Is there a legal reason for a trustee/power of attorney holder to change the trust to his name only?

When a person dies, all powers of attorney terminate. A trustee holds property for the benefit of the trust's beneficiaries.  Often a successor trustee wants to clarify that he (or she) is now the trustee because the original trustee is now deceased.  Property formerly held by the deceased person as trustee is now held by the named successor trustee as trustee.  So if that's all that is going on here, that is appropriate.  However, taking trust property outside of the trust for the trustee's own benefit (if the trustee isn't also a beneficiary of the trust) is definitely wrong and illegal. When a revocable trust becomes irrevocable by reason of the death of the person who created the trust, the successor trustee is supposed to send out a notice to the beneficiaries.  If you haven't received one, ask for it.  If you are a beneficiary of the trust you are entitled to see a copy of it.  Ask for that too.  Also ask about the change of names.  Was that done to clarify that the successor trustee was now in charge, or was it a distribution to the successor trustee personally?  If the successor trustee is a beneficiary of the trust, you can ask if that distribution to the successor trustee was for that purpose and if you are to receive a distribution as well (assuming you are a beneficiary of the trust).