorney Shehu has closed a real estate deal in every town in Connecticut. As a litigator, Attorney Shehu has proven willing to engage in contentious court battles to obtain results for his clients. While practicing at DLA Piper, LLP, in Boston, Attorney Shehu represented the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies in multidistrict litigations filed throughout the United States. He has been a passionate advocate for immigrants and the seriously injured, frequently advising against lowball settlement offers. He is willing to try every case to verdict, and he meticulously prepares every case for trial. Attorney Shehu began his legal career as a consumer lawyer, utilizing fee-shifting statutes to force unscrupulous businesses to pay the legal fees of aggrieved consumers. For example, in Access Therapies v. Mendoza, 1:13-cv-01317 (S.D. Ind. 2014), Attorney Shehu utilized unique interpretations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Truth-in-Lending Act, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to obtain a favorable result for his immigrant client. Attorney Shehu is a Waterbury, Connecticut native. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel grammar school, The Loomis Chaffee School, and Chase Collegiate School before earning degrees from Boston College, the University of Oxford’s Said Business School in England, and Pepperdine University School of Law. At Oxford, Karl was voted president of his class. Outside of his law practice, Attorney Shehu has worked to improve the world around him by participating in numerous charitable endeavors. He is a former candidate for the Connecticut Senate and a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury. In addition, Attorney Shehu has written extensively on the Twenty-fifth Amendment and law firm retention by multinational firms.

T. Phillip B. on ContractsCounsel
View T. Phillip
4.8 (5)
Member Since:
August 10, 2021

T. Phillip B.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Illinois
30 Yrs Experience
Licensed in IL
Drake University Law School

Attorney creating plans and strategies to help individuals create, build, protect and pass on wealth.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Very knowledgeable, helpful and responsive, does comprehensive work on short notice. I would recommend and work with again."

Jason H. on ContractsCounsel
View Jason
4.9 (22)
Member Since:
March 5, 2023

Jason H.

Managing Attorney
Free Consultation
Dallas, Texas
25 Yrs Experience
Licensed in TX, VA
Regent University, School of Law

Jason has been providing legal insight and business expertise since 2001. He is admitted to both the Virginia Bar and the Texas State Bar, and also proud of his membership to the Fellowship of Ministers and Churches. Having served many people, companies and organizations with legal and business needs, his peers and clients know him to be a high-performing and skilled attorney who genuinely cares about his clients. In addition to being a trusted legal advisor, he is a keen business advisor for executive leadership and senior leadership teams on corporate legal and regulatory matters. His personal mission is to take a genuine interest in his clients, and serve as a primary resource to them.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Jason was outstanding! Professional and Proactive. I was very happy with the services he provided."

Samuel R. on ContractsCounsel
View Samuel
5.0 (63)
Member Since:
October 2, 2021

Samuel R.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Phoenix - Arizona
7 Yrs Experience
Licensed in AZ, PA, UT
Widener University Delaware Law School

My career interests are to practice Transactional Corporate Law, including Business Start Up, as well as Real Estate Law, Estate Planning Law, and Intellectual Property Law. I am currently licensed in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Utah, after having moved to Phoenix from Philadelphia in September 2019. I currently serve as General Counsel for a bioengineering company. I handle everything from their Business Transactional Agreements, Private Placement Memorandums, and Corporate Structures to Intellectual Property Assignments, to Employment Law and Beach of Contract settlements. Responsibilities include writing and executing agreements, drafting court pleadings, court appearances, mergers and acquisitions, transactional documents, managing expert specialized legal counsel, legal research and anticipating unique legal issues that could impact the Company. Conducted an acquisition of an entire line of intellectual property from a competitor. In regards to other clients, I am primarily focused on transactional law for clients in a variety of industries including, but not limited to, real estate investment, property management, and e-commerce. Work is primarily centered around entity formation and corporate structure, corporate governance agreements, PPMs, opportunity zone tax incentives, and all kinds of business to business agreements. I have also recently gained experience with Estate Planning law, drafting numerous Estate Planning documents for people such as Wills, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Directives, and Trusts. I was selected to the Super Lawyers Southwest Rising Stars list for 2024 - 2026. Each year no more than 2.5% of the attorneys in Arizona and New Mexico are selected to the Rising Stars. I am looking to further gain legal experience in these fields of law as well as expand my legal experience assisting business start ups, and also trademark registration and licensing.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Thanks Samuel for your thorough review of my materials. I'm incredibly impressed by your prompt turnaround in drafting my letter. The letter captured the facts perfectly and struck exactly the right tone."

