Are you looking for a trust lawyer in Glendale, CA?
At The Werner Law Firm, PC, we have built our trust practice on five decades of client representation across California.
If you are looking for a way to protect your assets and pass them on smoothly, a trust may be the right tool for the job. Our Glendale, CA trust lawyer can help you choose the right kind of trust and prepare it correctly. The Werner Law Firm, PC has drafted trusts for California families since 1975, and our founder brings fifty years of practice to this work. Your first consultation is free, and it comes with no obligation.
A trust is a legal arrangement that lets one party, the trustee, hold and manage property for the benefit of another. You set the terms: what goes into the trust, who benefits from it, and how the trustee must handle it. Because a trust can hold your assets and pass them on according to your instructions, it is one of the most flexible tools in estate planning.
Trusts are not all alike. Some avoid probate, some protect assets, some provide for a person over many years, and some do more than one of these at once. A trust attorney in Glendale can walk you through the options and recommend a structure that fits what you are trying to accomplish, rather than defaulting to a single standard form. Trusts are also more versatile than most people realize. The same basic tool that helps a family avoid probate can, in another form, protect a beneficiary with a disability or hold property for children.
Trusts come in several forms, and each is suited to a different goal. Our Glendale trust lawyers help you weigh the options and choose the structure that actually fits your goals. These are the types our Glendale attorneys work with most often.
Living trusts. A living trust holds your assets during your life and passes them to your beneficiaries without probate. It is the most common trust for California families, and it keeps your affairs private by avoiding the public probate record.
Revocable trusts. A revocable trust can be amended or revoked while you are alive, which keeps you in full control. Most living trusts are revocable, which is part of why they appeal to families who want to stay in control.
Irrevocable trusts. An irrevocable trust gives up some control in exchange for asset protection or tax advantages. Whether a trust is revocable or irrevocable shapes what it can do.
Special needs trusts. These provide for a beneficiary with a disability without putting their public benefits at risk.
Testamentary trusts. A testamentary trust is created through a will and takes effect after death, often to hold assets for young beneficiaries until they are older.
Asset protection trusts. An asset protection trust is designed to shield certain assets from future claims, and it suits particular circumstances. We explain when one is worth the added complexity.
Trust administration. After a death, the successor trustee follows the trust administration process, and we guide trustees through their duties step by step.
A trust lives or dies on its details, from the drafting to the funding. We work to get every part of it right.
The Werner Law Firm, PC has drafted and administered trusts for California families since 1975. Our founder, L. Rob Werner, has practiced for fifty years and is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, which serves the county that includes Glendale. Our managing attorney, Troy Werner, brings 17 years of practice and admission in both California and Texas. As a trust lawyer in Glendale, CA, our firm can match the right trust to your circumstances. Over five decades we have prepared trusts of every kind, from simple living trusts to more involved arrangements, and we bring that range to each new client. Clients who want a full plan can also work with an estate planning lawyer in Glendale, CA at our office.
Much of our work comes from clients we have served before and the people they refer to us. Every trust begins with a free consultation and a clear explanation of what it will accomplish. Our Glendale trust attorneys aim to leave you with a document you understand and can rely on.
Trusts can sound formal and technical, but the idea at the center of them is simple: someone you trust holds property and manages it for someone's benefit under rules you set. Once that clicks, the different types make far more sense. There is a reason trusts have a reputation as a tool for the wealthy, but that reputation is dated. Families of ordinary means use them every day.
A trust involves three roles, and one person can fill more than one of them.
The grantor creates the trust and transfers assets into it.
The trustee manages those assets under the terms of the trust.
The beneficiary receives what the trust provides.
While you are alive and able, you usually serve as your own grantor, trustee, and beneficiary, naming a successor trustee to take over later. When the roles start to blur, the difference between a trustor and trustee is worth understanding, and we take the time to make it plain. This flexibility in who holds each role is what lets a single tool serve very different goals from one family to the next.
Setting up a trust is only half the work. Keeping it effective is the other half, and a few things decide whether yours does its job. A signed trust that never gets funded is one of the most common and costly mistakes we see.
Funding it by transferring your assets into the trust's name. Without funding the trust, even a well-drafted trust does very little.
Naming a trustee who is reliable and equal to the responsibility.
Reviewing the trust as your circumstances change over time.
Coordinating it with your will and your beneficiary designations.
Because a funded trust can pass assets to your family without court involvement, it is a common way to avoid probate, which saves both time and expense for the people you leave behind.
Most trusts are ready within a few weeks, and funding can continue after signing.
A consultation to review your assets, your family, and your goals.
A recommendation on the type of trust that fits your situation.
Drafting of the trust and any supporting documents.
A signing appointment where the documents are notarized.
Funding the trust by moving your assets into it.
Straightforward trusts move quickly, while estates with business interests or property in more than one state take more time to complete. We give you a realistic sense of the timeline at the first meeting, once we understand what your estate involves.
A little preparation helps us give you clear guidance from the first meeting.
A list of your assets, including real estate, financial accounts, and business interests.
Any existing will, trust, or power of attorney you have already signed.
The names of the people you want as beneficiaries and as trustee.
You don't need everything in hand to begin. We can start with what you have and identify what is missing as we go. There is no need to wait until every decision is made before you reach out. A short conversation is often enough to show which kind of trust, if any, fits your goals.
Trusts are governed by California law and, in some situations, by federal tax rules. These public resources can help you understand the basics before or after you meet with an attorney.
The California Courts self-help guide on wills and estates introduces trusts and how they relate to probate.
The same guide offers sample legal documents you can review.
The full California Probate Code is published by the state for those who want the statutes themselves.
