Trusts
Trust administration, successor trustee help and independent trustee services in San Luis Obispo County
When a trust needs someone to run it, I step in as successor trustee, independent trustee, or trust administrator. I handle the work in San Luis Obispo County (SLO County), Santa Barbara County and across the Central Coast, California.
Kristie Carter, NCGCalifornia Licensed Professional FiduciaryCentral Coast, California
When someone has died
Trust administration after death
Once the person who made the trust passes away, the trust becomes irrevocable and the successor trustee takes over. I secure the home and accounts, send the required notice to beneficiaries and heirs under Probate Code 16061.7, gather appraisals, pay final bills and taxes with your CPA, keep a full accounting, and distribute what is left as the trust says.
Successor trustee help
If you were named successor trustee and feel unsure where to start, I can guide you through the steps or take over the job entirely. Many family trustees hand the work to a professional so they can be a son or daughter again instead of an administrator.
Successor trustee administration
I serve as the acting successor trustee from start to finish: inventory, valuation, bill paying, property decisions, tax filings coordinated with your CPA, beneficiary updates, and the final distribution and accounting.
When the family needs a neutral person
Independent trustee in California
An independent trustee has no stake in the outcome. When siblings disagree, when a beneficiary is also the trustee, or when the family wants an outside voice, a licensed independent fiduciary keeps decisions fair and documented.
Neutral trustee and family trustee replacement
If a family trustee needs to resign, cannot serve, or has lost the trust of the beneficiaries, I can be appointed as a neutral trustee so the trust keeps moving.
Fiduciary for trust litigation
During a trust dispute, the court or the parties may need a temporary or successor trustee who answers to everyone equally. I work with each side's attorneys, keep the assets protected, and report clearly. I do not take sides and I do not give legal advice.
Trust protector
Some trusts create a trust protector role with specific powers, such as removing a trustee or updating administrative terms. If your trust names that role, I can serve as an independent trust protector within the powers the document gives.
While your parents are living
Trustee for aging parents
When a parent can no longer manage their own trust, the successor trustee steps in while they are still living. I pay the bills, protect the house, coordinate care costs, and keep the family informed, with the parent's well-being first.
Trust management services
Ongoing trust management: bill paying, recordkeeping, property oversight, insurance, working with the trust's financial advisor and CPA, and regular statements to beneficiaries.
A corporate trustee alternative
A bank or trust company is one choice. A licensed individual trustee is another. You work with one person who knows the family and the property, answers the phone, and lives here on the Central Coast.
Trustee services in California
If your trust names me, or the beneficiaries ask me to step in, I accept the role in writing, give you my fee schedule up front, and report to beneficiaries as California law requires.
When I serve as fiduciary on a matter, property is handled through the trust or court process, and any potential conflict of interest is disclosed in writing and handled under 16 CCR 4476.
Common questions
What does a successor trustee do in California?
A successor trustee takes over a trust when the person who made it dies or can no longer manage it. The job includes protecting assets, giving notice to beneficiaries, paying bills and taxes, keeping records, and distributing the trust as written.
Can I hire a professional trustee instead of a family member?
Yes. A trust can name a licensed professional fiduciary as trustee or successor trustee, and beneficiaries can often appoint one when the named trustee cannot or will not serve.
How long does trust administration take?
It depends on the assets. A simple trust can take several months. A trust with real estate, a business, or a dispute takes longer. I give you a realistic plan at the start.
Fees
Hourly fees range from $200 to $275. My full written fee schedule is provided free on request. Call 805.235.4499 or email kristie@kristiecarter.com.
Trustee fees are paid from the trust as the trust and California law allow (Probate Code 15681) and are shown in the trust accounting. In conservatorships, the court reviews and approves fees (Probate Code 2640 to 2645).
Talk with Kristie
The first call is a chance to ask questions and see if I'm the right fit for your family, your trust or your case.
Serving San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California.
Please don't email account numbers, Social Security numbers or medical details. We can go over those in person.