Expert Probate, Administration & Estate Administration in Goleta & UCSB Area
Estate Planning Expertise
State Bar #208356
Trusted Since 2001
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Welcome to the Law Offices of Rozsa Gyene, your trusted Goleta estate planning attorney and estate planning lawyer serving families throughout Goleta Valley, Old Town Goleta, the UCSB area, and all of Santa Barbara County. With over 25 years of experience as a California living trust attorney, Attorney Rozsa Gyene provides comprehensive legal services to protect your assets, avoid probate, and ensure your family's future security. Whether you're searching for an estate planning attorney Goleta CA, a living trust lawyer Goleta, or a trust attorney Goleta residents recommend, we provide experienced, personalized legal counsel. We also serve nearby Santa Barbara and Montecito.
Whether you're a Goleta homeowner, UCSB faculty or staff member, work in the growing Goleta tech sector, or you're planning for your family's future anywhere in the Goleta area, our law firm offers personalized, expert guidance tailored to your needs.
Goleta's real estate market has grown significantly, with median home values now ranging from $900,000 to over $1.5 million. For most Goleta homeowners, this means probate could cost your family $46,000 to $56,000+ and take 12-18 months. Our affordable Goleta living trust packages start at just $575 for individuals and $675 for married couples—providing comprehensive protection at a fraction of probate costs. As an affordable estate planning attorney Goleta and affordable living trust attorney, we make professional legal services accessible to all families.
Our Goleta estate planning law firm and trust attorney Goleta provide a complete range of services to protect your family and assets. From simple living trusts to complex probate litigation, we're here to help. Whether you need a living trust attorney Goleta CA, an estate planning lawyer Goleta, or a probate attorney Goleta, we have the experience you need.
A living trust is the most effective way for Goleta homeowners to avoid probate, protect their assets, and ensure seamless transfer to beneficiaries. Whether you own a home in Old Town Goleta, Goleta Valley, near Camino Real Marketplace, or anywhere in the Goleta area, a properly prepared and funded living trust eliminates the need for probate court.
Our Goleta living trust attorney and Goleta trust lawyer services include complete trust preparation, deed transfers for your Goleta property, and ongoing support to keep your trust current. From living trust creation Goleta to trust administration, we provide comprehensive support.
A revocable living trust gives you complete control over your assets during your lifetime while providing automatic transfer to your beneficiaries upon your death. As your Goleta trust attorney and family trust attorney, we customize your revocable trusts and family trusts to address your family situation, whether you have young children, adult beneficiaries, blended families, or special needs loved ones.
Every comprehensive estate plan includes both a living trust and a will. A pour-over will ensures that any assets not in your trust are transferred into it upon your death. Our Goleta wills and trusts attorney prepares coordinated documents that work together seamlessly.
A durable power of attorney allows someone you trust to manage your finances if you become incapacitated. Without this document, your family may need to establish a conservatorship through Santa Barbara County Superior Court—an expensive and time-consuming process that can be avoided with proper planning.
An advance healthcare directive (living will) ensures your medical wishes are honored and appoints someone to make healthcare decisions if you cannot. This critical document protects your family from difficult decisions during already challenging times.
Goleta's real estate market has seen tremendous growth over the past decade. With homes now valued between $900,000 and $1.5 million or more, probate exposure is a serious concern for Goleta homeowners.
These mandatory fees apply to both attorney fees AND executor fees, based on your estate's gross value:
| Estate Value | Attorney Fee | Executor Fee | Total Probate Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| $900,000 (Goleta median low) | $21,000 | $21,000 | $42,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $23,000 | $23,000 | $46,000 |
| $1,200,000 | $27,000 | $27,000 | $54,000 |
| $1,500,000 | $28,000 | $28,000 | $56,000 |
For a typical Goleta home valued at $1 million to $1.5 million, probate could cost your family $46,000 to $56,000+ and take 12-18 months. A living trust avoids probate entirely.
Probate proceedings in Santa Barbara County take place at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Anacapa Division (1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101), requiring multiple court appearances, extensive paperwork, and public disclosure of your estate. A living trust provides privacy, speed, and substantial cost savings for Goleta families.
Our affordable Goleta living trust attorney services cost just $575 for an individual or $675 for a married couple—less than 2% of what probate would cost. This comprehensive package includes your living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, and deed preparation for your Goleta property.
When probate becomes necessary, our experienced Goleta probate attorney and probate lawyer guide executors and families through the complex process in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. If you need a probate attorney near Goleta or help with probate administration Goleta, we provide compassionate, efficient representation.
Probate administration involves filing petitions, notifying heirs and creditors, inventorying assets, paying debts, and distributing the estate. Our Goleta probate lawyer handles all aspects of probate, including:
All probate cases for Goleta residents are filed at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Anacapa Division in downtown Santa Barbara. Probate typically takes 12-18 months, though complex cases can take longer. Our Santa Barbara probate attorney services provide comprehensive representation throughout the process.
The best way to avoid probate in Goleta is through a living trust. Other probate avoidance strategies include joint ownership, transfer-on-death designations, and proper beneficiary designations. However, only a living trust provides comprehensive protection for all assets while maintaining your control during your lifetime.
When a loved one with a living trust passes away, the successor trustee must administer the trust. While this avoids probate, it still involves significant responsibilities. Our Goleta trust administration attorney and trust administration lawyer provide successor trustee help and guide trustees through the process, including:
Proper trust administration protects trustees from personal liability and ensures beneficiaries receive their inheritances promptly and correctly.