The IRS explains how trusts are taxed and which returns a trust may need to file.
These resources offer general information, not advice about your own trust and family.
A trust can protect what you have worked for and make things easier for the people who follow you. We would be glad to explain which kind of trust fits your goals and answer whatever questions come up. Your first consultation is free, with no pressure to decide right away. Contact us to get started.
Trusts are among the most widely used estate planning tools in California. Federal tax data shows how many trusts and estates file income tax returns each year, and local Census figures describe a Glendale population whose homes, ages, and family ties make trust planning especially relevant. The figures below come from the IRS Data Book and Glendale QuickFacts.
The tax figure reflects a practical responsibility. When a trust becomes irrevocable, usually at the trustor's death, it is treated as a separate taxpayer, and the successor trustee may be required to file returns on its behalf. A Glendale trust attorney can help a trustee meet that obligation and avoid penalties that reduce the beneficiaries' shares. The local figures point to other planning concerns. A Glendale homeowner whose house is near the median value holds an asset that would generally require probate if it were left outside a trust. In a city where more than half of residents were born abroad, many families also have beneficiaries, relatives, or property in other countries. A trust lawyer in Glendale, CA can draft trust terms that account for those circumstances.
A basic revocable trust serves many households well, but certain family circumstances call for additional provisions. Our Glendale trust attorneys most often draft trusts for clients in the following situations.
Many clients fit more than one category. A trust attorney in Glendale can combine these provisions in one document. 
No. A revocable trust is a private document that is signed and kept by the trustor, not filed with the court. The court becomes involved only if a petition is needed, such as a dispute among beneficiaries or a question about the trustee's authority. Those petitions go to the county's probate court.
Transferring your home into your own revocable trust generally does not trigger a property tax reassessment, because you remain the owner for tax purposes. The analysis changes after death, when the home passes to beneficiaries. Transfers to children may qualify for an exclusion, but only if a claim is filed with the County Assessor. A Glendale trust lawyer can explain how these rules apply to your property.
Yes, if the trust is revocable. You may amend specific provisions or restate the entire document while you are living and have capacity. Each change must be made in writing and signed according to the trust's own terms. Our attorneys explain the trust amendment requirements and recommend whether an amendment or a full restatement better suits your changes.
An irrevocable trust is designed to be permanent, but it is not always fixed. Depending on its terms, a trust may permit changes by a trustee or trust protector, or the beneficiaries and the court may agree to a modification. Our firm can review whether an irrevocable trust can be changed or ended in your situation.
The successor trustee takes control of the trust assets, notifies beneficiaries and heirs, and gathers information about debts and taxes. The trustee then manages, sells, or distributes property according to the trust terms. Families often ask us what to do after being appointed, and a trust attorney in Glendale, CA can guide the trustee through each step.
Yes. A pour-over will transfers property left in your individual name into the trust after death, so that property follows the trust's instructions. It also allows parents to nominate a guardian for minor children, which a trust cannot do. Our firm explains when you need a pour-over will and prepares it with your trust.
A trust should be reviewed every few years and after any major event, such as a marriage, divorce, birth, death, move, or significant purchase or sale of property. Changes in the law can also affect older trusts. Our firm can advise on how often to update your trust based on your circumstances.
Yes. A trust may name beneficiaries anywhere in the world. Distributions to a beneficiary abroad, however, can raise additional tax reporting, currency transfer, and documentation requirements for the trustee. Many Glendale families have relatives in other countries, and our trust lawyers in Glendale can draft provisions that give the trustee clear authority to handle those distributions.
Online forms rarely account for blended families, out-of-state property, or beneficiaries who need protection. Errors in signing, funding, or wording often surface only after death, when the trustor can no longer correct them. Our attorneys explain the risks of drafting your own trust and review documents that clients have already prepared.
Disagreements usually involve the timing of distributions, the sale of a home, or the trustee's decisions. Many are resolved through an accounting or mediation before any court filing. Our firm offers practical strategies to resolve disputes and represents trustees or beneficiaries when a petition becomes necessary.
When a Glendale trust requires court involvement, the petition goes to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, whose probate judges sit in downtown Los Angeles. The Glendale Courthouse on East Broadway does not hear probate or trust matters. Most trust work never reaches the court, however, and city and county agencies can assist trustors and their families with related needs.
A trust lawyer in Glendale, CA may refer trustors, trustees, and their families to the following resources.
The Werner Law Firm, PC does not endorse and is not affiliated with any organization listed above. This information is provided for convenience only.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Troy Werner completed his law degree through the accelerated SCALE program at Southwestern Law School. He has since been certified by the State Bar as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate Law through its certification program. His volunteer legal work earned him the 2023 Pro-Bono Attorney of the Year honor from Christian Legal Aid of Los Angeles. Readers of the Los Angeles Daily News have selected firm founder L. Rob Werner for the newspaper's Readers' Choice Award for Best Attorney.
★★★★★ "The Werner Law Firm was very professional and dealing with my trust. Every person that I dealt with at the firm were knowledgeable, polite, and timely in their responses. I have worked with several law firms, and I have found Werner Law Firm to be the best. I would recommend them to everyone who is looking for people who are looking after the client. Thank you, Werner Law Firm for your excellent help."
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Whether you are creating a first trust, updating an older one, or serving as a successor trustee, the first step is a review of your documents and goals. Contact us to arrange a meeting with a trust lawyer in Glendale, CA. The consultation is free and carries no obligation, and fees are discussed before any documents are prepared. At that meeting, our attorneys review your assets and goals and recommend the type of trust that fits them. Glendale clients may meet with us at our nearby Pasadena office.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship! See full disclaimer here.
