Yes. Most people name themselves as the initial trustee of their own revocable living trust, keeping full control over the trust property during their lifetime, with a successor trustee stepping in only if they become unable to serve or after death.
General information
- Serving as your own trustee lets you manage, buy, sell, or spend trust property just as you did before creating the trust.
- A successor trustee is named to take over if you become incapacitated or after you die.
- For a married couple, both spouses often serve as co-trustees of a shared trust.
Service steps to consider
- Name yourself as the initial trustee when setting up your trust.
- Choose a successor trustee to take over when needed.
- Fund the trust with your property while continuing to manage it as trustee.
Quick check
- Have I named myself as initial trustee?
- Have I chosen a successor trustee I trust?
How Complete Wills can help
Complete Wills' trust questionnaire is built around this common structure. Naming yourself as the initial trustee is the default and most common setup in the guided questionnaire, and choosing a reliable successor trustee alongside it makes sure your trust keeps working smoothly if you're ever unable to manage it yourself.
Important limits
- Special situations, like wanting an independent trustee for tax or asset-protection reasons, are best discussed with a licensed attorney.
DRAFT - This article is newly written and has not yet been verified against a live Complete Wills source or fact-checked by the Complete Wills team. Confirm all details, especially pricing, attorney-support terms, and state availability, before publishing. Prepared September 14, 2026.
