Estate Administration Simplified: Master the Mess Without the Stress

Join estate attorney and Trustate CEO Leah Del Percio for a practical, no-fluff walkthrough of how to manage an estate or trust administration from start to finish. Learn a proven six-phase framework that helps attorneys and fiduciaries move quickly and confidently through even the most chaotic cases — while saving time, reducing errors, and delivering high-touch client service. From probate filings and asset discovery to tax filings and final distributions, this session gives you real-world tactics for mastering the process without the stress.

Topics covered include:

Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Practice

Agenda:

Introduction & Framing

Quick intro: Who you are, why you’re here
What “trust administration” means in this context
Overview of common myths: “Every estate is different & unpredictable.”
Setting the goal: Simplify estate admin into predictable phases

The 6 Phases of Estate Administration

Phase 1: Estate Opening

The “probate” part
Executor appointment & authority
Probate vs. non-probate assets
Client onboarding checklist
Pro tips: Death certificates, EINs, timeline expectations

Phase 2: Asset & Liability Discovery

Identifying all assets/liabilities
Importance of qualified appraisals
Tech tools that help (e.g., EVP, Yahoo Finance)
Pro tips for making this phase less painful

Phase 3: Asset & Liability Management

Transferring vs. retitling assets
Role of trust funding in avoiding this phase
Managing debts, disputes, creditor negotiations

Phase 4: Payments, Taxes & Accountings

Key tax filings: 1040, 1041, 645 election
Step-up in basis explained
Estate vs. inheritance tax
Pro tips on tax deadlines & transcripts

Phase 5: Distributions

Preliminary vs. final distributions
Releases, waivers, indemnification agreements
Virtual representation considerations

Phase 6: Estate Closure, Settlement & Final Distributions

Holdbacks: purpose & calculation
Executor’s commission process
Final court filings, releases, and closing tasks

Wrap-Up & Takeaways

Recap: Predictable phases = less stress, fewer errors
How this framework enhances practice efficiency
Trustate’s role in streamlining these phases
Invite to connect: LinkedIn, website, Q&A

Additional Questions & Answers (as time permits)

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

When: Premieres in 12 days | July 16, 2025 10:00 AM PT

Register Now

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Difficulty: All Levels

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 General

This presentation is approved for one hour of General CLE credit in California, South Carolina (all levels), and North Carolina. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours.

Justia only reports attendance in jurisdictions in which a particular Justia CLE Webinar is officially accredited. Lawyers may need to self-submit their certificates for CLE credit in jurisdictions not listed above.

Note that CLE credit, including partial credit, cannot be earned outside of the relevant accreditation period. To earn credit for a course, a lawyer must watch the entire course within the relevant accreditation period. Lawyers who have viewed a presentation multiple times may not be able to claim credit in their jurisdiction more than once. Justia reserves the right, at its discretion, to grant an attendee partial or no credit, in accordance with viewing duration and other methods of verifying course completion.

At this time, Justia only offers CLE courses officially accredited in certain states. Lawyers may generate a generic attendance certificate to self-submit credit in their own jurisdiction, but Justia does not guarantee that lawyers will receive their desired CLE credit through the self-submission or reciprocity process.

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Speaker

Leah Del Percio CEO & Founder
Trustate

Leah Del Percio is the President, CEO, and co-founder of Trustate, one of the world’s fastest-growing estate administration platforms. Since Trustate’s founding in 2020, Ms. Del Percio has been involved in all aspects of the firm's development and growth. Trustate provides B2B tools to various stakeholders throughout the estate administration process including law firms, wealth managers, banks, and accountants, amongst others. Today, the firm is an industry leader in the LegalTech space and is regularly featured as one of the top startups to watch. Read More ›

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