Serving as a successor trustee carries important legal and fiduciary responsibilities that begin when the original trustee can no longer serve. Whether the transition occurs because of death, incapacity, resignation, or another event, the successor trustee must quickly become familiar with the trust, secure trust assets, and begin administering the trust according to its terms. This checklist is designed to provide a clear, organized roadmap for managing those responsibilities from the very beginning.

Inside this checklist, you will find step-by-step action items covering trustee acceptance, trust documents, asset identification, beneficiary notifications, financial recordkeeping, trust administration, and ongoing fiduciary duties. It serves as a practical reference to help successor trustees stay organized, reduce the risk of overlooking important responsibilities, and confidently carry out the administration of the trust.