Pleasanton, California, Trust Litigation Attorney

Probate Lawyer Serving San Jose and Other Areas

Most trust litigation arises due to self-interest or simple incompetence on the part of the trustee. It may be that the trustee was also a beneficiary, and there was a misunderstanding about the allocation of the shares. Or the trustee may not have been aware of what the role really involved, and inadvertently breached a fiduciary duty.

Either way, it makes sense to get an attorney involved who is experienced with trust litigation in order to sort out the financial issues.

I am tax, estate planning and family law attorney Connie Yi. Having worked as a CPA in a large accounting firm before opening my own law firm, I am well-equipped to handle the issues involving litigation about wills and trusts. Contact me today to schedule a free initial consultation. I serve clients from four accessible locations in the Bay Area.

Use of Trusts to Avoid Probate

In California, the tax structure creates a very tangible incentive to create trusts for the transfer of assets, rather than having them go through probate. The statutory fees for probate are steep − as much as $20,000, for example, on a $500,000 home. So there is a definite incentive to set up a trust to transfer the assets.

Trust litigation can arise, however, when trustees engage in self-dealing (perhaps by paying themselves excessive fees) or failure to count the trust's money correctly. When this happens, it's best to get an independent audit of the trust's finances so that everyone has clarity on where things stand.

I have the legal and accounting skills to facilitate this resolution. A careful audit, not scorched-earth litigation, is often the best way to end conflict and move forward. This is especially the case with families, who − with the help of greater transparency about the trust − may well be able to settle the dispute without the intervention of a judge.

Offering a complimentary consultation

For one-stop tax, business and family law services in the Bay Area, contact me for a free initial consultation. For your convenience, I maintain four accessible locations with free parking and accept all major credit cards. In addition, I speak fluent Chinese. Evening and weekend appointments are available.