Does a name change mean I have to update my living trust?

Question:

My husband and I established a revocable trust when I was still using my maiden name. I have now formally changed my name to my married name. Do we need to modify our trust to reflect this name change?

Answer:

Yes, it's a good idea to change the name on your trust. Otherwise, there's no way for a bank or title company to know that you're the same person who made the trust. Imagine the consequences that might result should you not be around to convince the world that you were who you said you were.

Even more important, you should change the names on all property title documents -- such as deeds -- whether or not the property is held in trust.