Handover Checklists: Documenting Custody Transfers Between Generations

Generational handover is the custody event our binders are ultimately built for. A parent managed the devices for years; a child assumes responsibility. Without a checklist, the transfer happens in conversation — and conversations are not evidence.

What a handover checklist records

Each checklist in our binders (section 7) includes:

Date of handover
Names and signatures of outgoing and incoming trustees
Confirmation that each listed device was physically verified present
Confirmation that the incoming trustee received the bound binder and any duplicate index cards
Notes on any devices replaced, added, or removed since the last inventory
Acknowledgement that the incoming trustee has completed a briefing consultation (if applicable)

Why signatures matter

When two siblings disagree about whether a device was transferred, the signed checklist dated 14 March resolves the question. Without it, the dispute becomes a memory contest. Estate solicitors we work with in Gwangju routinely request this section be completed before amending trust records.

Timing the handover

We recommend completing the checklist during a scheduled session — not during a family gathering or hospital visit. All signers should be present, or their written proxy should be documented. The session typically takes 90 minutes: 30 minutes to verify devices, 30 minutes to walk through the binder, 30 minutes to complete and sign the checklist.

After the handover

The outgoing trustee retains a photocopy of the signed checklist. The original stays with the bound binder. If the binder is stored in a solicitor’s safe, the checklist is the first page they see when the safe is opened.

Revisions after handover

If devices change within six months of a handover, we recommend a binder revision rather than an informal note. Informal notes get lost; revised appendices with new inventory dates do not.