015: Trust Administration in California: What Every Trustee Needs to Know Before They Start

When a loved one dies and you’re named successor trustee, the clock starts immediately. In this episode, DeDe Soto breaks down the full arc of California trust administration, from gathering assets and notifying beneficiaries to filing tax returns and formally closing the trust. She covers what trustees are legally required to do, where they most often go wrong, and why personal liability is a real risk for anyone who treats the role casually.

DeDe draws on her years of estate planning and trust litigation experience at Soto Law Group to explain the fiduciary standard in plain terms. She addresses beneficiary rights, the 120-day notice requirement, step-up in basis, estate tax exemptions, and the danger of commingling funds.

One truth runs through the entire conversation: the trustee role carries legal weight whether you hire help or go it alone.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Trustees vs. successor trustees vs. executors, and why the distinctions matter
• What fiduciary duty actually requires in practice
• The step-by-step administration timeline, from death through final distribution
• Common mistakes that expose trustees to personal liability
• What beneficiaries are legally entitled to receive and request
• Estate taxes, step-up in basis, and the forms trustees must file
• Why choosing the right successor trustee matters more than most people think

Resources from this Episode

https://www.thesotolawgroup.com/contact-us-newport-beach-lawyers

Phone: 949-629-4569

Address:

The Soto Law Group
4041 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite #200
Newport Beach, CA 92660

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