ESTATE LAW
TRUSTS & ESTATE LAW
Protect What You’ve Built. Plan for the People You Love.
Trust and Estate Attorney in Marin County
A good estate plan is about much more than deciding who receives your property when you die. It is about maintaining control, protecting your family, preparing for incapacity, preserving wealth, and making difficult decisions easier for the people you leave behind.
For Marin County residents, those issues can be particularly important.
A family that bought a Marin home decades ago may now own real estate worth several million dollars. Add retirement accounts, investments, business interests and other property, and many local families have accumulated substantial estates without necessarily thinking of themselves as wealthy.
At Marne Law, Russell Marne helps individuals and families develop estate plans designed around their property, their families and their goals.
Marne Law is located in San Rafael and offers consultations at the firm’s Marin office or in the privacy of your home. Russell Marne has practiced law in California since 1992 and is currently an active member of the State Bar of California.
LIVING TRUSTS
A Living Trust can help avoid probate, protect assets during incapacity, and control how property is distributed, but its suitability depends on your assets, family situation, and goals.
PROBATE
A $3 million California estate may incur $86,000+ in probate fees, making a Living Trust valuable for avoiding costly probate.
WILLS VS TRUSTS
A will is an important part of an estate plan, but it may not avoid probate. For substantial assets, a Living Trust can provide greater protection and flexibility.
MARIN HOMEOWNERS
Owning a home doesn’t require a trust, but a Living Trust can help Marin homeowners avoid probate.
HIGH NET WORTH ESTATES
A $5 million California estate often requires more than a will. How your home, investments, businesses, and other assets are owned and transferred can significantly affect your family.
PROBATE TIMELINE
California probate can take 9–18 months or longer. A properly funded Living Trust may help avoid probate and transfer assets more efficiently.
INCAPACITY PLANNING
Without a valid power of attorney, incapacity may require your family to seek court authority. An estate plan lets you choose who will manage your affairs.
HEALTHCARE DIRECTIVES
California doesn’t require an Advance Healthcare Directive, but it lets you name someone to make healthcare decisions and document your wishes if you can’t communicate.
FUNDING A TRUST
To help your California home avoid probate through a Living Trust, it generally must be properly transferred into the trust. Simply signing the trust isn’t enough.
EXISTING TRUSTS
A Living Trust should be reviewed every 3–5 years and after major life or financial changes to ensure it still reflects your wishes.
MARRIAGE & DIVORCE
Marriage and divorce are two of the most important reasons to review your Living Trust and your entire estate plan.
CHILDREN
A good estate plan protects your family, prepares for incapacity, preserves wealth, and helps ensure your wishes are followed.
Why Choose a Local Marin County Trust and Estate Attorney?
Estate planning is personal.
Your attorney needs to understand your property, family relationships, concerns and objectives.
For Marin residents, local experience can also mean familiarity with the realities of owning highly appreciated Bay Area real estate and the fact that a seemingly ordinary family home may represent a multimillion-dollar estate.
Marne Law is based in Marin, in the community it serves.
And consultations don’t necessarily have to take place in a conference room.
Meet With Us at Our San Rafael Office—or in the Privacy of Your Home.
For clients who prefer the convenience or privacy of meeting at home, Marne Law offers that option as well.
When Should You Talk With an Estate Planning Attorney?
Consider reviewing your estate plan if:
- You own a home in Marin County
- You have no Living Trust
- You have a will but no trust
- Your trust was created many years ago
- You don’t know whether your house is actually in your trust
- Your estate has grown substantially
- You recently married or divorced
- You have children or grandchildren
- You own a business
- You want to plan for incapacity
- You aren’t sure who would make financial or medical decisions for you
- You are concerned about probate
- You want to make things easier for your family
You do not need to wait for a crisis.
In fact, estate planning generally works best when there isn’t one.
What Would Happen to Everything You’ve Built?
That’s ultimately the question.
If something happened to you today:
- Who would manage your affairs?
- Who would manage your home?
- Who could access your financial accounts?
- Who would make healthcare decisions?
- Would your estate go through probate?
- How much could probate cost?
- Would your children receive their inheritance outright?
- Is your home actually titled in your trust?
- Does the estate plan you signed years ago still reflect what you want today?
If you don’t know the answers, it may be time to review your estate plan.
Talk With Russell Marne About Your Estate Plan
You worked hard to build your estate. Your estate plan should work just as hard to protect it.
Marne Law helps Marin County individuals and families create comprehensive estate plans designed to preserve control, plan for incapacity, reduce unnecessary probate exposure and provide for the people they care about.
Marne Law’s comprehensive estate-planning package includes:
Living Trust • Will • Power of Attorney(s) • Healthcare Directive(s) • Transfer Deed/Titles
Complete Estate Plan — $2,500
Schedule a free consultation at our Marin office or in the privacy of your home.
Marne Law 30 N. San Pedro Rd., Ste 195 San Rafael, CA 94903
For further information please contact Russell Marne, Esq.
Marne Law Estate Planning
This page provides general information about California estate planning and is not legal advice. Estate planning and probate requirements depend on individual circumstances. Consult a qualified attorney regarding your particular situation