What we do
Trustee Support, Start to Finish
From the moment you're named a successor trustee to the final distribution, we handle the administrative complexity so you can focus on the decisions that actually require your judgment.
One engagement. Every piece of the process.
Trust administration isn't one task — it's investments, real estate, tax coordination, bookkeeping, family communication, and project discipline, all arriving at once. Most support services cover only one of those areas. We cover all of them, coordinating across every institution and professional involved so nothing falls through the cracks.
Trust Intake & Orientation
We start by reading the trust document carefully, identifying your specific obligations as trustee, and building a complete picture of the assets, beneficiaries, and timeline. You'll finish the intake knowing exactly what the process looks like from here.
- Trust document review and summary
- Asset inventory and valuation coordination
- Beneficiary identification and communication setup
- Obligation and deadline mapping
Institution Coordination
One of the most time-consuming parts of trust settlement is contacting and following up with banks, brokerages, insurance companies, and government agencies. We manage that correspondence on your behalf — tracking every account, every form, and every response.
- Financial institution notifications and retitling
- Brokerage and investment account transfers
- Insurance claim coordination
- Government agency filings (Social Security, DMV, etc.)
Real Property Support
When the trust holds real estate, the process involves appraisals, potential repairs, disclosures, and ultimately a sale or transfer. As a licensed Santa Barbara real estate agent, I understand every step of that process firsthand.
- Property appraisal coordination
- Maintenance and repair oversight
- Sale preparation and listing support
- Transfer and title coordination
Document Management & Record-Keeping
Trustees have a legal duty to keep accurate records. We maintain a complete, organized paper trail of every action taken — so you're protected, and so the final accounting is straightforward.
- Centralized document organization
- Correspondence tracking and filing
- Trustee accounting support
- Final distribution documentation
Professional Coordination
Trust administration typically involves an attorney, a CPA, and sometimes a financial advisor. We coordinate with all of them — preparing materials, tracking deliverables, and making sure nothing waits on a missing document.
- Attorney and CPA liaison
- Tax return preparation support
- Investment advisor coordination
- Timeline and deadline management across all parties
Beneficiary Communication
Keeping beneficiaries informed — clearly and consistently — reduces friction and protects you as trustee. We help draft and manage communications so everyone stays in the loop without the process becoming adversarial.
- Regular status updates to beneficiaries
- Distribution notices and documentation
- Response drafting and correspondence management
- Final accounting preparation and distribution
Fixed-fee arrangement
You know the cost before we begin
Unlike hourly professionals whose fees can be unpredictable, I work for a fixed fee agreed to upfront. That means my incentive is aligned with yours: get the trust settled efficiently and correctly, not with running the clock. The fee is scoped to your specific trust after an initial conversation.
Ready to hand off the complexity?
If you've recently been named a trustee and aren't sure where to start, let's talk. I'll walk you through what the process looks like for your specific situation.