Absolute Trust Counsel

Absolute Trust Counsel While some law firms offer general services meeting every conceivable legal need, Absolute Trust Counsel takes a different approach. Please consult an attorney.

California estate law is our specialty. It’s what we love and what we do best. Absolute Trust Counsel focuses on five closely intertwined areas of the law: estate planning, trust administration, probate, special needs planning and Medi-Cal planning. You need a legal team who takes the time to gain a thorough understanding of your unique situation and hones in on what exactly your goals, hopes and

concerns are regarding your legacy. And, we pride ourselves on practicing that type of personalized law. Whether you have estate planning needs, probate needs, are looking for nursing home assistance or help with a special needs family member our firm will be there for you and your family today, tomorrow and for years to come. We are your law firm for life. The content of this page provides no legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For further details, see www.absolutetrustcounsel.com.

05/29/2026

In this clip, Kirsten shares a real family story from her practice. Parents had quietly written several checks over a few years to help one daughter through a rough financial patch. After both parents passed, her siblings dug up the canceled checks and argued they were loans that needed to be repaid to the estate — which would shrink her inheritance. Without a promissory note, and without anything in writing calling them gifts, the siblings ended up in a long, expensive dispute the family never saw coming. Kirsten explains why you can't predict how loved ones will behave after you're gone — and why undocumented family money so often ends up in conflict. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/estate-planning-misses-how-to-document-a-loan-or-gift-to-your-child/

[Ad] Need help navigating these upcoming changes? We're here to assist. Schedule a free discovery call now, and let’s discuss your estate planning goals. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/scheduling/

05/22/2026

Most parents think a signed promissory note is the finish line. It's not. In this clip, Kirsten explains the second pitfall her firm sees in trust administration: a properly documented loan from years ago, with no record of what's been repaid. Without a simple payment log — a spreadsheet on the lender's side, canceled checks or equivalent on the borrower's side — the trustee handling the estate may have no choice but to treat the loan as unpaid and adjust the inheritance accordingly. Kirsten's bottom line: when family money is moving, treat it like business and document it like a business would. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/estate-planning-misses-how-to-document-a-loan-or-gift-to-your-child/

[Ad] Need help navigating these upcoming changes? We're here to assist. Schedule a free discovery call now, and let’s discuss your estate planning goals. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/scheduling/

Hearing the word "probate" after losing someone you love can feel like one more weight on an already heavy day.Yes, it c...
05/06/2026

Hearing the word "probate" after losing someone you love can feel like one more weight on an already heavy day.

Yes, it can be slow. Yes, it can be expensive. And yes — much of that reputation is deserved.

But here's what most Walnut Creek families don't realize: California's rules changed in 2025, and 2026 looks different than it did even two years ago. Some estates that used to require full probate no longer do.

We broke down what's actually changed, what still trips families up, and where the real costs hide 👉 https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/probate-in-contra-costa-county-what-walnut-creek-families-need-to-know-in-2026/

A $1 million home with a $600,000 mortgage still pays probate fees on the full $1 million.That's the kind of detail that...
05/01/2026

A $1 million home with a $600,000 mortgage still pays probate fees on the full $1 million.

That's the kind of detail that catches Contra Costa County families completely off guard — usually at the worst possible moment.

In our latest post, we walk through what probate really looks like in Martinez in 2026: the new small estate thresholds under AB 2016, the timeline you should actually plan for, and the one step that keeps most families out of probate court entirely.

Read it here 👉 https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/probate-in-contra-costa-county-what-walnut-creek-families-need-to-know-in-2026/

04/30/2026

When parents give money to their adult children, they rarely think about what happens to that money after they're gone. But undocumented transfers can spark painful sibling disputes, drag out trust administration, and cost families thousands. In this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe shares real-world stories and the simple documentation steps that protect your family and your legacy.

04/26/2026

Even when you’ve taken steps to keep an inherited account separate within a joint trust, there’s a catch most people never see coming. In this clip, Kirsten explains that while it’s possible to title an inherited account as one spouse’s separate property and even name them as sole trustee in the trust document, the financial institution holding the account may not go along with it. Their legal department has its own priorities — and may require both spouses to sign regardless of what the trust says. Here’s what you need to know. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/204-estate-planning-misses-addressing-separate-property-in-a-joint-trust/

[Ad] Need help navigating these upcoming changes? We're here to assist. Schedule a free discovery call now, and let’s discuss your estate planning goals. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/scheduling/

04/19/2026

What happens when one spouse inherits a significant amount of money after a joint trust is already in place? Most people assume it just flows in seamlessly — but in this clip, Kirsten explains the issue that no one anticipates. While adding your inherited assets to a joint trust doesn’t change their legal character as separate property, it does mean your spouse becomes a co-trustee over those assets — and their signature may be required for every decision you make. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/204-estate-planning-misses-addressing-separate-property-in-a-joint-trust/

[Ad] Need help navigating these upcoming changes? We're here to assist. Schedule a free discovery call now, and let’s discuss your estate planning goals. https://absolutetrustcounsel.com/scheduling/

Address

2890 N. Main Street
Walnut Creek, CA
94597

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+19259432740

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