In this video, our Polk County trust attorneys explain how a trust is where one person, called the trustee, holds the title to property on behalf of someone else, known as the beneficiary. This can be the same person, allowing for a person to maintain control of the property held in the trust. Living trusts, specifically, are trusts created while the party creating it is still alive, rather than one that is created upon the person’s death under the terms of something like a well. The beneficiaries named in the living trust will receive the trust property upon your death. In Iowa, the main advantage of making a living trust is to avoid the potential family conflicts and delays of probate court proceedings following your death. Because Iowa doesn’t follow the Uniform Probate Code, a living trust can be a much easier solution than going through Iowa’s complex probate process.