Protecting Executive Legacies in Chandler Estates & Library Square
Sherman Oaks is a hub for professionals, executives, and entertainers who value both city convenience and suburban tranquility. Whether you own a gated contemporary in Hidden Woods or a classic estate in Chandler Estates, your property likely represents a multi-million dollar investment. A standard "will" is legally insufficient for these high-equity assets because it does not provide the Asset Protection or Incapacity Planning that high-net-worth families require.
As your Sherman Oaks estate attorney, we specialize in comprehensive protection strategies that include not just probate avoidance, but also California Proposition 19 defense. We help long-time residents preserve their low property tax base for their children, preventing a tax reassessment that could jump from $5,000 to $30,000 per year.
Navigating the Stanley Mosk Courthouse Backlog
Sherman Oaks probate matters are handled at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse (111 N Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90012), the central probate court for all of Los Angeles County. Currently, the court is navigating a massive case volume, with 12 to 24-month timelines for closing even simple estates.
During this period, your Sherman Oaks real estate is effectively frozen. It cannot be sold or refinanced without a court order, which can take months to obtain. A Living Trust allows your successor trustee to take control of your property within days, ensuring family financial stability and the ability to act quickly on market opportunities.
Specialized Planning for the "Executive Lifestyle"
We serve many clients who hold stock options, RSUs, and complex brokerage accounts. These assets require precise "Trust Funding" to ensure they do not trigger a probate filing upon death. We provide a tailored Funding Roadmap for every client, assisting with the retitling of your 91423 home and coordinating your beneficiary designations across all retirement accounts (401k/403b) to ensure your legacy remains in your family's hands, not the court's.
The Heggstad Petition: Saving Local Homes
If a loved one died with a trust but forgot to move their Sherman Oaks house into it, we can often file a Heggstad Petition (Probate Code § 850). This allows us to ask the judge to recognize the house as part of the trust retroactively. This is one of our firm's core specialties, and we have successfully saved dozens of local families from the full probate process using this procedure.
Complete Sherman Oaks Estate Planning Services
Our comprehensive estate planning packages include:
- Revocable Living Trust - Avoid probate entirely
- Pour-Over Will - Catch-all for assets outside the trust
- Durable Power of Attorney - Financial management if incapacitated
- Advance Healthcare Directive - Medical decisions
- Executive Asset Protection - Stock options, RSUs, equity
- Trust Transfer Deed - Transfer your Sherman Oaks home
- Trust Funding Roadmap - Complete asset coordination
- Proposition 19 Defense - Preserve property tax base
