Estate planning
Wills, trusts, and related planning for families and property owners, as a supporting part of a real estate and business practice.
Planning around property
For many West Contra Costa families, the most important asset is real estate: a home, a duplex, a small rental building, or a business property. Estate planning at the Law Office of Daniel Butt is a supporting part of the practice and is designed for those clients. The aim is to make sure property passes the way you intend, with as little delay and conflict as practical.
Daniel R. Butt has practiced in California since 2012 and works daily with deeds, leases, title, and business ownership. That background matters when a plan has to account for tenants, co-owners, an LLC, or a property with permit or title issues.
Common documents
- Revocable living trusts, and deeds transferring property into the trust
- Pour-over wills and simple wills
- Durable powers of attorney for finances
- Advance health care directives
- Updating older plans after a marriage, divorce, death, move, or purchase
Why property owners often use a trust
In California, assets left by will generally pass through probate, a court process that can take many months and involves statutory fees. A properly funded revocable trust can let property pass to beneficiaries without probate. “Properly funded” is the key phrase: a trust does little for a property that was never deeded into it. Reviewing title as part of the plan is a regular part of the work here.
Rental property and business interests
If you own rental property, your successor trustee will step into your shoes as landlord, including obligations under the Richmond Rent Ordinance if it applies. Leaving clear records of leases, rents, Rent Program filings, and property management makes that transition far easier. Business interests should be coordinated with operating or partnership agreements so that the plan and the business documents do not conflict. See business and contracts and real estate.
Scope
The office focuses on straightforward to moderately complex plans for families and property owners. Matters that require specialized tax planning or contested probate litigation may be better served by, or coordinated with, another firm, and the office will say so at the start.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a trust or just a will?
It depends on what you own and your goals. Owners of California real estate often use a trust to avoid probate, but a will may be enough in some situations. A short consultation can sort that out.
I already have a trust. Is my house in it?
Check the current deed. If title is still in your individual name, the trust may not control the property. The office can review the deed and trust together.
What happens to my tenants if I die?
Existing tenancies generally continue, and your successor trustee or personal representative takes over as landlord, subject to the same laws you were.
How often should I update my plan?
Review it after major life events, a property purchase or sale, or a move, and every few years otherwise.
Talk with the office
Call (510) 255-1094, email daniel@buttlaw.com, or use the contact form. The office at 111 Park Place, Suite 204, in Point Richmond is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please do not send confidential details until the firm has confirmed in writing that it represents you.