Estate Planning and Probate for Dublin, California
The next step often turns on two questions: who has authority to act, and how are the assets owned? Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. has one in-person office in Novato and provides virtual services throughout California, including Dublin.
Start with the decision that is in front of you
If you are planning while alive, consider which decisions need direction: management of finances, health-care choices, or transfer of property. Estate planning can coordinate wills, trusts, financial authority, and health-care decisions; the right combination depends on your circumstances and goals.
If someone has died, first identify the documents that exist and how relevant assets are titled. Those facts can affect whether the next step is administration by a trustee or formal probate. A will, trust, or family relationship alone does not answer every ownership or authority question.
Planning during your lifetime
A planning conversation can begin with the people you want to make decisions, the property or accounts that need attention, and the instructions you want recorded. Wills and trusts address estate-planning goals in different ways; financial authority and health-care documents address different kinds of decisions. These pieces should be considered together rather than assuming one document handles every concern.
The available planning topics include wills, pour-over wills, revocable living trusts, financial powers of attorney, advance health-care directives and living wills, and health-care powers of attorney. Other topics include business succession, charitable giving, pets, special-needs planning, and different trust structures. These are options to discuss, not a checklist every family must complete.
After a death: trustee administration or probate?
Trust administration and formal probate depend on the governing documents and asset ownership. A practical first step is to gather the will and trust, if any, and a list of assets with their ownership or title information. Then ask which document or process gives someone authority to act and whether particular property may require a different path.
For an Alameda County probate matter, the court’s probate page provides links to local probate rules and forms, examiner notes, and probate calendars through the eCourt Public Portal. Filing information is distinct from court-location information, so confirm the department and instructions for the actual case rather than assuming where a matter will be handled.
Choose a focused next conversation
You do not need to decide on every possible service before seeking guidance. Bring the documents you have, note any assets whose ownership is unclear, and write down who currently has authority or who may need it. These are useful preparation steps, not legal prerequisites.
Depending on the question, the relevant topic may be wills, trusts, probate administration, or trust administration. The service topics also include executor and trustee services; the key issue is identifying the role and authority involved in your situation. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. serves Dublin clients virtually from its Novato-based practice.
Explore the service you need
- Advance Healthcare Directives and Living Wills
- Ancillary Probate
- Asset Protection Trusts
- Business Succession Planning
- Charitable Trusts
- Executor and Trustee Services
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Gift Tax Planning
- Healthcare Power of Attorney
- Irrevocable Trusts
- Pet Trusts
- Pour-Over Wills
- Probate Administration
- Revocable Living Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Trust Administration
- Wills
Questions to discuss
Does having a will mean probate is unnecessary?
Not by itself. Whether formal probate or trust administration applies depends on the documents and how assets are owned. Review the relevant documents and title information before deciding which process may be involved.
What should I gather before discussing estate administration?
If available, gather the will or trust and a list of assets with ownership or title information. These materials can help clarify which documents and ownership questions may affect the next step; they are practical preparation, not a guarantee of which process will apply.
Official resources
- California planning and administration resource
- California planning and administration resource
- Official Alameda County court resource
General information, not an assessment of your documents or circumstances. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. has one office at 802 Grant Ave, Novato, CA 94945, and offers virtual services across California. A remote consultation does not itself authorize remote signing or a remote court appearance.
