Trust and Estate Services of San Diego

About Us

DENISE L. MARTIN, Principle

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS:

• Professional with over 25 years of experience and expertise in complex estate tax, accounting, and trust administration matters, as well as competent and complete case management of all probate Court administration matters.
• Current and active registration with the State of California Attorney General and the San Diego County Superior Court for professional fiduciary services.
• Current and active member of the California Professional Fiduciary Association.
• Current and active Certificate of Compliance to perform Paralegal Duties.
• Current and active Certificate of Compliance, California State Franchise Tax Board, to perform income tax preparation services.
• Current and Active Member of the San Diego County Bar Association, Probate and Elder Law Sections

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

1/1998 to Present: Trust & Estate Services of San Diego - San Diego, CA
Sole proprietorship providing professional fiduciary services (trustee, administrator, conservator, and guardian) and high quality paralegal, accounting, tax, and miscellaneous case services for attorneys and accountants pertaining to any and all aspects of trust and estates, probate, conservatorship, and guardianship administration matters. Consistently praised by clients (attorneys and accountants) for superior knowledge of law, ability to formulate a plan of action and determine solutions to difficult situations, and efficiency in completing projects prior to or by deadlines.

3/1988 - 12/1996: Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich APLC, San Diego, CA

1/1997 - 12/1997: Beamer Lauth & Steinley, San Diego, CA
(former partners and associates of Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich Trust & Estates Dept.) Trust & Estates Senior Paralegal Independently handled complex post-death, high net-worth trust and estate administration matters including asset identification, inventory, valuation, allocation between sub-trusts, and asset transfer. Routinely researched and prepared complex federal estate and gift tax returns, and fiduciary income tax returns.

Key Accomplishments:

• Restructured document filing system to accomplish quick and reliable access to critical trust and estates information
• Created spreadsheet templates and forms for use by entire Trust and Estates Department for accounting, allocation, and complex financial analysis projects
• Presented training workshops for new associates and intern paralegals in the areas of federal estate and gift tax, probate administration, and asset transfer
• Served on management committee to institute paralegal policies and procedures for all paralegal in the firm
• Consistently praised by all superiors as top performer and producer

4/1985 - 2/1988: Seltzer, Caplan, Wilkins & McMahon, San Diego, CA
Trust & Estates Paralegal Handled all aspects of post-death administration of a decedent's estate, with particular emphasis on probate court administration. Prepared fiduciary accountings for complex cases. Some drafting of routine estate planning documents.

1/1983 - 4/1985: Dale & Lloyd, San Diego, CA
Trust & Estates Secretary/Paralegal Drafted routine estate planning documents; worked extensively with clients in trust funding; handled routine probate administration and conservatorship matters.

7/1982 - 12/1983: Kimball, Mitchell and McIntyre, Encinitas, CA
Trust & Estates Secretary/Paralegal Heavy probate and conservatorship case administration; some fiduciary accounting.

PROFESSIONAL FIDUCIARY CERTIFIED PARALEGALCERTIFIED TAX PREPARER