Law Offices of Ronald E. Champoux

Probate

This section and the related pages to the left deal with probate, or the administration of an individual's estate upon his or her death or disability.  A probate administration is necessary in most cases where an individual dies with or without a will, and leaves an estate in excess of $100,000.  A trust administration is often used where an individual dies with a properly funded living trust as his or her estate planning instrument.  A conservatorship of the estate may be used to manage an individual's estate when her or she becomes legally incompetent.

Probate - Overview:  This page provides a basic overview of the process of administering a probate estate in California.

Trust Administration:  As living trusts become more popular, it has become common to administer a decedent's estate using trust administration procedures rather than a formal probate administration.  In many cases, similar types of tasks must be performed with a trust administration as with a probate estate, although court approval of a trustee's actions is generally not required.  This page will provide an overview of the following: (1) the powers and duties of the trustee of a typical trust; (2) tasks requiring immediate attention upon the death of a settlor (i.e., the creator of a trust), and (3) typical ongoing tasks required of a trustee throughout the period that a trust is in existence.

Conservatorships: This page provides a basic overview of conservatorships in California.  Conservatorships are formal probate proceedings brought on behalf of an individual who is unable to properly provide for his or her personal needs, or is unable to manage his or her finances.

Send mail to rchampoux@a-1law.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2008 Ronald E. Champoux, Esq.

The purpose of this web site is to provide general information on estate planning, family law and probate.  The laws on these topics are subject to change.   Nothing in this web site should be construed as legal advice.  If you have a specific legal problem, you should consult a lawyer.