Pleasanton Estate Planning Law Firm

The Estate Planning Law Firm in Pleasanton of Beverly M. Hoey provides the full breadth of estate planning, probate, trust administration, business succession and real property services to clients throughout Northern California.  With over three decades of legal and real estate experience, Pleasanton trusts attorney Beverly M. Hoey has a wealth of experience in trust and estate law, and is frequently called upon to speak on estate planning and elder law topics for nonprofits and community organizations.  Ms. Hoey holds a Master's degree in Taxation and is a licensed real estate broker, giving her particular insight into the complex tax and real estate issues involved in estate planning matters.  Our Pleasanton estate planning law firm provides experienced, compassionate, and discrete representation in the following areas:

Estate Planning

We understand that every client's situation is unique, and we take a personalized approach to estate planning, investing the time necessary to understand your family dynamics, finances, and your estate planning objectives.  Our Pleasanton estate planning law firm carefully crafts estate plans that accomplish your goals while seeking to minimize or eliminate any transfer tax consequences and eliminate the necessity for probate administration.  We take into consideration various contingencies, including the possibility of your subsequent incapacity or disability.  Our areas of expertise include:

• Trusts (including grantor, defective grantor, charitable remainder, and special needs trusts)
• Wills (including pour-over wills, which are wills used in conjunction with trusts)
• Durable powers of attorney for financial matters
• Advance health care directives

Estate planning lawyer Beverly M. Hoey can help you understand what a will does and does not do and what might happen if you don't have a will.

Probate Administration, Trust Administration, Limited Conservatorships

Ms. Hoey has significant experience in the area of probate administration, and serves as a Judge Pro Tem in the Alameda County Superior Court Probate Court.  Pleasanton trusts lawyer Beverly Hoey is assisted by her experienced staff to provide efficient and timely probate and trust administration services and representation in limited conservatorship proceedings.

Probate, Trust and Estate Litigation/Resolving Family Disputes

Trust and estate disputes are often contentious and emotionally-charged.  The death of a loved one often triggers intra-family conflict and rekindles long-dormant family disputes.  Trust and estate disputes tend to be disputes over family relationships as much as they are disputes over property.  Pleasanton probate lawyer Beverly Hoey has successfully resolved disputes involving:

• Disputes among beneficiaries
• Disputes over accountings
• Claims of a breach of fiduciary duty by the personal representative or trustee
• Claims of financial elder abuse
• Removal of a personal representative or trustee

In the event a dispute arises during the administration of an estate, Ms. Hoey is an experienced mediator.  Mediation provides a less formal and more expeditious way of reaching a resolution, and is significantly less expensive than going to trial. 

Business Succession Planning

We assist our clients with business succession planning, and frequently counsel clients when a family business is being sold or when a family member is retiring from the business and wants to explore business succession planning options.  We assist our clients with:

• Formulating tax saving strategies for the sale of a business
• Forming entities, including Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), corporations, and partnerships
• Advising clients regarding issues with employees
• Resolving certain tax matters before the Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service

We are particularly sensitive to the emotional and psychological impact that often accompanies the transfer of a family business from one generation to the next, and seek to resolve family disputes and preserve family harmony through open communication and the use of mediation.

Real Property

As a licensed real estate broker, Ms. Hoey has a thorough understanding of commercial and residential real estate law.  We represent clients in connection with:

• Commercial leases
• Commercial property sales
• Residential property sales
• Encroachments, easements, property line disputes
• Evictions from commercial properties

We welcome your inquiry regarding our estate planning, probate, trust administration, business succession, and real property services.  To schedule a consultation with an experienced and caring Pleasanton trusts and probate attorney, contact the Law Firm of Beverly M. Hoey.