When disputes arise over trusts or estates, our Goleta trust litigation attorney and trust litigation lawyer provide aggressive representation. Whether you need a trust dispute attorney or help with beneficiary rights, we have the experience to handle your case. We handle:
When a trustee breaches fiduciary duties or mismanages trust assets, we file removal petitions in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Common grounds include breach of duty, self-dealing, failure to account, and hostility toward beneficiaries.
We challenge trusts created through undue influence, fraud, lack of capacity, or other improper means. Our Goleta trust contest attorney investigates circumstances and presents compelling evidence.
If you're a beneficiary being treated unfairly, we can help. We review accountings, demand distributions, and litigate when necessary to protect your inheritance.
When a Goleta resident becomes unable to manage their affairs due to incapacity, a conservatorship may be necessary. Our Goleta conservatorship attorney and conservatorship lawyer handle all types of conservatorship proceedings, including conservatorships of the person, conservatorships of the estate, and limited conservatorships for developmentally disabled adults. If you need a conservatorship attorney near Goleta, we're here to help.
Conservatorships require court approval and ongoing oversight. We also help families explore less restrictive alternatives, such as powers of attorney and supported decision-making arrangements.
Our Goleta guardianship attorney and guardianship lawyer help families establish legal guardianships and serve as guardian of minor children when parents are unable to care for them. Guardianship gives an adult legal authority to make decisions about a child's education, healthcare, and welfare. We file guardianship petitions in Santa Barbara County Superior Court and ensure children have stable, legal guardians. Whether you need a guardianship attorney near Goleta or help with minor guardianship, we provide compassionate legal guidance.
As a UCSB area estate planning attorney, we understand the unique needs of university faculty and staff. UCSB employees often have:
Our Goleta estate planning for UCSB faculty includes coordinating your estate plan with your university benefits, ensuring proper beneficiary designations, and protecting your family's financial future.
Goleta's tech corridor—home to aerospace companies like Raytheon, FLIR, and numerous tech startups—requires specialized estate planning for business owners and executives. Our Goleta trust attorney for business owners provides:
Whether you work for an established Goleta tech firm or own a startup, proper estate planning protects both your family and your business interests.
We offer affordable, comprehensive living trust packages specifically for Goleta families:
Complete package includes:
Complete package includes:
Compare this to probate: For a typical Goleta home ($1M-$1.5M), probate fees would be $46,000-$56,000+. Our living trust packages provide complete probate avoidance for a fraction of the cost.
Yes, a living trust is highly recommended for Goleta homeowners. With median home values now between $900,000 and $1.5 million, probate would cost your family $42,000 to $56,000+ and take 12-18 months. A living trust avoids probate entirely, saving your family tens of thousands of dollars and many months of delay.
Our Goleta living trust packages start at $575 for individuals and $675 for married couples. This includes your complete living trust, pour-over will, advance healthcare directives, powers of attorney, and deed preparation for your Goleta property—less than 2% of what probate would cost. If you're looking for an affordable living trust lawyer Goleta or an affordable estate planning attorney, our transparent pricing makes professional estate planning accessible to all Goleta families.
The most effective way to avoid probate is through a living trust. When you transfer your Goleta property and other assets into your living trust, they pass directly to your beneficiaries upon your death without court involvement. Other strategies include joint ownership and beneficiary designations, but only a living trust provides comprehensive protection for all assets.
We serve all of Goleta and surrounding areas, including Old Town Goleta, Goleta Valley, the UCSB area, Isla Vista, Ellwood, and all of Santa Barbara County. If you're searching for a living trust attorney near Goleta, an estate planning attorney near Goleta, or a trust lawyer Goleta CA, we're available for consultations with Goleta residents. We also serve nearby Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Hope Ranch. We can meet at our Glendale office or arrange virtual consultations.
Yes, we regularly work with UCSB faculty and staff on estate planning. We understand the unique considerations for university employees, including UC retirement plans, multiple retirement accounts, student loan forgiveness programs, and coordinating estate plans with university benefits. Our Goleta estate planning attorney can help ensure your plan works seamlessly with your UCSB employment.
Probate in Santa Barbara County typically takes 12-18 months for straightforward cases. Complex estates or disputes can extend this to 2-3 years or longer. During probate, your family cannot sell or distribute assets without court approval. A living trust avoids this entirely, allowing immediate access to trust assets.
Yes, we offer free initial consultations for Goleta residents considering living trusts or estate planning services. Whether you need a Goleta wills and trusts attorney, a probate lawyer Goleta, or help with trust administration, we're here to help. Call (818) 291-6217 to schedule your free estate planning consultation Goleta today.
Our comprehensive living trust packages include: revocable living trust, pour-over will, advance healthcare directive (living will), durable power of attorney for finances, trust certification, deed preparation for your Goleta property, and complete trust funding guidance. For couples, we include documents for both spouses.
Yes, we handle all types of trust litigation in Santa Barbara County, including trustee removal, trust contests, will contests, beneficiary rights disputes, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. We represent both beneficiaries and trustees in complex trust disputes. As an experienced trust litigation attorney and trust dispute lawyer, we protect your rights in all trust and estate litigation matters.
Yes, we handle all types of conservatorship proceedings in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, including conservatorship attorney services and guardianship attorney services. We also help families explore less restrictive alternatives to conservatorship, such as powers of attorney, whenever possible.
Protect your Goleta estate with comprehensive estate planning from an experienced California attorney. Whether you're a homeowner in Goleta Valley, UCSB faculty or staff, or a business owner in Goleta's tech corridor, we can help you avoid probate and secure your family's future.
(818) 291-6217Serving Goleta and Santa Barbara County — Free Consultation Available
Law Offices of Rozsa Gyene
450 N Brand Blvd, Suite 600
Glendale, CA 91203
California State Bar #208356