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Rebecca Sommer

Rebecca Sommer

  • Estate Planning
  • California
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Biography

Rebecca Sommer is licensed with the California state bar and has been practicing law since 2015. She has numerous scholastic achievements, including ranking top 10% of her graduating law school class and earning several scholarships for extracurricular activities. Additionally, Rebecca has a Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University and participated in the tax honors program at Loyola Law School.

She combines her general finance training with specialized legal knowledge to offer practical legal solutions for managing your assets. Work with Rebecca to create legal documents which encapsulate your wishes rather than relying on state systems and rules. You can avoid probate, minimize taxes, ensure those who depend on you are cared for, and proactively empower your trusted relatives or friends to help if the unexpected happens.

Education
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
J.D. (2015)
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Honors: Order of the Coif; St. Thomas More Law Honor Society; Robinson Family Scholar; Public Interest Scholar; 2014 National Civil Trial Competition, National Champion; 2013 ABA Labor & Employment Tournament, Regional Champion; American Board Of Trial Advocates, Award Recipient
Activities: Byrne Trial Advocacy, Team Member; Public Interest Foundation, Publicity Chair; Tax Policy Colloquium Participant; Juvenile Justice Clinic Participant
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Logo
Speaking Engagements
Savvy Estate Planning 567, Orange, CA
Effective Estate Planning, Anaheim, CA
Professional Associations
State Bar of California  # 305902
Member
Current
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
State Bar of California
ID Number: 305902
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
    We offer a free 15 minute, no obligation phone consultation.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    All services are offered on a flat fee basis. Our comprehensive trust packages range from $2,450 to $5,950 depending on the complexity and the number of trusts needed. Our clients typically spend about $3,150.
Practice Area
Estate Planning
Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Legal Answers
Q. Someone (not a lawyer) asks for a copy of my property Grand Deed. Can she do the fraud to transfer my property to her?
A: It is normal for part of the process of creating a trust to include drafting a deed to transfer property into the trust. Typically that includes reviewing prior recordings to see the legal description of the property. So her asking for a copy of your deed is not concerning.

That said, it is concerning that a non-lawyer is creating a trust and preparing a deed for you. Trusts are complex and should be prepared by a lawyer.
Q. Can a trust be a joint tenant with 50% interest in a property, the other 50% a natural person?
A: Without seeing all of the documents I cannot say for certain, but based on the information you have provided, unless there is some other restriction or agreement that limits Victor's right to sell his half of the property, he is allowed to sell his half without your mother in law's permission.

In general, a joint tenant has the right to dispose of their interest in a property while they are still alive by selling or transferring their interest in some way. When that is done, it usually severs the joint tenancy and converts the ownership to a tenancy-in-common.

When your mother-in-law put Victor on the deed as a joint tenant, she essentially gifted him half of the property. He would have been set to own the entire property on her death as long as it remained a joint tenancy. When she transferred her portion into a trust, it probably severed the joint tenancy so now they are tenants-in-common. That means there is no automatic transfer of the property to the surviving owner so instead of Victor being set to own the entire property at her death, she can now designate someone else to receive her share of the property (which it sounds like she has done).

Your mother-in-law should consult with a lawyer.
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Q. Does a Trustee have to get a beneficiary's permission to make capital expenditures from the a Special Needs trust?
A: The trust documents should have the answer to this question as they dictate the powers of the trustee as well as how funds are to be used.

An experienced estate planning lawyer could likely answer this question in minutes if you provide them with a copy of the trust documents.
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Websites & Blogs
Website
Blog
Contact & Map
Law Office of Rebecca Sommer
501 N Brookhurst St.
Suite 318
Anaheim, CA 92801
Telephone: (714) 805-6026
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10 AM - 2:30 PM
Friday: 10 AM - 2:30 PM (Today)
Saturday: 9 AM - 11:30 AM
Sunday: Closed