Our team is dedicated to providing personalized legal guidance to help you achieve peace of mind.
Certificate Of Trust
Legal Planning Made Simple.
Certificate Of Trust
Understand the Essentials of A Certificate of Trust with Our Guidance
When a loved one’s estate plan is set up to transfer their property through a revocable trust, the process of managing their final affairs is much easier than it would be if property passed through a will, which would require complying with multiple probate requirements. However, administering a trust still requires some effort, and the successor trustee will need to demonstrate the authority to take over management of trust assets.
Having a certificate of trust makes the tasks associated with trust administration much simpler and it keeps family matters private. Inhulsen Law can create a certificate of trust that will ease the administrative burdens of trust administration and safeguard your family’s privacy.
How a Certificate of Trust Operates in Michigan
A certificate of trust is a document that essentially serves as a form of identification for a trustee and an authenticator for the trust itself. It contains essential information that demonstrates the validity of the trust and the authority of the trustee without revealing details of trust operation. For instance, a certification of trust does not describe the property held in the trust or name the beneficiaries served by the trust.
Certificate of trust documents are typically fairly brief, compared to the full trust instrument which may be 20 or more pages in length. At one point, Michigan law recognized two different types of certificate of trust documents, one used for trust administration and the other used specifically in real estate sales. Lawmakers combined the two types and included specific requirements for their validity, so certificates prepared under the old statutory scheme may need to be re-issued to ensure that they are valid under the current rules.
Why You Should Have a Certificate of Trust
Real estate transactions involving the sale of property held by a trust require the production of a certificate of trust. But it is a good idea to have a certificate of trust regardless of whether the trust you are administering holds real estate.
Any time you work with a financial institution or other entity in conjunction with trust business, you will need to demonstrate the validity of the trust and your authority to act on behalf of that trust. A certificate of trust provides an easy way to accomplish that. If you don’t have a certificate of trust prepared, you can often submit a copy of the full trust instrument instead. However, if the trust instrument is 20 pages or more long, you will be dealing with a lot of paper. Moreover, it may take bank staff or others considerable time to wade through all the provisions to find the information they need. This can delay you in the process of administering the trust.
In addition, when you hand over copies of the full trust instrument and the organization keeps the copy for their records, you end up disclosing all the details of your trust to anyone who has access to the document.
Legal Requirements for a Certificate of Trust in Michigan
Section 700.7913 of the Michigan Compiled Laws explains the features that must be included in a certificate of trust. Some of the requirements are very straightforward. Others, however, require an understanding of legal precedent to interpret fully.
A certificate of trust must include:
Our Clients Say It Best
-
“I have been very impressed with Inhulsen law services. The knowledge and professionalism were invaluable. John explained everything clearly and kept me informed throughout the process. I was very pleased with the successful outcome and learned so much from him. I would highly recommend this place!”- Lourdes B.
-
“If you are looking for an attorney who will truly help you build the life you deserve, then look no further Inhulsen Law. As an attorney who has the opportunity to collaborate with John, I can attest to his depth of knowledge as well as his commitment to excellence. Whether you need assistance with the complexities of business formation and planning or building and estate plan to protect the future of your family, John will apply a creative and honest approach that will make you instantly realize you made the right choice hiring Inhulsen Law.”- Joshua S.
-
“Fantastic firm, very personable and receptive to what you’re looking for. Listened to my mom and I for her estate planning. Angela was also very attentive to our needs. Have a life long partnership. Thank you both!”- Salty Dog
-
“My wife and I had a very positive experience working with Inhulsen Law to update our Will and to put our assets into Living Trusts. The process is very thorough and they take a no-pressure approach to understanding your needs and will give you multiple options, explaining the benefits of each. They use a model where no question is a bad question and will break down what can seem like a complicated process into an easy to understand format. They take a very personal approach to getting to know you and your needs and we never felt rushed, pressured, or confused throughout the whole process. If you want an Attorney who values their clients seeking a long term relationship with you, you should work with Inhulsen Law.”- Curt W.
-
“I had an excellent experience working with John on our estate planning. He took the time to explain everything clearly, answered all of our questions, and made what initially felt overwhelming into a smooth and stress-free process. We truly appreciated his attention to detail, professionalism, and ability to tailor the plan to our family’s specific needs. We now feel confident knowing everything is in order. We highly recommend John Inhulsen to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and caring estate planning attorney.”- Becky L.
-
“I had John draw up my will and was so impressed with how knowledgeable and kind he and his staff were. The process was thoroughly explained and it is a huge relief to have things settled for my kids. I definitely recommend him and his services!”- Heidi H.
-
“Answer to prayer! My husband and I finally decided it was time to put a Trust and Will in place. It was unnerving to think about estate planning because we did not know who to talk to, where to start or what to expect. Thankfully, after searching the internet for a law firm, we discovered Inhulsen Law. We were more than impressed with the outstanding reviews! Setting up an appointment with John was simple and quick. The entire process was explained to us in an uncomplicated way. In our first meeting with John it was apparent to us that he has a genuine interest in building relationships with people and helping them obtain their goals. John's character is stellar and his knowledge of the law is extensive. It feels good to have a law firm you can trust and someone like John you can reach out to and feel confident he will point you in the right direction.”- Lori A.
-
“Recently John Inhulsen took time out of his day to call me when I encountered a legal matter over my head. John talked me through it and made me feel so much better about what I was facing. John's professionalism is first tier. Obviously, he knows and understands the legal world, all aspects. I recommend his team highly.”- Ted L.
Simplify Your Duties with a Certificate of Trust
After the death of a loved one, you have an overwhelming number of tasks to handle at a time when you still need to process your grief and mourn your loss. Inhulsen Law can reduce some of the burden during this difficult time by preparing a certificate of trust you can use when dealing with banks and other entities to demonstrate your authority and prove the authenticity of the trust.
To get started, fill out our online form or call us at (616) 345-2810.
