Can a revocable trust be changed? Yes—and that’s one of its greatest advantages. A revocable trust gives you flexibility. Your life isn’t static, and your estate plan shouldn’t be either. When circumstances change—whether that means relationships, finances, or your goals—Ohio law allows you to amend your revocable trust to keep it aligned with your wishes.

Understanding Your Authority to Amend the Trust

If you're the person who created the trust—called the trustmaker (also called the grantor or settlor)—you hold the power to amend or revoke it as long as you're still alive and mentally competent. In most cases, you’re also the trustee during your lifetime, meaning you manage the trust assets yourself.

Ohio law gives you wide latitude to modify your revocable trust. If your trust document includes specific amendment instructions, you need to follow them. If not, the default rule applies: you can amend the trust using a written document that you sign and date

Common reasons to amend a revocable trust include:

• Adding or removing beneficiaries
• Naming a new successor trustee
• Changing how and when distributions are made
• Reflecting a marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child
• Addressing tax law changes or asset growth

The reason for the change doesn’t need to be significant. If the language no longer reflects your goals, that alone is enough reason to make an amendment.

Can a Revocable Trust Be Changed? 3 Ways to Modify Yours in Ohio

When you’re ready to make changes, you have a few options. Each method has different legal and practical consequences.

1. Trust Amendment

A trust amendment is a written document that changes specific sections of the original trust. You’re not rewriting the entire trust—just the part that no longer says what you want it to say. An amendment must clearly identify the trust being changed and spell out what language is being updated or replaced. You’ll sign and date the amendment, and ideally, have it notarized for added legal strength.

This approach works well when your change is narrow or limited, such as replacing a successor trustee or updating a beneficiary’s name. But if you’ve amended the trust multiple times, things can get messy. You risk confusion about which changes control, especially if amendments conflict with each other or lack clear references

2. Trust Restatement

If your changes are more substantial or if you’ve made several amendments to the trust already, a full restatement is often the better route. This means you’re creating a new version of the trust document—but keeping the original trust name and date. That’s important because it preserves the continuity of the trust, especially for tax ID numbers, property titles, and legal references.

A restatement effectively replaces all prior versions of the trust. It clears up ambiguity and consolidates your wishes into a single, up-to-date document. From a practical standpoint, it’s cleaner, easier to read, and more defensible if anyone ever challenges it.

3. Trust Revocation and New Trust Creation

You also have the option to revoke your trust entirely and create a brand-new one. In Ohio, revocation requires a signed written document—unless your trust specifies a different process. If you go this route, you’ll need to transfer all trust assets into the new trust. That can include retitling bank accounts, real estate, and other assets.

This path gives you the most flexibility, but also comes with the most administrative work. It’s generally only recommended when you’re making major changes or overhauling your entire estate plan.

Making Sure the Change Is Legally Valid and Effective

No matter how you update your revocable trust, your changes must be clearly documented. That means using precise language, identifying the trust properly, and signing the document in accordance with Ohio law.

Don’t rely on handwritten notes, verbal instructions, or casual agreements. These rarely hold up and can create legal battles down the line. Likewise, don’t assume your will can override your trust—it can’t. If your trust owns your assets, the trust terms control what happens to them.

Once your amendment or restatement is complete, store it with your other estate planning documents. Share it with your successor trustee. If any financial institutions, banks, or title companies hold assets in the trust’s name, they may need confirmation of the change.

Also, take time to review related documents. If you’ve changed the name of a successor trustee, update your powers of attorney. If you’ve removed a beneficiary, review your will and any payable-on-death accounts to ensure consistency. Estate plans work best when all parts are aligned.

Get Help Changing a Revocable Trust in Ohio

A revocable trust gives you control, but that control only matters when the document reflects your current wishes. At Legacy Law Group, we help Ohio residents update their trusts with clarity and confidence. Whether you need a simple amendment or a full restatement, we’ll walk you through every step.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation.