Compassionate. Practical. Strategic.

With over 25 years of combined experience, the attorneys at the Law Office of Julie Ann Talbo help clients with estates of all sizes by providing practical solutions on trust and estate disputes, trust administration, probate, and estate planning. 

Areas of Practice

Estate Planning

The drafting and execution of a comprehensive estate plan tailored to each client’s unique needs and will typically include the following documents

  • Revocable Trust

    • Can include Special Needs Trust provisions

  • Pour-Over Will

  • Guardianship Nomination for Minor Children

  • Advance Health Care Directive

  • Power of Attorney for Finances

  • Trust Transfer Deed(s) and other funding documents

  • General Assignment and Transfer of Assets

  • Certificate of Trust

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Estate Litigation

Examples of Estate Litigation:

  • Will Contests

  • Trust Contests

  • Undue Influence

  • Financial Abuse of Elder

  • Disputes regarding interpretation of a Trust instrument

  • Disagreement over Inherited

  • Beneficiary Representation includes:

    • Demand for copy of Trust instrument from Successor Trustee upon Death or Incapacity of Settlor

    • Breach of Fiduciary Duties

    • Demand Accounting from Trustee

    • Trustee Mismanagement of Trust assets

    • Demand Distribution of Assets

  • Trustee Representation includes:

    • Objection to Beneficiary’s Petition for Removal as Trustee

    • Objection to Beneficiary’s Request for Surcharge

    • Compliance with Fiduciary Duties under the California Probate Code

    • Petition for Court Approval of Trustee’s Account and Report

Trust Administration

Examples of Probate Court Proceedings:

  • Formal Probate [Petition to Administer Estate, either according to a deceased person’s will (testate) or without a will (intestate)]

  • Spousal Property Petitions (surviving spouse claiming deceased spouse’s property as community property or passing to surviving spouse without a formal probate)

  • 850 Heggstad Petition (summary probate proceeding to transfer real property to trust when settlor has died)

  • Petition to Determine Succession to Primary Residence (to transfer the primary residence when the value of the house at a person’s death falls below the applicable limit)

  • Petition to Appoint Special Administrator (in emergency situations, for example, when the house is in foreclosure)

Legal advice to successor trustees in fulfilling their fiduciary duties under California law to administer the terms of the trust when the settlor becomes incapacitated or passes away.

Legal advice for heirs and beneficiaries regarding their rights under the terms of the trust and under California law.

Probate Proceedings