Probate

Avoiding Probate in Nevada and California with a Heggstad Petition.

The use of revocable inter vivos trusts, also known as living trusts have gained in popularity. A wide range of estate, tax and wealth planning objectives can be achieved by the use of living trusts.  A primary objective of the living trust is the avoidance of probate.

Problems can arise, however, when a trust is created but assets are not transferred into the trust, whether inadvertently or because of an ineffective transfer document.  When real estate assets are inadvertently not transferred to the trustee of the trust, it may still be possible to avoid a lengthy and expensive probate.

Under California law, a trust can be created by a written declaration by the owner that the real property in question is held subject to a trust, and no separate transfer by deed is required to fund the real property into the trust. (Estate of Heggstad (1993) 16 Cal. App. 4th 945.)  This ruling provides an opportunity to have a court declare real property to be subject to a trust through the filing of a petition that has become known as a “Heggstad petition”.  A successful Heggstad petition can allow the parties to avoid a more lengthy and costly probate proceeding.

Several provisions in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) dating back to 1999 authorize a Heggstad-like petition in Nevada. The most recent addition to the NRS in this regard was enacted by the 2015 Nevada Legislature in Senate Bill 484, Section 64. The new amendment of NRS 164.015 confers additional explicit authority upon the Nevada District Courts in cases involving non-testamentary trusts to hear and act upon “petitions for a ruling that property not formally titled in the name of a trust or its trustee constitutes trust property…”

For more information on California or Nevada probate, and the possibility of avoiding probate, the attorneys at Incline Law Group, LLP may be able to assist.