Indian Wells Trust Administration Attorney

More assets, more moving parts

Trusts here often include a country club home, brokerage and retirement accounts, and sometimes property in another state. Each piece has its own paperwork. Retirement accounts usually pass by beneficiary designation, not the trust, and they can have their own tax considerations.

Getting an accurate date-of-death value for everything matters. It can affect taxes for the beneficiaries down the road.

Tax questions to raise early

Larger estates can raise tax questions, and there may be tax returns to file for the person who died and for the trust. I work alongside your CPA so nothing is missed and deadlines are met.

Club homes and memberships

Some club memberships can be transferred or sold, and some have their own rules or fees when an owner dies. The trustee should find out early what the club allows, since it can affect the home's value and timing of a sale.

The first steps

Secure the property, gather the trust and statements, send the trustee notice, record an affidavit of death, and file the change in ownership statement with the assessor within 150 days after the death.

For the full step-by-step list, see my trust administration overview.

How I work with trustees

You can meet me at my Palm Desert office, minutes from Indian Wells, or by Zoom. Most of the work is handled for a flat fee, quoted up front before you hire me. If something out of the ordinary comes up, like a dispute or a court petition, we'll talk about it before any extra work starts.

Common questions

Do retirement accounts go through the trust?

Often not. They usually pass to whoever is named as beneficiary on the account, and sometimes that's the trust itself. The trustee should confirm who's named early on.

Should the trust hire a CPA?

In most larger estates, yes. I'm happy to work alongside yours.