The day-one requests
- Certification of trust — the short attorney-prepared statutory summary proving existence, trustees, and powers (if none exists, the law firm can prepare one quickly under separate engagement)
- Successor documentation, if the original trustee died or stepped down: death certificate, resignation, acceptance — the paper chain from the deed's trustee to today's
The exception-catching questions
- Does the deed's trust name (with date) match the certification? Restatements and amendments create mismatches — curable, but deliberately
- Co-trustees? If the instrument requires both signatures, schedule both signers (RON solves geography)
- Was the property actually DEEDED into the trust? The unfunded trust is the classic failure — we verify against the record immediately
- Any trustee outside the U.S., or a foreign settlor? Logistics plus possible tax analysis for the family's advisors
- Is the sale contentious among beneficiaries? Trustee-duty questions belong with counsel before listing drama becomes litigation
Setting expectations with the trustee
Trustees sign everything and answer for everything — brief them early: proceeds flow to the trust (not directly to beneficiaries), documentation requests are normal and finite, and remote signing is routine. A trustee who understands the process in week one is a calm signer in week four. Our team happily joins an intake call with your trustee to walk it — no charge, no strings, per the program disclosures.