A Certification of Trust (sometimes called a Certificate of Trust Existence and Authority) is a 2–3 page document that summarizes the key points of your 30-page trust.
Banks and title companies in the Downriver area (and throughout Michigan) require this to move assets into your trust. It proves you have the authority to act without revealing your private details (like who your beneficiaries are or how much money is in the trust).
Where to Find Michigan PDF Samples
- Official Real Estate Form: Michigan Title Company Certificate of Trust (PDF) – This is a standard version often used for real estate transactions.
- Bank-Style Form: MERS Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (PDF) – A clear example of a “Certificate of Trust” used for financial accounts.
- Standard Template: Devon Title Certification of Trust (PDF) – Another common Michigan-compliant layout.
What MUST be in your Michigan Certificate (MCL 700.7913)
To be legally valid in Michigan, your PDF/document must include these specific items:
- Trust Name and Date: e.g., “The John Doe Revocable Living Trust, dated January 1, 2024.”
- The Settlor(s): The names of the people who created it.
- The Current Trustee(s): Your name and address.
- Revocability: A statement saying whether the trust is Revocable or Irrevocable.
- The Powers: A summary of the Trustee’s powers (usually “to sell, convey, mortgage, and manage assets”).
- Tax ID: Whether it uses your Social Security Number or a separate EIN.
- Signature Authority: If there are two trustees, does only one need to sign or both?
- The “Full Force and Effect” Statement: A declaration that the trust has not been revoked or amended in any way that makes the certificate incorrect.
How to use it in the Downriver area
- Complete the PDF: Fill in the details from your main trust document.
- Notarize it: You must sign this in front of a Michigan Notary Public. (Most banks in Wyandotte, Southgate, or Taylor have notaries on-site).
- “Funding” the Trust: Take the notarized Certificate to your bank. Tell them you want to “re-title” your accounts into the name of your trust.
- Note: Your bank account name will change from “John Doe” to “John Doe, Trustee of the John Doe Revocable Trust.”
- Real Estate: If you are moving your home into the trust, you (or your attorney) will record this Certificate along with a Quitclaim Deed or Lady Bird Deed at the Wayne County Register of Deeds.
Would you like me to explain the difference between a Quitclaim Deed and a Lady Bird Deed for moving your Downriver home into the trust?