Our Estate Settlement and Probate Department will help you and your family through the legal process of settling an estate after a loved one passes away.  Settlement of Trusts and Probates are similar, but each has their own unique requirements and must be conducted accordingly.

Estate Settlement Table of Contents

INITIAL CONTACT
04 b Client Prospect Information Sheet
04 c Letter Confirming Gathering Meeting
04 d Document Checklist
04 e Map to Office

THE GATHERING & INITIAL VISIT
05 a Memo re Gathering & Initial Visit Meeting
05 b Recap Letter re Gathering & Initial Visit Meeting
05 c Gathering & Initial Visit White Board
05 d Debrief & Initial Visit

CONFIDENTIAL ESTATE SETTLEMENT
06 Confidential Estate Information

ENGAGEMENT – NON-ENGAGEMENT
07 a Fee Agreement – Trust Settlement
07 b Fee Agreement – Probate
07 c Fee Agreement – Non-Probate
07 d Authorization for Release of Information – Trust
07 e Conflict Letter
07 b a Fee allocation Form
07 Declination Letter

CREATING FIDUCIARY AUTHORITY
08 a Memorandum Re Creating Fiduciary Authority
08 b Recap Letter Re Fiduciary Authority Meeting
08 c TEMPLATE Trustee Transmittal
08 d Letter to Accounting Professional
08 e Letter to Financial Professional
08 f Letter to Other Professional
Tabs 9-17 – PROBATE
09 Petition for Probate
09 f Attachment 3e(2) Cover Page
09 g Court Checklist – Petition for Probate
09 Letter to Court Lodging Original Will
10 Duties and Liabilities
10 a DE-147 Duties and Liabilities
10 b DE-147S Confidential Supplemental to Duties and Liabilities
11 Publication of Probate
11 San Diego County – Approved Newspapers for Publication
11 a Affidavit of Good Faith Publication
12 Bond Application
12 a Bond Application
12 b DE-111(A-3D) DE-142 Waiver of Bond
12 c MC-030 Dec re Creditors for No Bond
12 d Waiver o f Bond & Nomination IAEA Power of Attorney
13 Notice of Petition- HEARING
13 a DE-120 Notice of Hearing
13 b DE-120(MA) Attachment to Notice of Heirs and Beneficiaries
13 c DE-121 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate
13 d DE-121(MA) Attachment to Notice of Petition to Administer
13 e Pleading – Proof of Service for Notice of Hearing
14 Supplement to Petition for Probate
14 a Supplement to Clear Defects
14 b Exhibit Pages
15 Examiner Notes
16 Order for Probate
16 DE-140 Order for Probate
17 Letters, Conformed and Certified Copies
17 DE-150 Letters
18-21 TRUST
18-19 Certifications of Trust
18 a Certification of Administrative RLT
18 b Certification of Administrative IDIT
19 a Certification of A Trust
19 b Certification of B Trust
19 c Certification of C Trust
20 Change of Trustee
20 a Declination of Trustee
20 b Letter Declining Trustee – No Successor
20 c Resignation of Trustee & Consent To Successor
21 Affidavit Death of Trustee
21 Affidavit Death of Trustee
22-28 NOTICES
22 EIN Number and Application 
22 a Reference SAMPLE EIN Application
22 b SS-4 Application for EIN
22 c Reference – Cancelling EIN
22 d TEMPLATE  Letter to IRS Cancelling EIN
23 Franchise Tax Board – FTB & IRS
23 a Fax Coversheet Form
23 b Letter to FTB Re Claims against Trust Estate
23 c FTB Probate Clearance Form 3571
23 d Information for Decedents in Probate re FTB
23 e Letter to FTB re Claims against Probate
23  f Form 56 Notice – Fiduciary Relationship
23 g Form 8822
24 Heirs and Beneficiaries
24 a Letter to Heirs and Beneficiaries
24 b Notice to Heirs and Beneficiaries RLT – with Trust
24 c Notice to Heirs and Beneficiaries RLT – No Trust
24 d Notice to Heirs and Beneficiaries IDIT – with Trust
24 e Notice to Heirs and Beneficiaries IDIT – No Trust
24 f Letter to Trustee confirming contest period has elapsed
24 g Required Information Statements to Beneficiaries
25 Department of HealthCare Services
25 a Estate Recovery Codes  DHCS
25 b Letter to DCHS Re Claim Against Estate
25 c Letter to DHCS Re Claims Against Probate Estate
26 Credit Agencies
26 a Notice to Credit Agencies
26 b Letter to Experian Re Claims Against Estate
26 c Letter to Equifax Re Claims Against Estate
26 d Letter to Transunion Re Claims Against Estate
26 e Notice to Credit Agencies – Probate
26 f Letter to Equifax Re Claims Against Probate Estate
26 g Letter to Experian Re Claims against Probate Estate
26 h Letter to Transunion Re Claims Against Probate Estate
27 Creditor Notices
27 a Letter to Creditor of Decedent
27 b TEMPLATE Probate Declaration re No Creditor Claims
28 Lodging of the Will
28 Letter to Court Lodging Original Will
29-31 OTHER DOCUMENTS
29 Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant
30 Small Estates Affidavit
30 a Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property
30 b Letter to Out of State Asset Holder
30 c Small Estates Affidavit
31 Affidavit of Decedent’s Domicile
31 Affidavit of Decedents Domicile – Probate

