Estate Planning
A well-crafted estate plan gives you control over your future and peace of mind for your family. We help clients create comprehensive plans that reflect their goals, values, and family circumstances — ensuring their wishes are honored and loved ones are cared for. Our estate planning services include:
- Revocable living trusts
- Wills
- Durable powers of attorney
- Advance health care directives
- Trust funding assistance
- Special needs planning
- Updates and amendments to existing estate plans
Every estate plan is customized. We take the time to understand your goals and explain your options in plain language so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
Trust Administration
After a loved one passes away, their successor trustee is responsible for managing and distributing trust assets according to the terms of the trust. This can be complex and time-sensitive, and trustees are personally responsible for getting it right.
We assist trustees through every step of the process — from gathering and valuing assets to preparing accountings, communicating with beneficiaries, and completing final distributions. Our goal is to make the process smooth, transparent, and fully compliant with California law.
We offer both limited guidance for simple trusts and full-service administration for larger or more complex estates.
Probate
When a person dies without a trust, their estate may need to go through probate, a court-supervised process for transferring assets and settling debts.
We handle all aspects of the California probate process, including:
- Petitioning the court for appointment of a personal representative
- Notifying heirs and creditors
- Collecting and valuing assets
- Preparing required court filings and accountings
- Distributing property to rightful beneficiaries
Our firm ensures that probate is completed efficiently and correctly, relieving the burden on families during an already difficult time.
Additional Services
In addition to our core areas of practice, we also assist with:
- Heggstad Petitions: Confirming assets intended to be in a trust that were not properly titled.
- Spousal Property Petitions: Transferring assets to a surviving spouse without full probate.
- Amendments and Restatements: Updating existing estate plans to reflect life changes or new laws.