Areas of Practice

Trust Administration

Trust administration is the process used to ensure that the trustee complies with California law and is carrying out the mandates of the trust as written. For example, a common task in trust administration is ensuring that the title to assets held in the trust is properly transferred. Trust administration also includes the process by which a trustor’s estate is distributed following his or her death. Following the trustor’s death, the successor trustee(s) takes over management of the trust. The trustee of any trust has a number of fiduciary duties with regard to the trust and its assets. One such duty is to account to beneficiaries.

Trustees may find themselves in the often confusing process of administering a spouse’s or parent’s trust after the death of a loved one. We understand that this can be a very difficult time for the surviving family members. We stay involved with the trustees from the beginning to the end of this process, providing guidance to assist a trustee in inventorying and valuing trust assets, providing notifications to the trust beneficiaries, selling assets when necessary, and distributing assets to subtrusts or outright to beneficiaries. We also make sure that our trustee clients understand their fiduciary duties and advise them on how to best protect themselves from any liability to the beneficiaries of the trust.

The attorneys at Crosby & Crosby, PLC are experienced in the area of trust administration and can advise the trustee regarding their duties and responsibilities while guiding them through the trust administration process. In addition, our attorneys have experience assisting beneficiaries who believe the trustee is not acting properly.

For further information regarding the trust administration services offered by our firm, contact us.