California Estate Administration From Start to Finish
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| California CLE |
|
6.75 Total | 08-14-2026 |
Buy This Course
OnDemand Video
Course Book Download
or
Overview
A Comprehensive Step-By-Step Guide to Estate Administration
Whether you're new to estate administration or need a basic refresher, this course will provide you with a comprehensive overview of estate administration, including proper asset valuation and distribution, taxation, and account closing procedures. You'll also learn how to correctly deal with thorny estate administration debt issues, including jointly held assets, business ownership and complex tax issues. Equip yourself with real-life, practical knowledge to ensure you are fully prepared to handle the entire estate administration process from start to finish - register today!
- Learn how to meet every deadline, follow procedures, and complete essential forms.
- Identify key estate administration pitfalls you need to avoid.
- Come away with helpful forms, sample documents, and checklists to assist in the process.
- Acquire strategies to ensure you can help your clients through every step of the probate process.
- Manage your client's entire estate administration procedures properly and effectively.
- Learn how to tackle complex estate administration issues such as tax issues, jointly held assets, and will contests.
- Understand how to properly transfer and distribute assets.
- Explore proper procedures and processes when dealing with insurance claims and debt during estate administration.
- Gain a better understanding of the probate court's procedures so that you can avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.
- Get the latest information on allowances and elections against the will.
- Identify how to properly distribute assets to minors, surviving spouses and trusts.
Abbreviated Agenda
- Commencement of Proceedings and Information Gathering
- Initial Steps to the Estate Administration Process
- Marshalling Assets
- Complex Issues in Estate Administration
- Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
- Handling Estate Administration Tax Issues
- Distribution and Closing of the Estate
- Ethics and Estate Administration
Credit Details
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| California CLE |
|
6.75 Total | 08-14-2026 |
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Agenda
-
Commencement of Proceedings and Information Gathering
- Appointment of Estate Administration
- Formal vs. Informal Proceedings
- Sample Letters of Authority
- First Meeting With Family or Designated Personal Representative and Determination of Heirs
- Written Fee Agreements
- Tips to Locate Information Quickly Using Online and Government Resources
- Dealing with Multiple States
- Appointment of Estate Administration
-
Initial Steps to the Estate Administration Process
- Understanding the Laws of Intestacy
- Sample Estate Administration Checklists, Forms and Required Notices Needed
- Interpreting Provisions and Terms of Art Found in Wills
- Using Disclaimers Correctly
-
Marshalling Assets
- Procedures to Locating and Marshalling Probate and Non-Probate Assets
- Safe Deposit Boxes and Bank Accounts
- Real Estate
- Brokerage Accounts, 401Ks, IRAs, Pensions and Life Insurance Policies
- Sample Forms and Documents Needed
- Appraisers and Valuing the Property of Probate Estates
- Procedures to Locating and Marshalling Probate and Non-Probate Assets
-
Complex Issues in Estate Administration
- Jointly Held Assets
- Spousal Claims
- Allowances and Elections Against the Will
- Handling Unmarried Couples and Stepchildren
- Will Contests, Trust and Estate Disputes
- Business Ownership
- Agency Problems Involving Guardianships, Conservatorships, Powers of Attorney or Other Agency Relationships
-
Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
- Sample Forms and Required Notices Needed
- Priority and Payment of Claims
- Late Claims and Contested Claims
- Steps to Ensure all Debt is Located and Handled Correctly
- What if the Assets Don't Cover the Bills?
- Bankruptcy and Foreclosure
- Selling of Assets and Properly Dealing with Creditors
-
Handling Estate Administration Tax Issues
- Examples of Forms Needed
- Federal and State Estate Tax Considerations
- Income Tax Issues for the Estate and the Heirs
- Resolving Disputes With Taxing Authorities
- Deductions and Exemptions
- How the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Affects Your Clients
- Tax Deadlines and Handling Extensions
- Sales of Real Property
-
Distribution and Closing of the Estate
- Sample Forms, Agreements and Documents Needed
- Proper Transferring and Distribution of Probate and Non-Probate Assets and Timing of Distributions
- Real Estate
- 401Ks, IRAs, Pensions and Life Insurance Policies
- Distribution of Miscellaneous Assets (Automobiles, Jewelry, Etc.)
