1. Decide what items to leave in the trust.
You probably don’t want to hold all your property in your living trust -- just the big-ticket items that are headed for probate unless you act.

2. Decide who will inherit your trust property.
For most people, choosing family members, friends, or charities to inherit property is easy. After you make your first choices, don't forget to choose alternate (contingent) beneficiaries, too.

3. Choose someone to be your successor trustee.
Your trust must name someone to serve as "successor trustee," to distribute trust property to the beneficiaries after you have died. Once you’ve made your choice, discuss it with the person you have in mind to make sure he or she is willing to take on this responsibility.

4. Choose someone to manage children's property.
If children or young adults might inherit trust property, you should choose an adult to manage whatever they inherit. To give that person authority over the child’s property, you can make him or her a property guardian, a property custodian under a law called the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA), or a trustee.