We assist our clients to interpret and carry out the terms of a loved one’s trust upon their incapacity or death, with sensitivity and care, while utilizing tax efficient tactics and reducing liability.

Although administering a trust is often quicker and more cost effective than the probate process, there are still specific steps that the trustee (the person named in the trust to manage this process) must take. California law, for instance, requires specific notices and timelines be followed. The trustee also needs to be careful to reduce their own liabilities and take advantage of available tax benefits.We help advise the trustee so they meet those and other fiduciary obligations. 

Our role goes beyond helping the trustee with legal requirements. We expedite the trust administration process, manage banking and related bureaucracies, deal with creditors, and assist with beneficiary communications to streamline the process and close the trust administration more efficiently.

Each trust is unique, and we offer as much or as little assistance as our client desires. We often review trusts (whether they were drafted by us or another attorney) and advise families on the steps they should take to comply with fiduciary obligations. We review assets, advise on ownership issues, assist with transfer of belongings and investments, handle creditor issues, and prepare title documents to transfer real estate. We obtain tax identification numbers, work with accountants and financial advisors, and when necessary, help establish special needs trusts and sub-trusts. 

We have decades of experience helping with the intricacies of trust administration, and are here to help.