CA Specific

Trusts, Estates & Probate

California Estate Administration Tasks and Disputes

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
California CLE Approved 6 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 55 minutes
Sheila-Marie Finkelstein
Matthew O
Leah Morrison
With Sheila-Marie Finkelstein Esq. from Klinedinst Attorneys + 2 others
Recorded January 27, 2026.
Product ID 101398

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Overview

How the Process Is Supposed to Work and the Many Ways It Can Go Wrong

Do you know what to do when estates go off the rails? Putting a decedent's affairs to rest is an intricate process, often complicated by grief and conflict. Are you prepared to spot danger zones at the outset and prevent them from derailing the administration? This comprehensive legal guide will walk you through the essential tasks of the estate administration, help identify and neutralize top sources of conflict, and arm you with the tools to resolve common disputes as they arise. Learn from the experience of professionals - register today!

  • Choose the right form of administration and qualify borderline cases for small estate procedures.
  • Prevent estate inventory mistakes that can easily snowball into distributions disputes.
  • Never miss a tax deadline with a quick guide to tax returns rules, forms, and timelines.
  • Get to the root causes of estate disputes and discover ways to prevent and resolve them.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Estate Administration Tasks and Procedures in Practice
  2. Tax Reporting for the Decedent and the Estate
  3. Common Estate Disputes: Root Causes and Lessons From Case Law
  4. Fiduciary Misconduct Disputes in Detail
  5. Legal Ethics in Estate Administration

Related Topics

Product ID 101398

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
California CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Estate Administration Tasks and Procedures in Practice

    1. Locating the Will and Other Immediate Tasks
    2. Forms of Administration, Qualifying for Small Estate Procedure
    3. Assets Marshalling, Inventory, and Appraisal
    4. Paying Debts: Public Notices and Creditor Claims
    5. Estate Management: Sale of Property, Tracking Expenses, etc.
    6. Distributing Assets and Closing the Estate

  2. Tax Reporting for the Decedent and the Estate

    1. Tax Rules Update for Individuals, Trusts, and Estates
    2. Requesting Extensions
    3. Past Taxes Due
    4. Determining the Value and Tax Basis of Assets
    5. Filing Tax Returns: Forms and Schedules

  3. Common Estate Disputes: Root Causes and Lessons From Case Law

    1. Identifying Potential Sources of Conflict
    2. Will Validity: Capacity, Undue Influence, Improper Execution
    3. Disputes Over Distributions From a "Pot" Trust
    4. Year's Support Claims
    5. Contested Creditor Claims
    6. Disputes Over Family Business
    7. Trust Disputes

  4. Fiduciary Misconduct Disputes in Detail

    1. Interpreting Testamentary Intent
    2. Objections to Accounts and Petitions
    3. Using Mediation to Prevent Escalation
    4. Notices of Proposed Action
    5. Document Requests and Depositions
    6. Financial Experts in Trusts and Estates Disputes

  5. Legal Ethics in Estate Administration

    1. Client Capacity Questions
    2. The Ever-Expanding Duty of Competence: Hitting the Moving Target
    3. Confidentiality and Deceased Clients
    4. Communicating With Third Parties
    5. Conflicts of Interest

Who Should Attend

This intermediate level online seminar is designed for professionals who want to be more effective in the estate administration process, such as:

  • Attorneys
  • CPAs and Accountants
  • Paralegals
  • Wealth Managers
  • Tax Professionals
  • Trust Officers
  • Personal Representatives

Speakers

Sheila-Marie Finkelstein Esq.
Sheila-Marie
Finkelstein, Esq.
Klinedinst Attorneys
Matthew M O'Leary
Matthew M.
O'Leary
O'Leary Wallace LLP
Leah A Morrison
Leah A.
Morrison
English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP
Speaker bio
Sheila-Marie Finkelstein Esq.

Sheila-Marie Finkelstein, Esq.

Klinedinst Attorneys
Sheila-Marie Finkelstein

has an LLM in Taxation, is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization, and is a Veterans Affairs Accredited Attorney. She is a licensed attorney in California and Nevada. She founded and runs the Pro Bono Estate Clinic at Veterans Legal Institute, preparing approximately 100 complete estate plans annually for veterans in need. Ms. Finkelstein, has been published multiple times in the American Bar Association national magazines and Orange County Lawyer, and teaches several continuing legal education courses through NBI, Orange County Bar Association, CEB, and CalVet. She frequently speaks at public and private events on the benefits of proper estate planning. Ms. Finkelstein is currently a Senior Counsel at Klinedinst Attorneys, in Orange County, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Prior to joining Klinedinst, Ms. Finkelstein founded AHAVA Law, P.C.™ where Estate Planning is Planning for Life…with your LOVE!™ Ms. Finkelstein is passionate about education and veterans. She practices in estate planning because of her experiences as a clerk for the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps, and as an elementary school science teacher with Teach for America. Ms. Finkelstein. She received her J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law, her B.A. from American University, M.Ed. from University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and LLM from Chapman University Fowler School of Law.

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Speaker bio
Matthew M O'Leary

Matthew M. O'Leary

O'Leary Wallace LLP
Matthew O'Leary

is a founding partner of O'Leary Wallace LLP, where he practices in the areas of trusts, estates and elder law, with a special emphasis on special needs planning, conservatorships, and probate and trust litigation. Mr. O'Leary earned his B.S. degree from Sacramento State University and his J.D. degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the San Luis Obispo Bar Association. Mr. O'Leary is admitted to practice in California.

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Speaker bio
Leah A Morrison

Leah A. Morrison

English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP
Leah Morrison

is an attorney with English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She concentrates her practice in designing estate, asset protection, and business succession plans in a tax advantageous manner. Ms. Morrison is a member of the American, Kentucky, Louisville, and Bowling Green-Warren County bar associations. She earned her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law; her LL.M. degree in taxation, magna cum laude, from the University of Alabama; and her B.A. degree in criminal justice from George Washington University.

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