How and when to set up a land trust?

[Jin Zhang]

Hi everyone, 

I read online that setting up a land trust to hold your property and then assigning the beneficiary to an LLC is a good way to protect your privacy and asset. I have a few questions about land trust and hope to get some clarifications here.

1) Can I set up the land trust before closing and ask the title company to assign the property to the trust at the closing? If not, when can I transfer the title of the property to the trust? 

2) Can I set up the land trust myself? I saw that some videos selling standard land trust documents to set it up. Does this work for every state? 

3) Is there a better way to protect your asset and privacy than this structure? 

4) Any recommendations of a lawyer who is experienced in this in San Jose, CA? 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 

Gin