Comprehensive Estate Planning Services
Estate Planning
San Mateo Wills and Probate Attorneys Protect Your Estate
Preserving your family’s wealth for future generations
Whether you’re planning the parameters of your future medical care or establishing support for loved ones upon your death, Thirkell Law Group can help with all aspects of trusts and estates issues, including:
- Estate Planning
- Estate Tax Issues
- Choosing the Appropriate Executor
- Conservatorships and Guardianships
- Advance Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney
- Living Trusts
- Wills Drafting
Securing Your Legacy
You work hard for your family, so knowing that you have planned for their long-term well-being and financial security can bring you comfort. We thoroughly analyze your estate and strategize the best means of transferring your assets, minimizing taxes, establishing guardianship for your children, caring for your pets, supporting personal philanthropic causes, and protecting your loved ones.
Drafting Your Trusts, Wills and Estate Planning Documents
An estate plan is essential at every stage of your life. Your trust and/or will provides the opportunity to distribute your property, establish care for your children, and otherwise express your wishes upon your death. A trust or will is necessary if you intend to leave property to a person or entity other than a blood relative, such as a domestic partner, a friend, or a charity. Your Advance Health Care Directive sets the parameters for medical intervention should you become incapacitated. This assures that when you are most vulnerable, your wishes will be honored. I you die without a trust or will, the court determines how your property is distributed, who cares for your children, and even what happens to your pet - making decisions that might not reflect your desires.
Thirkell Law Group can draft trusts and wills that ensure your intentions are honored.
Changing Your Will
As your life changes, so might your estate plan. You may want to update your will throughout your life. Thirkell Law Group drafts valid codicils that address changes in your financial situation, marital status, number of children, philanthropic interests, and general lifestyle decisions.
Appointment of Guardianship
If you have minor children, your will allows you to make decisions about their future care. This is especially crucial if you are a single parent or if both parents die in a common incident. If you do not name a guardian, the court will appoint a guardian for your children and can make decisions adverse to your ultimate parenting goals. You can also make arrangements for your pets’ care in your will, including naming a guardian to take responsibility for your pets.
Contact a Knowledgeable Estate Planning Law Firm
For estate planning services in San Mateo and throughout San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, call Thirkell Law Group at (650) 348-1016 to arrange for a consultation.
Trust Administration and Probate
Trust Administration and Probate Attorneys Serving Residents of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties
San Mateo-based Thirkell Law Group has all your estate planning needs covered
With nearly 70 years of collective legal experience, Thirkell Law Group meets all your will and estate planning needs and can help you through the process of probate and the administration of trusts.
Experienced Trust and Estate Attorneys Guide You Through the Probate Process
Most executors rarely, if ever, probate a will and know little about the process. Thirkell Law Group will guide you through all aspects of probate, including:
- Filing the will with the California probate court
- Developing the best strategy for fairly and expeditiously probating the estate
- Finding and collecting assets
- Closing and opening bank accounts
- Paying estate taxes
- Valuing, managing, preserving, and liquidating the estate
- Locating beneficiaries
- Hiring experts, when appropriate
- Transferring assets from the deceased to the estate
Further, our attorneys’ professional courtroom presence can calm the emotionally charged process of probating a challenged will, disputed executor or judicial decision. We are adept at mediating these disputes to preserve cordial familial relationships. But if necessary, we will assertively defend your beneficiary rights.
Helping You Select and Monitor a Trust Administrator
Once a trust is established, its operation must be overseen by a qualified administrator. This trustee manages the investment of funds and distribution of assets according to the grantor’s design contained in the trust’s documents. Trust administration requires careful attention to each detail of the grantor’s wishes. A conscientious trustee must have comprehensive knowledge of the law and be scrupulous regarding client service.
For 40 years, Thirkell Law Group has provided administration services on a wide variety of trusts, including:
- Credit shelter trusts (CST)
- Incentive trusts
- Living trusts
- Generation-skipping trusts
- QTIP trusts
- Charitable remainder trusts
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts
We Provide Meticulous Administrative Services and Advice to Trustees
Thirkell Law Group in San Mateo has extensive experience in all duties expected of a trust administrator, including:
- Investment of assets
- Management of assets
- Preparation of accountings
- Distributions to beneficiaries
A trustee can be personally liable for mistakes or omissions that result in losses for the trust. Thirkell Law Group offers sound advice to trustees to ensure accurate and complete compliance with all aspects of trust administration.
Contact the Thorough Estate Planning Lawyers at Thirkell Law Group
If you have been named as a trustee or an executor to a will, Thirkell Law Group strongly recommends you retain professional assistance from a knowledgeable, competent source. Call us at (650) 348-1016 today.
Conservatorships & Guardianships
Thirkell Law Group can help you arrange for the care of an elderly parent, disabled adult child, or minor child. Our knowledgeable attorneys can also guide you in choosing a fiduciary or guardian whom you can trust to manage the financial and healthcare needs of your loved ones. The Thirkell Law Group is experienced in handling the legal and emotional issues that can arise when seeking conservatorship or guardianship.
Caring for an Incapacitated Adult
When devising your estate plan, the care of the most vulnerable members of your family is likely your foremost concern. Thirkell Law Group can advise you on making crucial decisions about the financial support, protection, and supervision of developmentally disabled or physically challenged adults or similarly disadvantaged children who face a precarious future if left on their own.
Choosing a Guardian for Your Child
You should name a guardian who will raise your children according to your parental philosophies. The court will reject a guardian who is unwilling or unable to care for your child. We suggest you name an alternative guardian to fulfill the role if your primary guardian choice is unavailable. We also recommend that you thoroughly discuss your decision with your chosen guardian to confirm that the guardian is willing and prepared to accept the full responsibility of caring for your child as you see fit.
Establishing a Conservatorship or Guardianship
Our conservatorship practice includes there presentation of friends, family members, and private, professional fiduciaries in all aspects of conservatorship proceedings, including initiating conservatorship proceedings, opposing conservatorship proceedings, administration during the duration of the conservatorship, and terminating the conservatorship. Our paralegals are skilled in the preparation of Court accounting and can assist the conservator in the preparation when necessary. Edward Thirkell and Julia Lingys serve on the San Mateo County Independent Counsel panel and represent conservatees and proposed conservatees. The Thirkell Law Group also represents several San Mateo County private professional fiduciaries.
Our guardianship practice includes there presentation of family members seeking probate guardianship in both contested and non-contested guardianship proceedings. As part of this firm’s guardianship practice, the Thirkell Law Group also represents people opposing a pending guardianship petition. Our lawyers and paralegals are experienced in all aspects of probate guardianship proceedings and have the knowledge to assist with a difficult emotional proceeding.
Our Office
San Mateo
181 Second Avenue, Suite 625, P.O. Box 190
San Mateo, California 94401(650) 348-2968
CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 1010(E): service@thirkell-law.com
