Completing an Affidavit Trustee form

Affidavit Of Death Of Trustee California Probate Code

The Affidavit of Death of Trustee form is used to verify the deceased’s identity as a person who owns real property. It is used to remove the deceased Grantor’s name from the property title officially. The name is replaced with the name of the successor trustee. If the decedent owns more than one property, an Affidavit of Death of Trustee California Probate Code form needs to be filled out for each property. When submitted to the courts and the beneficiaries, the forms should be accompanied by a certified death certificate. The submission is due within 60 days from the date of death to the courts where the decedent lived. Each California county may have subtle differences in their forms, so you will need to make sure that you only submit an Affidavit of Death of Trustee Los Angeles within Los Angeles County, for example. (See California probate code – exception may apply)

How To Fill Out Affidavit Of Death Of Trustee Form

Since the Affidavit of death form is a legal notification to the courts, you will need to be prepared with some information regarding the Grantor’s property. The Affidavit’s first section requires the address, parcel number, and any other legally identifying information for the property location. The next section of the document is the legal statement identifying the Trustee.  If you need guidance on how to fill out the Affidavit of Death of Trustee California, give us a call today.

Beneficiary Notification

The copies of the affidavits shall include extra information for the beneficiaries. If this information is incomplete, then the form is not considered legal. The components include:

• The notification package is sent via US Postal Service to each beneficiary and heir of the deceased Grantor. The package is mailed to their last known address.
• The Trustee should mail the notifications within 60 days following death.
• The Trustee should offer beneficiaries and other heirs a copy of the trust instrument upon request.

The Trustee should include the following information in the notification package:

• The name of the Grantor and the date that the trust instrument execution date.
• Contact information for each Trustee, including name, address, county of residence, and phone number.
• Certified copy of the death certificate of the Grantor.
• Any other pertinent information from the trust instructions.

Keeping Everything Legal

When distributing copies of the Trust, you should include any amendments to the original instrument. If anything seems out of line, such as the Grantor’s mental capacity or the possibility of undue influence, the beneficiaries will have 120-days to contest the trust instrument. If any impropriety is suspected, you should gather as much evidence as possible to present to the courts. The courts are notoriously strict about accepting a petition to contest a trust instrument. When the Grantor died, the Trust is irrevocable, and any proposed changes require a court order. If the request for changes is unanimous among the Trustee and beneficiaries, the petition to contest a trust will hold more weight with the courts.

Seeking Legal Counsel

Individuals considered to have Legal Standing in the court’s eyes include the Trustee (s), beneficiaries, and any other heirs. These individuals are the only ones who can petition the courts for changes to the trust instrument or the Trustee (s). It would be best to protect yourself and your interests by seeking counsel with one of our experienced trust lawyers.  If you have any questions about filling out Affidavit of death of Trustee California forms, our lawyers can provide the answers.