Estate Planning · Probate
Trust Administration
Living trusts and estate planning with attorney David Calkins.
Based in Glendale. Serving individuals and families throughout Southern California.
Property left out of a trust? Explore Heggstad petitions.
Request a Free ConsultationWork directly with your attorney.
Clear advice. Thoughtful planning.
Important family decisions deserve a conversation with the attorney who will handle your matter.
David F. Calkins is a California attorney based in Glendale, serving individuals and families throughout Southern California. His practice focuses on estate planning, uncontested probate, and trust administration.
David has been admitted to practice law in California since 2017. His practice focuses on estate planning and undisputed estate and trust matters.
California State Bar No. 314294 · View State Bar profile
Discuss your goals, ask questions, and receive guidance from the attorney responsible for your matter. David explains your options in plain language so you can make informed decisions.
David’s work administering estates and trusts informs his approach to planning: clear instructions, practical documents, and attention to how assets will actually pass to your family.
Estate planning goes beyond signing documents. We prepare appropriate real estate transfer deeds and explain the funding steps needed to help your trust avoid probate.
Start with a free phone consultation and a discussion of the scope and anticipated fees. Home and office signing appointments are available.
Our practice is limited to nonlitigation, undisputed matters. We do not handle litigation, will or trust contests, or other disputed matters.
Speak with DavidA personal estate plan for your home, your family, and the people you trust to act for you.
Work directly with attorney David Calkins to create a living trust and the documents that support it. From our Glendale office, we help individuals and married couples throughout Southern California plan for incapacity and the transfer of their assets after death.
Discuss Your Estate PlanOr call David at 818.392.8222If you own a California home, have children, or want clear instructions for the people handling your affairs, a living trust is worth discussing. A properly funded trust can allow trust assets to pass to beneficiaries without a full probate proceeding. Whether it fits your situation depends on your assets, ownership, family, and goals.
A will, a trust, and beneficiary designations serve different purposes. During our consultation, David explains how they work together and which steps your plan needs.
Individual planning addresses your beneficiaries, decision-makers, and wishes. For married couples, we also discuss how each spouse owns property and what should happen after the first and second deaths. Blended families, minor children, and beneficiaries with special needs may require additional planning.
Signing a trust does not automatically transfer your home or financial accounts. Asset ownership must be coordinated with the plan. Read about transferring a home and other assets into a trust.
Marriage, a death, a new property, or a change in beneficiaries can make an existing plan worth reviewing. David assists with appropriate amendments and restatements. Learn when to review or update your living trust.
A will and a trust do different work. A will can direct who receives property, but property passing under a will may still need probate. David reviews your ownership and goals before recommending whether a trust is appropriate.
Yes. For the appropriate real estate transfer deeds we prepare as part of your agreed scope, we submit them for county recording on your behalf. We discuss the property, recording costs, and any additional work before proceeding.
David provides a fee proposal based on your circumstances and the work required, including anticipated notary and recording costs. Call for a free initial phone consultation; you do not need to submit sensitive financial records to get started.
Yes. We work with clients throughout our Southern California service area. Planning discussions can begin by phone, and we discuss home or office signing arrangements during the consultation.
David works with individuals and families throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Kern counties. Start with a phone consultation. Home and Glendale office signing appointments are available; we discuss location and arrangements before scheduling.
Explore our service area and consultation options →Our practice is limited to estate planning and undisputed matters. We do not handle litigation, will or trust contests, beneficiary disputes, or conservatorships.
Request a Free Phone ConsultationOr call David at 818.392.8222Clear guidance through the court process after a loved one’s death.
We help executors and administrators move an undisputed California estate from the initial petition to final distribution, with practical guidance on the responsibilities along the way.
Not every estate requires a full probate. We evaluate appropriate alternatives, including spousal property petitions and small estate procedures, based on the assets and how they are titled.
Based in Glendale, we serve clients with matters in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Kern counties, including representatives who live outside California.
A surviving spouse may be able to use a spousal property petition, and some estates qualify for a simpler transfer procedure. Eligibility depends on the assets, ownership, date of death, and applicable requirements. David reviews those details before recommending a process.
A will does not, by itself, settle whether probate is needed. David reviews the assets, how they are titled, and any trust or beneficiary arrangements before discussing the appropriate procedure.
The will or trust, death certificate if available, a general asset list, and current deeds help us understand the estate. If a trust exists but an asset was left outside it, ask about a Heggstad petition.
No. We assist representatives who live outside California with undisputed estates in the Southern California counties we serve.
The court’s calendar, notice periods, asset administration, and required filings affect timing. David can discuss the likely steps after reviewing the estate; a completion date cannot be guaranteed.
The firm does not handle litigation or contested matters. Please identify any known dispute in your initial inquiry so the scope can be addressed promptly.
We handle uncontested probate only. We do not represent clients in litigation, will contests, contested petitions, or other disputed matters.
Discuss an EstateDavid works with individuals and families throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Kern counties. Start with a phone consultation. Home and Glendale office signing appointments are available; we discuss location and arrangements before scheduling.
Explore our service area and consultation options →Practical guidance for successor trustees after a loved one’s death.
Being named trustee can leave you responsible for unfamiliar documents, family questions, and property transfers. Attorney David Calkins helps successor trustees understand their role and move an undisputed trust administration forward.
Discuss Your Trustee RoleOr call David at 818.392.8222Gather the signed trust and amendments, the death certificate if available, a general asset list, and current deeds. Before distributing property, understand the trust’s instructions, who has authority to act, and the notices and other obligations that apply.
David reviews the circumstances and discusses the work needed. Some trustees need focused assistance with notices or a property transfer; others need guidance throughout the administration.
A successor trustee’s appointment does not automatically resolve title to a home still held in the deceased person’s individual name. David can review whether an uncontested Heggstad petition, probate, or another procedure may be appropriate.
We discuss the scope of representation and anticipated fees after learning about the trust, its assets, and the assistance you need. Our work is limited to undisputed administration; we do not represent clients in trust contests, beneficiary litigation, or competing ownership disputes.
No. We can assist a trustee who lives elsewhere with an undisputed California trust matter within our service area. Tell us where the property is located and where you live during the initial call.
No. Even when trust property can pass without probate, the trustee may have notices, recordkeeping, property transfers, tax coordination, and distribution responsibilities. The work depends on the trust and its assets.
We discuss focused assistance as well as broader administration. David first reviews the documents and circumstances to determine what work is appropriate.
David works with individuals and families throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Kern counties. Start with a phone consultation. Home and Glendale office signing appointments are available; we discuss location and arrangements before scheduling.
Explore our service area and consultation options →Our practice is limited to estate planning and undisputed matters. We do not handle litigation, will or trust contests, beneficiary disputes, or conservatorships.
Speak with David About a TrustOr call David at 818.392.8222Personal attention makes a difference.
“David was so informative, helpful, and very caring”
Stephanie Smith“He's professional in every aspect.”
Gayane Kouyoumdjian“It is a plus that they can come to your house.”
Isabel MalagaOpens our Google listing. Select Reviews to read client feedback.
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Questions? Call 818.392.8222.
Start with a free phone consultation with David. Tell us briefly what you need help with.
We handle estate planning, uncontested probate, and undisputed trust administration. Our services do not include litigation or disputed matters.
818.392.8222
david@calkinslaw.com
500 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 2000
Glendale, CA 91203
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