Los Angeles Trust Restatement After Second Marriage

The challenge

A widowed homeowner remarried and needed her decade-old trust restated to protect separate property, add the new spouse where intended, and update successor trustees — without triggering reassessment or losing probate avoidance.

Our approach

• Restated the trust as a single integrated amendment to avoid ambiguity across versions.
• Prepared spousal property agreement clarifying separate vs. community property.
• Recorded an updated deed transferring the residence into the restated trust.
• Updated POA, healthcare directive, and HIPAA authorization.
• Coordinated bank and brokerage retitling instructions.

The outcome

Restatement signed and recorded in 90 days. Property remained in the trust with no reassessment trigger under Prop 19 carve-outs. Children from the prior marriage retained intended interests.