Estate Planning & Trust Law | Encino, CA
Most Los Angeles Families Need a Living Trust. Let’s Build Yours.
Estate planning by an attorney and CPA who has seen what happens when plans are missing — and knows how to get it right.
J.D., UCLA School of Law · B.S. Accounting, USC · Attorney & CPA · Encino, Los Angeles
What I Help With
Estate Planning
A complete plan — trust, will, financial power of attorney, and healthcare directive — typically costs a fraction of what a single California probate proceeding would cost for the same estate.
Living Trusts
A properly funded revocable trust means your family can access assets within weeks of your passing, not after 12–24 months in LA County probate court.
Trust Administration
When a loved one passes, the successor trustee has real responsibilities. I help trustees navigate the process and avoid personal liability.
Probate
When assets fall outside a trust, probate may be required. I guide executors and families through Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Trust & Will Disputes
When a trust or will is being challenged — or you need to challenge one — the analysis starts with understanding what went wrong.
Beneficiary Rights
If you’re a trust beneficiary and something doesn’t seem right, you have legal rights to information, accountings, and timely distributions.
The Difference a Dual Credential Makes
Most estate planning attorneys draft the documents. Most CPAs handle the tax return. Very few hold both credentials — and fewer still have spent years litigating the trust disputes that result when plans go wrong. I bring all three perspectives to every matter I handle.
JD + CPA
Two professional licenses. Comprehensive understanding of both the legal documents and their tax implications.
Planner & Litigator
Having handled trust disputes from both sides, I know what makes plans hold up — and what causes them to fail.
Personal Service
You work directly with me. Not a paralegal, not a junior associate. Every call, every question, every document.
Meet Daniel Matloubian, Esq., CPA
I founded Trust Advisor because I believe most Los Angeles families deserve access to the same quality of estate planning I provided at large national firms — without the overhead, the billing confusion, or the feeling that you’re a number in a system.
My background is unusual: I hold a J.D. from UCLA School of Law with a specialization in business law and taxation, and a B.S. in Accounting from USC. Before starting Trust Advisor, I worked at Snell & Wilmer, Holland & Knight, and Keystone Law Group — drafting complex estate plans for high-net-worth clients and litigating contested trust and probate proceedings.
That litigation experience shapes every plan I draft. I know what arguments get raised when someone challenges a trust. I build plans designed to withstand them.
What to Expect
1. We Talk
Tell me about your situation in a brief phone or in-person meeting. I’ll explain what you need and why.
2. I Draft Your Plan
I prepare a coordinated estate planning package — trust, will, powers of attorney, and healthcare directive — tailored to your family and assets.
3. You’re Protected
You leave with a complete, properly executed estate plan and the confidence that your family won’t face unnecessary court proceedings.
Common Situations I Help With
Why Planning Matters — Illustrative Scenarios
The Los Angeles Homeowner
The following is a hypothetical illustrative scenario. It does not represent a real client or case. Results in any matter depend on the specific facts and applicable law. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
A couple in the San Fernando Valley owns a home valued at approximately $950,000 and has $300,000 in retirement accounts. Without a trust, their estate faces an estimated $46,000+ in combined probate fees and 12 to 18 months in LA County Superior Court before either asset can pass to their children. With a funded revocable trust, both assets transfer directly to their named beneficiaries — no court, no statutory fees, no waiting.
The Successor Trustee
The following is a hypothetical illustrative scenario. It does not represent a real client or case. Results in any matter depend on the specific facts and applicable law. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
An adult child is named successor trustee following a parent’s death. The trust holds a home, two bank accounts, and an investment portfolio. Within the first week, the trustee must locate the trust document, obtain death certificates, and send formal notice to all beneficiaries under California Probate Code § 16061.7 — starting a 120-day clock for any contest. Professional guidance in the first 30 days typically prevents the most common trustee mistakes.
The Beneficiary With Questions
The following is a hypothetical illustrative scenario. It does not represent a real client or case. Results in any matter depend on the specific facts and applicable law. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
A beneficiary learns that a parent’s trust was amended in the final months of life — after a health decline that affected cognition — to benefit a new caregiver. The beneficiary has 120 days from receiving the § 16061.7 notice to contest the amendment. The analysis starts with the trust document, the prior version, and the medical records from the period of the amendment. Every case is different. Some disputes are worth pursuing. Some are not. The evaluation is the starting point.
Why an Estate Plan Is an Investment, Not an Expense
A Flat Fee Now. Or a Sliding Scale Later.
Estate planning at Trust Advisor is a flat fee — the same whether your estate is $600,000 or $6 million. California probate is a sliding scale. The more your estate grows, the more probate costs.
California law (Probate Code §§ 10800, 10810) entitles both the probate attorney and the executor to statutory fees based on the gross value of your estate — not your equity, the gross value. On a $900,000 home with a $500,000 mortgage, fees are calculated on $900,000.
Your family pays these fees from the estate — out of what they would otherwise inherit. And they wait 12 to 24 months for the court to authorize any distribution at all.
PROBATE STATUTORY FEES
(Attorney + Executor, Combined)
| Estate Value | Combined Fees |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | ~$26,000 |
| $750,000 | ~$36,000 |
| $1,000,000 | ~$46,000 |
| $1,500,000 | ~$56,000 |
| $2,000,000 | ~$66,000 |
Plus: 12–24 months in court. Assets frozen. Family waits.
Fees increase with every dollar of estate value.
TRUST ADVISOR ESTATE PLAN
Flat Fee. One Time. Up Front.
- ✓ Same fee regardless of estate size (under the federal exemption)
- ✓ Assets available to your family within weeks, not months
- ✓ No court. No statutory fees. No waiting.
- ✓ You know the cost before you start.
Probate fee estimates based on California Probate Code §§ 10800–10810 for ordinary services. Actual fees may vary. Contact us for estate plan pricing.
Common Questions
Do I need a living trust if I have a will?
For most Los Angeles homeowners, yes. A will does not avoid probate — it simply tells the probate court who should receive your assets. If your gross estate exceeds California’s $184,500 threshold, your family still goes through Los Angeles County Superior Court. A funded living trust avoids that process entirely. Read the full answer →
How much can a living trust save me compared to probate?
Potentially tens of thousands of dollars. California’s statutory fee schedule (Probate Code §§ 10800, 10810) pays both the attorney and the executor a percentage of your gross estate — the full market value, not your equity. On a $1,000,000 estate, that is a combined minimum of roughly $46,000. Read the full answer →
How long does probate take in Los Angeles County?
Typically 12 to 24 months, sometimes longer. During that period, assets titled in the decedent’s name are frozen — unavailable to the family without court approval. A funded living trust lets your successor trustee begin distributions within weeks instead. Read the full answer →
Do I need a trust if my estate is under the federal estate tax exemption?
Yes. The federal estate tax exemption is irrelevant to the California probate question. Probate applies to estates with gross assets over $184,500 — a threshold almost every LA homeowner exceeds. You do not need to be wealthy to need a trust. You need to own real property in California. Read the full answer →
Ready to Protect Your Family?
Getting started takes one conversation. I’ll explain exactly what you need — and I’ll be direct about what you don’t.
Or call directly: (818) 995-9432