Susan T. on ContractsCounsel
View Susan
5.0 (4)
Member Since:
February 22, 2024

Susan T.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Baltimore, md
21 Yrs Experience
Licensed in MD, PA
University of baltimore

General practitioner since 2005, general practice; civil disputes, torts.... logo Call us: (410) 878-7006 Menu Services All Maryland and Pennsylvania Legal Services Susan C. Trimble Attorney at Law WHAT WE ARE ABOUT Susan C. Trimble, is an established attorney in the Maryland area. Her work is infused with commitment to her community and family. is tailored to your wants and needs. Here you will find an approachable, personable and conscientious advocate. EDUCATION: Juris Doctorate (JD). University of Baltimore School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 2006. Bachelor of Science (BS), English Literature. Towson University, 1989. Associate in Claims, (AIC) certification. Fraud Claims Law Associate, (FCLS) certification. Member of Maryland State and Pennsylvania Bar Associations.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Prompt, professional and excellent completion of this project! Thoroughly pleased! Would highly recommend!"

Leonid G. on ContractsCounsel
View Leonid
5.0 (16)
Member Since:
February 22, 2024

Leonid G.

Principal
Free Consultation
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
8 Yrs Experience
Licensed in LA, MA, NY
New York University School of Law

I have been practicing law since 2018. I used to be a litigator at a nationwide practice before going in-house at a fintech company. I have experience drafting NDAs, SaaS contracts, service agreements, and stock purchase agreements.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"I highly recommend working with Leonid for any of your legal needs. Leonid clearly explained the process step by step, made sure to take the time to fully understand my case, and fought hard on our behalf. Hiring Leonid to represent my business not only made the entire process a lot less stressful, but also resulted in saving us some money on our settlement. Thanks again for all the help!"

Find the best lawyer for your project

Browse Lawyers Now

See Real Revocable Living Trust Projects

New Jersey Trust document for my son Review
  • New Jersey
  • 2 lawyer bids
  • $250 - $500
View Details
Oklahoma Basic Estate Plan Drafting
  • Oklahoma
  • 2 lawyer bids
  • $750 - $3,900
View Details
New York New York State revocable trustee agreement for fixed asset ( apartment ) from parents to son, caveat if son has children assets reverts to them when they all all 21 years of age and dived equally Drafting
  • New York
  • 3 lawyer bids
  • $800 - $2,000
View Details
Florida Review Florida Estate Planning Documents Review
  • Florida
  • 4 lawyer bids
  • $400 - $1,500
View Details
California Draft a Revocable Living Trust Drafting
  • California
  • 2 lawyer bids
  • $1,500 - $4,000
View Details
Colorado Revocable Living Trust Review Review
  • Colorado
  • 3 lawyer bids
  • $475 - $2,000
View Details

See all Revocable Living Trust projects

Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.

View Trustpilot Review

Need help with a Revocable Living Trust?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 22,830 reviews
CONTRACT LAWYERS BY TOP CITIES
See All Estate Planning Lawyers
REVOCABLE TRUST REVIEW LAWYERS BY CITY
See All Revocable Trust Review Lawyers

Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

View Trustpilot Review

I never knew how difficult it was to obtain representation or a lawyer, and ContractsCounsel was EXACTLY the type of service I was hoping for when I was in a pinch. Working with their service was efficient, effective and made me feel in control. Thank you so much and should I ever need attorney services down the road, I'll certainly be a repeat customer.

View Trustpilot Review

I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

View Trustpilot Review

Need help with a Revocable Living Trust?

Create a free project posting
Clients Rate Lawyers 4.9 Stars
based on 22,830 reviews

Want to speak to someone?

Get in touch below and we will schedule a time to connect!

Request a call

Find lawyers and attorneys by city