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Advance Estate Planning

Trust Estates

During these hard times, we know it’s vitally important to save time, money, peace of mind, and receive the highest of top quality counsel!

Hess-Verdon is one of the highest top-quality counsel that cares and fights for your legal needs.

Our managing partners have practiced law for over 30+ years. We have deep court experience, and after 1500+ clients throughout our tenure, you will receive in-depth knowledge in trust & estates, business, and real estate matters.

HESS-VERDON – #1 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRUST & ESTATE LAW FIRM

What is a trust?

Trusts break down into two distinct camps: Revocable Trust vs. Irrevocable Trust. You may have also heard of a living trust and testamentary trusts. Both of these trusts have multiple sub-trust categories. The Trust is a capable vehicle for protecting, preserving, and passing on wealth in the event of a death or legal incapacitation. It allows you to select your trustee(s) and assist you in granting to heirs and beneficiaries in an orderly fashion.

Protecting your family’s wealth is the goal of a Trust. Moreover, selecting the correct type of Trust is paramount.

How does a will or Trust protect your estate?

A trust and a will are estate plans. The sole purpose is preserving and transferring assets from generation to another by minimizing disputes or confusion between the family. Several documents make up a trust. These documents will direct a trustee when the person dies or becomes legally incapacitated.

If you have a Trust, then:

  1. When was it last updated?
  2. Is the deed to your home in the Trust name?
  3. Are all your properties in the Trust titled correctly?
  4. Have the laws changed since you last updated?
  5. Does your family know where to find all your financial records, titles, and insurance policies should something happen to you?

 

Which type of Trust is most prevalent?

In percentage, the revocable Trust is by far the most popular type. The irrevocable trusts are typically for special needs trust, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and when leaving a portion to children’s needs.

Click here for a CRT Attorney: Charitable Remainder Trust attorney

What are the advantages of having a trust?

The advantage of having a trust is how it protects and preserve family wealth. Die without a trust or will, you die “intestate,” meaning the court will decide. California Probate has high fees.

Probate is the following:

  1. It can be expensive
  2. It takes time
  3. Your family has no privacy
  4. Your family has no control

Learn more about “California probate fees” here.

Dying without a Will or Trust will give the power to the courts to decide. The judge will decide as to who the trustee is and their method of administering the Trust (Trust Administration)

At Hess-Verdon, we provide legal services in the administration of probate and trust estates. The loss of a loved one is a traumatic event. Making financial and legal decisions while grieving is complicated and stressful. We make the process of probate and trust administration as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

When probate is required, these services typically involve the preparation of court filings, including petitions for appointment of executor’s inventories of assets, motions, settlements, and accounting, and requests for distributions.

With over 29 years of invaluable estate and trust administration experience, we continuously strive to successfully resolve matters for our clients, even in the most difficult of times and circumstances.

To discuss your situation, to meet with us, or to get your questions answered, contact us.

See our Client Quotes to see what our clients have said about our firm’s quality and dedication personally and professionally.

Why should I choose one type of living Trust over another?

A trust should be specific to your situation. Here at Hess-Verdon, we will take our time to let you know the best course of action. We gladly give a second opinion. Many times, we have been able to assist our preferred clients with many more options.

(See our testimonial)

Below are several types of trusts that clients utilize:

  1. Living Trust: (family trusts)
  2. Revocable Trusts
  3. Irrevocable Trusts
  4. Testamentary Trusts
  5. Qualified Terminable Interest Property (Q-TIP) Trusts
  6. Special needs trusts for disabled beneficiaries
  7. Generation-skipping trusts
  8. Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)
  9. Pet Trusts
  10. Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT)
  11. Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILIT)
  12. Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRAT)
  13. Legacy Trust

Note: If you have an outdated trust with A/B provisions, you should see an estate lawyer to update your Trust and minimize trust administration expense.

Choosing the Right Trust Estate Litigation Lawyer is Crucial

Searching for an Orange County Trust Litigation attorney?  Hess-Verdon & Associates is one of the most knowledgable and most sophisticated trusts and estate law firm in the state of California at both the trial and appellate levels.

Our legal team of Trust Attorneys in Orange County, are well versed in estate planning, trust administration, and trust litigation.

Our viewpoint is the following:  Aggressive legal representation with a team of experts that protect you, our preferred client, with current tax and estate planning strategies.

Our litigation team has spent years acquiring extensive experience in trial preparation, strategy, and trial presentation to help you with your specific case.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs, our qualifications, staffing approaches, and rate structures with a view toward the successful resolution of Estate, and trust-related matters.

Learn more about our Living Trust Attorneys.

Why review your Trust every 2-3 years, if not sooner?

Quite directly, changes in the tax code could affect your estate. By reviewing within 2-3 years, you may have a reliable trust document that is up-to-date with the latest tax laws and, most importantly, an updated reflection of your current situation.

The bottom line, consider your revocable living trust as your wealth management main document.

What are the negatives of an irrevocable trust?

If you had to pick a negative, it’s that the Trust can no longer be changed, unlike the revocable Trust.

Here is a list of disadvantages:

  1. Loss of control. Once established, you lose legal ownership of the trust property.
  2. Separate taxation: Is a separate taxable entity
  3. Gift tax
  4. Income tax rates

Please consult an attorney regarding your specific situation.

 

Probate and Trust Administration 

We also provide legal services in the administration of probate and Trust Estates. The loss of a loved one is a traumatic event. Making financial and legal decisions while grieving is complicated and stressful. At Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC, we make the process of Probate and Trust administration as streamlined and pain-free as possible.

When probate is required, these services typically involve the preparation of court filings, including petitions for appointment of executors/guardians/ conservators, inventories of assets, motions, settlements/accounting, and requests for distributions. Also, we represent individuals as trustees or as individual beneficiaries in adversarial court proceedings involving inheritance disputes. We help prepare federal estate tax returns for Estates and Trusts.

Litigation – Dispute Resolution

Ancillary to these litigation and administration services, we provide estate planning services to clients. Litigation often requires the attorney to reconcile zealous, aggressive advocacy with potentially volatile intra-family dynamics. Probate and Trust litigation involves a balancing of sensitivity to family relationships and an aggressive approach to litigation, which depends on the particular client’s situation.

The attorneys at Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC represent corporate and individual trustees, charitable organizations, and individual, beneficiaries in Estate and Trust litigation matters, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Will Contests
  • Trust Contests
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Cases
  • Discovery of Asset Claims Guardian/Conservatorship Proceedings
  • Determination of Heirship Proceedings
  • Suits for an Accounting

The firm’s highest compliment is when clients who have been through complicated probate or trust litigation cases return to the firm. They return to plan their estate so that their families can avoid those battles and difficulties. Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC knows how to prevent the issues that can destroy a family and its wealth.

 

If I under $150,000.00 in my total estate, what should I do?

According to California law, there is a simple process through the probate court to transfer assets under $150,000.00. To learn more, see small estate without administration.

Guide To Trusts &Amp; Estates In Orange County, California

Trust and Estate Planning

Our managing partners have practiced law for over 30+ years. We have deep court experience, and after 3000+ clients throughout our tenure, you will receive in-depth knowledge in trust & estates, business, and real estate matters.
Request a no-obligation case review today. Feel free to call, and our helpful staff will set you up with one of our specialized attorneys.

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