THE INVENTORY & APPRAISAL
32 Correspondence with Collaborative Professionals
32 a Letter to Accounting Professionals
32 b Letter to Financial Professionals
32 c Letter to Other Professionals
33 Estate Spreadsheets
33 a Master Estate Settlement Spreadsheet – Single Person Big Picture
33 b Master Estate Accounting Spreadsheet – Married Person Big Picture
33 c Master Estate Accounting Spreadsheet
34 Probate I&A
34 a DE-160 Inventory and Appraisal
34 b DE-161 Attachment to Inventory and Appraisal
34 c Inventory and Appraisal Transmittal Letter to Probate Referee
34 d Sample Probate Summary Account Forms

The Case Analysis
35 a Letter Confirming Collaborative Case Analysis Meeting
35 b Memo RE Case Analysis Meeting
35 c Recap Letter to Professionals re Case Analysis Meeting
36 Final Asset Spreadsheets

Presenting the Plan
37 a Memorandum Re Presenting the Plan Meeting
37 Recap Letter Re Presenting the Plan Meeting

Building the Plan
38 a Memorandum Re Building the Plan Meeting
38 b Recap Re Building the Plan

The Implementation & Distribution
39 a Memorandum Implementation Meeting
39 b Recap Letter Re Implementation Meeting
39 c Reminder Letter to Client re Tax Returns
40 Deed Templates
40 a Affidavit Death of Trustee
40 b Correction Deed
40 c Death of Real Property Owner
40 d Deed Exhibit A
40 e Letter to Recorder/Clerk – Riverside
40 f Letter to Recorder/Clerk – San Bernardino
40 g Letter to Recorder/Clerk – San Diego
40 h Parent Child Exclusion
40 i Preliminary Change of Ownership
40 j Trust Transfer Deed
40 Disclaimers
40 k Disclaimer
40 l TEMPLATE Disclaimer Transmittal Letter
40 Promissory Notes
40 m TEMPLATE – Promissory Note
40 Settlement Agreements
40 n Mutual and Reciprocal Compromise Agreement
40 o Settlement Agreement
41 Fiduciary Accounting
41 a Probate Account Work progress Sample
41 b Probate Summary of Account Sample
41 c Waiver of Accounting
41 d Checklist – Reasons to Delay in Settling Account
41 e Procedural Guide – Account and Distribution
42-44 Probate
42 Probate Final Petition
42 a TEMPLATE 1 – Petition for Final Distribution
42 b TEMPLATE 2 – Petition for Final Distribution
42 c TEMPLATE 3 – Petition for Final Distribution
42 d Local Form Petition for Final Distribution SDSC PR-165
42 e TEMPLATE Exhibit Pages Simple
42 f TEMPLATE Exhibits Pages Detailed
42 g TEMPLATE Pleading – Proof of Service
43 Examiner Notes & Supplement
44 Final Order for Distribution
44 a TEMPLATE – Order for Final Distribution
44 b Findings & Order After Hearing Local Form PR-130
44 c DE-120 Notice of Hearing
44 d DE-120 (MA) Attachment to Notice of Hearing
45 Preliminary Distribution
45 a Preliminary Distribution Letter with Receipt
45 b Receipt for Preliminary Distribution
45 c Letter with Check for Preliminary Distribution
45 d Required Information Under Probate Code
46 Final Distribution
46 a Final Distribution Letter with Receipts
46 b Receipt for Final Distribution
46 c Letter with Check for Final Distribution
46 d Required Information Under Probate Code
46 e SAMPLE – Schedule A – Account Summary
46 f SAMPLE – Summary of Accounting Report
47 Declaration of Allocation & Distribution of Trust
47 a Declaration of Trust A Allocation – No Split
47 b Declaration of Trust Allocation
47 c Declaration of Trust Split A & B Allocation
47 d Declaration of Trust Split A B & C Allocation
47 e TEMPLATE MASTER Declaration of Trust Split

The Confirmation
48 a Memorandum for Confirmation Meeting
48 b DE 295 Petition for Final Discharge
48 c TEMPLATE – Cover Letter to Court Filing Discharge