How can my dad do this without my sister contesting the trust?

If your father still has capacity, he should see an estate planning attorney and amend the trust. He may want to have a professional trustee. It...

When the lawyer petitions the court for distribution to rightful heirs how long is the waiting process to disbursement of funds

If it is in LA or Orange county, it will be at least 2 weeks and probably 3 before the order is signed. I have seen Judges in Ventura and...

How can she protect her assets? What does she need to do to make sure all assets go to her kids, and none to her boyfriend?

There is no "common law marriage" in California. She does need an estate plan and an agreement between her and boyfriend. She needs to visit an...

When in doubt give notice. You need to review the trust with a probate/trust attorney to determine if the child gets more than the same notice...

Is the will valid? how do I proceed? Also what should we do with the bonds? Can I just keep them or are they part of his estate

The notary does nothing. Are there signatures by 2 witnesses? The notary's signature may count as the signature of one witness. Take the will to a...

If you are getting MediCal, SSI, or similar needs based payments, the government may consider the amount due you as an asset EVEN IF you disclaim...

Yes. It is what was owned at time of death. The insurance proceeds will become an asset of the estate. Should put some explanation on the Inventory...

In the petition it says decedent was survived by next of kin of the decedent. Does the sister count as next of kin?

Yes. Next of kin is the nearest relative who is not a spouse or child. Sister is a relative of the second degree. (Degree is the number of steps...

Does the willed Texas land revert back to the Texas family automatically; or is it part of the California estate.

The answer is part of his estate. There will be two probates one in California and one in Texas. You will need to talk to a Texas attorney about...

How long do we have to put the house under one or two of our names?

Did your mom have a trust? If not, unless it was in joint tenancy, you will need to probate her estate. If in a trust, you need to decide who will...