The Lawyer Blogs shown below are topical articles written by attorney David L. Crockett on all of the areas of the law that he deals with. Many of these articles are based upon actual and typical situations encountered by Mr. Crockett's clients. New blogs are posted when Mr. Crockett encounters new situations that merit detailed explanations to his clients. There is practical advice and explanations that span the subjects of the probate, trust, real estate and tax laws and court procedures that frequently arise. Because Mr. Crockett is actively advising clients on (i) wills, trusts, taxes and estate planning; (ii) administration of trusts and probate estates; and (iii) litigation about estates and trusts, many of these articles cover and crossover between all three areas of practice. The articles contain information that a person forming a trust, or a trustee or an heir/beneficiary needs to be aware of. The Blogs are organized into topics listed on the left of this page. You can view the posts listed in each topic here.

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How can I tell if the deed is a valid legal transfer of ownership

WHAT IS A DEED?

A deed is the legal name for the document which transfers ownership of real estate. California state law has specific requirements for a deed to be valid. In a typical home sale or transfer, the deed will be prepared by the escrow company or by the attorney handling the transfer. Further, in a typical sale, there is title insurance paid for by the seller and the title insurance company always reviews the deed to make sure that it is legally correct and proper.

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What To Do When Someone Lacks Mental or Physical Capacity?

WHAT IS A CONSERVATORSHIP?

A conservatorship is a court proceeding to protect a person and/or his or her property. Conservatorships are regulated by the California probate code and operate under the supervision of the probate court system.

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Can I give everything to the “love of my life” and keep it secret?

NO DISCLOSURE TO OMITTED HEIRS?

Up until 1997 a person could legally change his or her estate plan and the people previously benefited did not have any legal way to find out what the situation was. Before the law was changed to require disclosure as it is now, the state legislature committee reviewing the proposed legislation was presented with a case of a 90-year-old man who met the “love of his life” on a bar stool and married her three months later.

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How Does the Successor Trustee Handle the Bills and Debts of the Deceased Trustor?

LIVING TRUST ADMINISTRATION

Successor Trustee paying trustor debtsIf there is a living trust and all of the deceased person’s assets have been placed into the living trust prior to death, there is no need for a probate court administration. Creditor Rights? For probates, there are specific court-supervised formal steps required to notify creditors and for approval and rejection of creditor’s claims. The situation involving a trust is much less formal and the laws differ somewhat. The person who administers a living trust following the death of the trustors (the persons who created the trust) is known as the successor trustee.

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INCOME TAX & PROPERTY TAX TRAP FOR PREMATURE GIFT OF HOUSE

WAYS TO HANDLE THE FAMILY HOME TRANSFER

Retired couples typically have choices about how to pass on the family home. Might they make a mistake and give away the house too soon? They could sell the home and put the cash in the bank and rent. Another way people sometimes handle this is to draw up and record a deed transferring a home now to their children. The logic is that the children are going to get the house anyway so why not just given to them now. The third choice is to continue ownership of the house until both husband and wife have passed away and transfer the house to the children through their will or better yet through their living trust.

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WHY DID THE TRUSTEE PAY ALL THAT MONEY TO HIMSELF?

WHAT ARE TRUSTEE FEES?

A trust is typically established by a document known as a declaration of trust will which is a document with instructions for how the trust assets are to be handled. The declaration of trust also identifies the trust creators, known as trustors, the beneficiaries who will be receiving money and benefits out of the trust and the trustee. The trustee is the person or institution responsible for administering the trust, writing the checks, paying the bills, etc. The trustees fees are what is paid to the trustee for doing the work of administering the trust.

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Define Who Will Take Over and Control the Trust After the Trust Creators are Gone

Large Extended Family

TRUST CONTINUES AFTER DEATH OF CREATORS

A trust that is typically established to plan for distribution of family assets to the next generation has provisions for successor trustees. Initially, the trust creators, who are known in trust law as “Trustors”, also serve as the trustees of the trust. The trustees are the ones who are legally charged with administering the assets of the trust, signing on checks and bank statements, and dealing with the trust assets as any owner would. Trusts which are typically established are also known as “living trusts” and are revocable and changeable while the Trustors are alive and competent.

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Define WHO the Children are in the Trust or Face Expensive Uncertainty

The BASIC PURPOSE of a Trust in Estate Planning

Image of young girls in the 1950sA trust that is typically used to plan for asset transfer for the next generation is known as a “living trust” and is revocable and changeable during the lifetimes of the trust creators.  If the trust creators (known as “Trustors” under trust law) have children and/or grandchildren the trust document will explain which children or grandchildren gets which assets and when.

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Image of elderly man with adult son walking on beach

A Trust Can Be Set Aside and Disregarded if a Court Finds that a Trust Maker Lacked Capacity

PRESUMPTION OF CAPACITY

California law presumes that everyone has the mental capacity to make a trust.  Thus, if someone challenges a trust in court for lack of mental capacity it is up to the challenger to prove lack of capacity with sufficient evidence.

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