Summarize this article:

Although generally you can make a simple living trust by yourself, you may need assistance if you have complex or significant assets. You also may be able to buy a book or use an online trust preparation service, either of which typically cost less than $100. However, if you hire an attorney to prepare your trust documents for you, expect to pay upwards of $1,000. Keep in mind you can always draft your documents and then have an attorney look over them to make sure you've met your intent. Typically attorneys charge less to review documents than they would to prepare them. Each state has its own requirements for creating a living trust. While most forms will be sufficient, an experienced estate planning attorney licensed in your state will be able to determine immediately if your trust documents meet your state's requirements. If you want to draft your trust documents yourself, you should be able to find free templates or sample living trusts on the internet. Make sure the form is approved for use in your state, and that it will cover the assets you plan to include in your trust. Some forms may not work if you have a large estate that exceeds federal estate tax exclusion limits. The first sections of your trust include your name, the name of your trust, and the type of trust you are creating. Since you are creating the trust for your property, you will list your own name as the grantor. The name of your trust doesn't have to be fancy. Just use your own name and identify the type of trust it is. For example, the name of your trust could be "the Sally Sunshine Revocable Living Trust." If you're using a form or sample as a guide, you can largely copy this language but read through it and make sure you understand what it means. While you are alive, you are considered the trustee of your own living trust. After you die, your successor trustee will take over and distribute your property to the people you've listed as beneficiaries. As trustee, you have the same rights and abilities to use, transfer, or sell your property as you did before you created the trust. After you die, your successor trustee will manage and distribute that property to the beneficiaries you've named. Your successor trustee will be responsible for reporting any income earned from the trust assets and transferring property ownership from the trust to your listed beneficiaries. The trust's beneficiaries are the people who will inherit the assets you place in the trust after you die. You can list the property separately on your declaration, or you can create a separate schedule of property and refer to that document. For example, you might write "At the death of the grantor, the trustee shall distribute the trust property in accordance with Schedule A, attached." To list the property and assets included in the trust, write a separate document and attach it as a schedule to your declaration of trust. By creating a separate document, you can easily amend it later on without having to execute an entire declaration all over again. You generally have the ability to change the assets in your trust whenever you want. If at any time you decide to take something out, or if you acquire a new asset you want to add, just update your schedule and change the property ownership documents to reflect the trust.

Summary:
Consider consulting an attorney. Search for forms or templates. Name and identify the trust. Establish the identity and responsibilities of the trustee and successor trustee. List the beneficiaries of the trust. Create your schedule of property.