Upon the death of the creator of a Revocable Trust, Trust Administration must take place. This involves several tasks and responsibilities of the successor trustee. After death, a Power of Attorney is no longer effective, and the successor trustee must act under the power of the trust to carry out the trust administration.

The successor trustee must have the original Will filed with the county Probate Court. Under California law, there are notifications the trustee must send to all heirs and beneficiaries. Further, they are are to collect all of the assets under the trust to prepare for distribution, and paying debts and taxes owed by the decedent. They are required to act responsibly with the estate assets, and distribute property according to the terms of the Trust.

Our firm represents successor trustees to assist with the administration of trusts. The responsibilities of a successor trustee can be overwhelming, and we understand the difficulty when acting after someone’s passing.