- Distributions in Kind
- Distribution to Minors, Surviving Spouse and Trusts
- Disposition of Unclaimed Assets
- Proper Settlement of the Estate
- Formal and Informal Estate Accountings
- Choosing the Appropriate Closing Procedure
- Compensation and Discharge of the Personal Representative
-
Ethics and Estate Administration
- Breach of Fiduciary Responsibility
- Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
- Attorney-Client Privilege
- Fee Agreements
Who Should Attend
This basic 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
Speakers
Speaker bio
Alexander C. Winkle
is a senior associate in the Estates and Trusts Group at Henderson, Caverly & Pum LLP, where he assists clients in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and a variety of tax-related matters. Mr. Winkle obtained both his J.D. and Tax LL.M. degrees in 2015, with honors, from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. During law school, he clerked for the Internal Revenue Service and the Franchise Tax Board. Mr. Winkle earned his B.A. degree in political science and his B.F.A. degree in film production from Chapman University, both with University Honors, cum laude. Prior to joining Henderson, Caverly & Pum LLP, he was an associate attorney at Schwartz Law Group, Inc. from 2016-2021, where he designed, drafted, and implemented comprehensive federal, state, and international tax planning; estate planning; and business planning for businesses and individuals with a focus on control, growth, profitability, protection of assets and succession planning. Mr. Winkle also represented clients in probate matters before the California Superior Court. He is a certified specialist in both estate planning, trust and probate law as well as taxation law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, and served on the board of several non-profit organizations including Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay.
Speaker bio
Christina Lewis
is an attorney with Parker, Milliken, Clark, O'Hara & Samuelian. She practices in the areas of estate planning, asset protection and business law. Ms. Lewis works with clients to plan and implement strategies to transfer family wealth and accomplish personal goals in a tax efficient manner. She advises fiduciaries in regards to the administration of trusts and estates. The transactional side of Ms. Lewis's practice includes drafting, negotiating and advising clients on all types of documents and agreements; including shareholder, partnership and joint venture agreements, by-laws, association agreements, consulting agreements, noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements, representation agreements, management services agreements, leases, franchise agreements, license agreements, distribution agreements and other agreements, and documents used in the operation of her clients' businesses. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California Los Angeles and her J.D. degree from Loyola Law School.
Speaker bio
Sandy Isaac
is a senior counsel with Buchalter in the firm's San Diego office, with particular experience in estate planning, probate, trust administration, and conservatorships. She is a certified specialist by the State Bar of California in estate, trust, and probate. She has ample experience in representing professional and nonprofessional fiduciaries, beneficiaries/heirs, and creditors with a variety of issues. When necessary, Ms. Isaac also represents clients in estate, trust and conservatorship litigation. In addition to practicing law, she teaches at the University of San Diego in the area of wills, trust and estates. She earned her B.A. degree from University of California San Diego and her J.D. degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Speaker bio
Jeremy J. Ofseyer
is an attorney in Palm Desert and certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. His practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, and probate court proceedings involving trusts, estates, and conservatorships. Mr. Ofseyer has taught wills and trusts and estate planning as an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne College of Law since 2009. He has served as a volunteer for the Standing Committee on Ethics of the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California, and has taught ethics at Harvard, N.Y.U., U.N.C., and U.C.L.A. Mr. Ofseyer is a graduate of the Harvard Law School, magna cum laude.
Speaker bio
Beti Bergman
is an attorney and founder of Peninsula Law, APLC. She is certified in estate planning, trust and probate law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Bergman's primary areas of practice are probate, trust and estate administration, conservatorships, estate planning, elder abuse, and litigation. She is a past president of the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers' Alliance and a past president of the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association. In addition to receiving a J.D. degree from U.C. Davis School of Law; her B.S. degree in applied mathematics from UCLA; and her M.S. degree in applied mathematics from Cal State Long Beach. Ms. Bergman has earned a master advocate designation from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy where she returns each year as a faculty instructor. She sits on several professional and community boards, is a Southern California Super Lawyer, and has been awarded multiple honors in the field of estate planning and probate, including being inducted in the Torrance Business Hall of Fame.
TOP FAQs
Have more questions? Please Contact Us