A Skilled Trust Administration Lawyer Helps with Estate Planning in San Bernardino and Redlands

Effectively managing trusts and distributing assets

There is a lot of responsibility that comes with being placed in charge of someone’s trust. A trust can be a complicated document, especially if it is part of a long-term estate plan, and the administrator has serious legal duties when it comes to distributing assets. At James B. Church, P.C., Attorneys at Law, you work with an experienced probate attorney in Redlands who offers sound legal guidance on how to manage and administer trusts, while helping you avoid the probate process completely.

Trust administrators have many duties

A trust administrator is allowed to consult with attorneys under California law, and it’s highly recommended that you do so. There are many aspects to managing a trust, and some are quite difficult to understand. In some cases, beneficiaries and heirs may disagree with the administrator’s decisions and may try contesting a trust or will in San Bernardino County. At times like this, it’s important to get advice and counsel from a knowledgeable trust administration lawyer.

The best way to avoid a trust contest is to obtain good legal advice as soon as you have become the Successor Trustee.  As a trust administrator, you are responsible for the following:

• Notifying beneficiaries. As soon as the administration of the trust is transferred to the trustee, all beneficiaries of the trust must be notified. Notification should be mailed and contain information on how to contact the trustee and where the trust is physically located and where the trust will be administered.
• Paying debts and taxes. Once all of the property in the trust has been gathered, the trustee will need to pay all of the debts and tax liabilities of the person who created the trust.
• Distributing assets. After the assets have been collected and the debts paid, the remaining assets should be distributed among the beneficiaries. This is the part most likely to spark a challenge from heirs who feel they have not received what they deserve. As the administrator, you may be accused of mismanagement.
• Probate Litigation. Beneficiaries have the right to object to the trustee’s actions as a fiduciary.  However, often times beneficiaries object without good cause.  Good legal advice is necessary to handle the motions, pleadings, accountings, discovery and possible trial. You obtain the best result when your attorneys have a reputation as successful probate trial attorneys.

Schedule an appoint with a trust administration attorney in San Bernardino

The lawyers at James B. Church, P.C., help with the most complex issues related to trust administration. Contact the firm online or call 909-283-0659 to get started. The firm’s Redlands office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, with plenty of free parking available for your convenience.