What You Require For Trust Litigation Los Angeles

By Sandra Hughes


When named the trustee for a deceased person, you will have various responsibilities that are outlined in the trust. Your main responsibilities will include ensuring that the taxes and debts of the deceased are paid and accounting for all assets. You will also ensure that the remaining assets are distributed fairly to the appropriate beneficiaries. Below are some of the things you require for trust litigation Los Angeles.

As you begin your role as a successor trustee, you must avail several documents. These include the tax compliance certificate for a trust, contact information of the beneficiaries, testament, last will and death certificate of a decedent. You should make eight copies of the death certificate that will be taken to different governmental and non governmental agencies when working on trusts. You should also file a will to a probate court.

The general duties for successor trustees vary depending on the state that a person is situated. These include investing and holding deceased assets. Trusts usually outline how beneficiaries want their assets to be distributed. If they are unclear, a trust litigation lawyer should be hired. Trustee successors should also pay all debts and taxes associated with trusts and record all monetary transactions.

As the successor trustee, your main job is to work according to the wishes of your client. In this case, you ought to speak to the company that offered social security services to your deceased client and explain to them that your client will no longer take their services. These services are usually offered on subscription basis. Any social security deductions made when an individual has died should be refunded.

The rights that beneficiaries are entitled to vary based on what is indicated in trusts. Some beneficiaries only have the right to access a small percentage of an inheritance while others have the right to get a larger share. Irrespective of the share a beneficiary is going to get, one should access the information about how the assets are handled in writing.

You must be prepared to be challenged and questioned by beneficiaries. At times, they may fail to agree with the terms and conditions stipulated in trusts. In this case, beneficiaries may decide to file a lawsuit regarding equitable distribution of the property they are supposed to inherit from their deceased loved one.

Communication is also paramount when tasked with the role of a trustee. You should update beneficiaries regarding the status of their inheritance. This is because most of them are usually impatient and may act irrationally due to their impatience. You can adopt modern communication modes such as telephone calls. Beneficiaries are more settled when a trustee frequently gets in touch with them.

Successor trustees are mandated by trust litigation laws to act neutral when handling assets that were previously owned by a deceased person. Acting neutral ensures that they do not favor any beneficiary because this may result to family conflicts. On the other hand, family conflicts are complex to solve especially if they involve inheritance issues.




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