Set up a revocable living trust and actually fund it

What this produces: the asset inventory — one table of everything you own, with the names exactly as they appear on the title or account, an approximate value, and any beneficiary already on file. Every later step and the final audit check against this list. The catch: the name on a monthly statement is often not the name on the title, and the title name is what decides what probate does with the asset.

Pull the paper for each class, then fill the table:

1. Real estate — the deed and mortgage statement for your home and any other property.
2. Bank and credit union accounts, CDs, money markets — the account agreement or signature card.
3. Brokerage, IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) accounts — the latest statement plus the beneficiary form on file.
4. Life insurance — the policy and the named-beneficiary page.
5. Vehicles, business interests, safe-deposit boxes — titles, operating agreements or stock certificates, the box contract.
6. Digital assets — crypto wallets, online seller accounts, anything with a balance.

Use four columns per row: asset, owner names letter for letter as printed, approximate value, beneficiary on file. Save it as one spreadsheet named asset-inventory-2026 and keep it with your estate documents.