The first days after a death do not feel like the days that came before. Everything continues — the mail, the bills, the calendar — but you are not the same person receiving them. The family calls come first. The funeral arrangements come next. And then, sooner than you expect, the practical questions begin to arrive. Do you have the…
Probate in Contra Costa County: What Walnut Creek Families Need to Know in 2026 When a Walnut Creek family walks into my office after losing a loved one, probate is usually the word they’re hoping not to hear. And I understand why. Probate has a reputation — and much of it is deserved. It can be slow, expensive, and public…
Over the years I have seen clients struggle to get access to a parent’s safe deposit box after death. More than once, this seemingly simple task required us to open a probate proceeding in court, even though the deceased parent had set up a revocable trust to avoid probate. I’ve said this before: telling a client we have to do…
