Living Trust Record

What happens if you have lost your Trust?If a Trust is lost, and the decedent has assets titled in the name of the Trust, the court will require that the heirs/Successor Trustees spend a significant amount of time and money searching for the Trust and documenting the search process.

Anyone can look up a particular parcel of real estate in the local land records office (often called the county recorder or registry of deeds, depending on where you live) and find out who owns it. (Often, other information is also available, such as the amount of property taxes paid each year.)

Trusts aren't public record, so they're not usually recorded anywhere. Instead, the trust attorney determines who is entitled to receive a copy of the document, even if state law doesn't require it.

Today clients who have living trusts normally keep the original copy. Having the attorney keep the original copy of the trust is not as important as keeping the original will used to be. At death, a copy of the trust generally suffices for all parties in place of the original.

Trusts created during your lifetime, known as living trusts, do not go into the public record after you die. With rare exceptions, trusts remain private regardless of whether you have an irrevocable or revocable trust at the time of your death.

If you can't find original living trust documents, you can contact the California Bar Association for assistance. Trusts aren't recorded anywhere, so you can't go to the County Recorder's office in the courthouse to ask to see a copy of the trust.

Legally your Trust now owns all of your assets, but you manage all of the assets as the Trustee. This is the essential step that allows you to avoid Probate Court because there is nothing for the courts to control when you die or become incapacitated.

If you can't find original living trust documents, you can contact the California Bar Association for assistance. Trusts aren't recorded anywhere, so you can't go to the County Recorder's office in the courthouse to ask to see a copy of the trust.