If you are the trustee and the creator of the trust died, then you need to take action soon. This may be challenging if you were close to the person who died and you are mourning your personal loss, or if you have something else significant going on in your life. However, California law has specific deadlines in place by which you need to provide notice to certain parties.
You Have 60 Days After the Creator of the Trust Died
The state of California gives you 60 days from the day the creator of the trust died to provide notice to certain parties. The notice must contain the content required by law and must be provided to:
- The decedent’s legal heirs regardless of whether they are named as trust beneficiaries.
- The beneficiaries including individuals, institutions, and charities.
- Creditors in some circumstances.
In some cases it may be challenging to provide the required notice—with the required content—to all of the people who must be notified by law within the 60 days.
The Law Doesn’t Say You Have to Do it Alone
While the law requires you to take certain action within 60 days, it does not require that you do so alone. Instead, you have the right to contact an experienced estate planning lawyer to help you administer the trust and to make sure that you are doing it correctly. This can help ease your stress now and prevent future problems from developing.
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