🍁 How to Set Up a Trust in Vermont (2025 Guide)

More Vermonters are turning to living trusts to protect their family homes, avoid probate, and ensure their estate is handled privately and smoothly.

If you're looking for a simple, legal, and cost-effective way to set up a trust in Vermont — without spending thousands on legal fees — this guide is for you.

🔍 What Is a Trust?

A trust is a legal structure where a person (the grantor) places assets under the care of a trustee for the benefit of beneficiaries. In Vermont, the most popular option is the Revocable Living Trust, which:

✅ Lets you avoid probate court
✅ Maintains privacy for your family
✅ Keeps you in full control during your lifetime
✅ Automatically transfers your assets after death
✅ Helps with incapacity or illness planning

📍 How to Set Up a Trust in Vermont

1. Choose Your Trust Type

Start with a Revocable Living Trust, which is:

• Legal and fully recognized in Vermont

• Flexible during your lifetime

• Easier to manage than a will

• Compatible with Vermont estate and property laws

Optional add-ons to consider:

☐ Minor’s Trust
☐ Special Needs Provision
☐ Spendthrift Clause
☐ Dynasty Trust

✅ TrustGenie includes all of these in one affordable membership.

2. Assign the Key Roles

☐ Grantor – You (the creator of the trust)
☐ Trustee – Manages the trust (often you)
☐ Successor Trustee – Takes over if you're incapacitated or deceased
☐ Beneficiaries – The individuals or organizations who receive your assets

3. List and Organize Your Assets

Common trust assets in Vermont include:

• Vermont real estate (your home, land, cabins)

• Bank and investment accounts

• Vehicles, art, collectibles

• Small businesses or LLCs

• Digital property (domain names, crypto, etc.)

✅ TrustGenie gives you a “Schedule A” and General Assignment to list these assets properly.

4. Sign and Notarize the Trust

Vermont does not require witnesses for a trust — but notarization required to establish validity and avoid challenges.

✅ TrustGenie walks you through the signing process — no lawyer needed.

5. Fund the Trust

Don’t skip this step — your trust must be funded to work.

To fund your Vermont trust:

• ☐ File a Quitclaim or Warranty Deed to transfer Vermont real estate

• ☐ Retitle bank and investment accounts

• ☐ Use a General Assignment form for personal property

• ☐ Update insurance and retirement designations (optional)

🚨 If it’s not funded, it doesn’t work.

⚠️ Common Mistakes in Vermont

❌ Not transferring real estate or bank accounts into the trust
❌ Using a generic template not valid in VT
❌ Forgetting digital or out-of-state assets
❌ Naming minor children without proper subtrusts
❌ Failing to inform successor trustee where documents are stored

💰 How Much Does a Trust Cost in Vermont?

Method Cost Range Attorney$2,000 – $5,000+ Online Templates$100 – $400 TrustGenie$150/year all-in

✅ TrustGenie includes Vermont-specific trust forms, deed templates, and personalized support.

🧠 Do You Need a Lawyer to Create a Trust in Vermont?

No. You can legally create a trust on your own in Vermont, as long as it:

• Is in writing

• Names a trustee and beneficiary

• Is properly signed and (preferably) notarized

• Is funded with assets

✅ TrustGenie checks every box and saves you thousands.

📎 Free Download: Vermont Trust Setup Checklist

Want a printable version of this guide?

📥 [Download the Vermont Checklist]

✅ Ready to Protect Your Legacy?

Vermont families are using TrustGenie to avoid probate, preserve privacy, and pass on their assets — without spending a fortune on legal fees.

👉 [Create Your Vermont Trust – Just $150/year]

🔗 Related Resources

• [Avoiding Probate in Vermont]

• [How to Transfer Vermont Real Estate into a Trust]

• [What Happens If You Die Without a Trust in VT?]

✍️ Written by:
The TrustGenie Legal Team
Helping Vermont families create peace of mind through simple, powerful estate planning.