Transferring a financial account to my Trust vs adding a Beneficiary to a financial account

Retitling a financial or bank account to your Trust ensures that the account is distributed under the terms of your Trust. 

What is the benefit to transferring a financial account to my Trust?

The main benefit is that the account will be distributed according to the terms of your Trust. This means that any conditions you've listed in the Trust will apply to the Beneficiaries also listed in the Trust. Another benefit is that if something happens to your primary (first) Beneficiary, you're able to include backup Beneficiaries that you'd like the account to be distributed to. 

What if I want a financial account to go to someone NOT listed in my Trust?

No problem! You can always keep them listed as a Beneficiary directly on the account itself. To do this, you'll just need to contact your bank or financial institution and request the necessary forms. Keep in mind that this means the terms of your Trust will not apply to this Beneficiary.