Transparent fees, billed in 6-minute increments.

A one-time flat fee at the start of a new matter. It covers review of your completed intake materials; my assessment of the complexity of the matter, with a written estimate of what administration is reasonably likely to cost and what would change it; and — where I am being named — my review of the appointment provisions and execution of the documents your attorney prepares. The assessment is yours to keep whether or not the engagement proceeds.

• Charged once, at the outset, and not calculated by the hour.
• The first conversation is free. Consultation beyond that is billed at the applicable hourly rate and is not included in this fee.
• Being named as a successor fiduciary, without serving, carries no ongoing fee.
• If your documents need amending to accommodate the appointment, that is your attorney’s work; any additional time on my side is quoted before it begins.

Professional fiduciary services may include, but are not limited to:

• Trust administration
• Estate and settlement administration
• Agent services under Power of Attorney
• Financial management and bill payment oversight
• Oversight of investments, insurance, and benefit-related matters
• Coordination with attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and medical professionals
• Care coordination and client advocacy
• Oversight of real property, vendors, and household matters
• Review, organization, and maintenance of records and documentation
• Preparation of reports, summaries, and ongoing client support

Where ongoing trust administration is better measured by assets under management than by the hour, an annual fee may be charged on the following tiers, in lieu of hourly billing for routine administration:

• 1.00% on the first $2,000,000
• 0.65% on the next $2,000,000
• 0.45% on the next $2,000,000
• 0.25% on the balance

Extraordinary services — litigation support, real property transactions, business interests, or matters requiring court involvement — are billed separately as described below.

Compensation for administering a decedent’s estate is set by California statute and calculated on the value of the estate accounted for:

• 4% of the first $100,000
• 3% of the next $100,000
• 2% of the next $800,000
• 1% of the next $9,000,000
• 0.5% of the next $15,000,000
• Above $25,000,000, a reasonable amount as determined by the court

Extraordinary services in a probate matter are compensated separately, subject to court approval.

Support staff services are performed under fiduciary supervision and may include administrative coordination, document organization, scheduling, communications with service providers, assistance with recordkeeping, and processing routine bill payment and day-to-day household financial administration — including review of recurring expenses for accuracy and appropriateness.

Administration of real property transactions may constitute extraordinary fiduciary services due to the level of coordination, responsibility, and oversight required.

Residential property. A residential transaction follows a predictable arc — preparation, listing, escrow, close. Fiduciary services relating to the sale, purchase, refinance or disposition of residential real property may therefore be compensated either at the applicable hourly rate or, at the fiduciary's discretion, by a Real Estate Administration Fee of one-half of one percent (0.5%) of gross transaction value.

Commercial property. A commercial transaction is a materially different undertaking. Lease review and assignment, tenant estoppels, operating-expense reconciliation, environmental review, entity and title complexity, and financing conditions can each dominate the work, and the fiduciary carries that responsibility throughout. Fiduciary services relating to the sale, purchase, refinance or disposition of commercial real property may therefore be compensated either at the applicable hourly rate or, at the fiduciary’s discretion, by a Real Estate Administration Fee of one percent (1%) of gross transaction value.

When applied, the percentage-based fee may be charged in lieu of hourly billing for services associated with the real property transaction, unless otherwise agreed in writing or where approval is required by applicable law.

• Services are billed in 6-minute (0.1 hour) increments, one task per entry — no block billing.
• Travel time is billed at the applicable hourly rate.
• Services may be delegated to support staff when appropriate.
• Fees may vary based on complexity or extraordinary circumstances.
• All fiduciary compensation remains subject to applicable agreements and applicable law.

If you name me as a successor fiduciary and I never serve, there is no ongoing fee, no retainer and no annual charge. I do not bill for standing by, and the first conversation is free. An optional readiness review — an hour or two at the applicable hourly rate, checking what has changed in your assets, family and documents — is available if you want it.

Fiduciary compensation is paid from the trust or estate and disclosed in the accounting provided to beneficiaries, supported by itemized time records. Your family does not write me a personal check.

• No referral fees, taken or paid, in either direction.
• No markup on any other professional’s fees — your attorney and accountant bill you directly at their own rates.
• Nothing for standing by.
• No charge for the first conversation.
• Third-party costs — court filing fees, copying, certified mail, recording fees — are billed at actual cost with no markup.