Why San Francisco Estate Planning Requires Specialized Expertise
San Francisco isn't like other California cities. The 7x7-mile footprint has the highest concentration of Tenants-in-Common (TIC) ownership in America, the largest AI and tech sector workforce generating founder wealth, and Victorian homes with decades-old Prop 13 tax bases. A template trust from LegalZoom that works for a Phoenix suburb doesn't work for a Mission District TIC unit or a Pacific Heights Victorian with $800,000 in unvested founder shares.
TIC Ownership Complexity
SF has more TIC units than any US city. Your fractional ownership interest requires specific Assignment of Interest language—or your co-owners face chaos during probate.
AI Sector Wealth
San Francisco is ground zero for AI and tech. Your founder equity, pre-IPO shares, and unvested compensation require specialized trust language.
Victorian Legacy Values
SF's Victorian homes have legacy tax bases from decades past. Prop 19 threatens to destroy this—proper planning can protect your family's inheritance.
TIC Estate Planning: Protecting Your Tenants-in-Common Interest
San Francisco is the TIC capital of America. If you own a TIC unit, your estate plan is even more critical than for traditional homeowners.
What Makes TIC Ownership Different
Unlike a condo where you own your unit, a TIC means you own a fractional share of the entire building:
- Shared financing: Your co-owners' credit is tied to yours
- TIC Agreement: Governs rights—your trust must coordinate
- Probate disruption: Your death can block refinancing for everyone
- Assignment of Interest: Required for proper transfer
- Co-owner notification: TIC Agreements often require notice
LegalZoom keeps asking if you own a condo. Trust & Will has no TIC provisions. We understand that a Mission District TIC is fundamentally different from a Sunset single-family home.
TIC Trust Provisions
- Assignment of Interest language
- TIC Agreement coordination notes
- Co-owner notification provisions
- Fractional ownership transfer mechanics
- Building insurance coordination
- Shared expense continuation provisions
TIC Alert: If your TIC interest goes through probate, your co-owners may be blocked from refinancing for 18-24 months. This can create financial hardship for everyone in the building.
AI Sector & Founder Equity Planning
San Francisco is the global capital of artificial intelligence. From OpenAI to Anthropic to countless startups, the city's residents hold unprecedented wealth in founder equity, pre-IPO shares, and vesting compensation that requires specialized estate planning.
AI Wealth Planning
If you have significant unvested shares, founder equity, or pre-IPO compensation, your trust needs specific Assignment of Personal Property language—and coordination with your plan administrator. A generic template won't capture this wealth.
Trust & Will doesn't understand founder equity. LegalZoom has no provisions for unvested AI company shares or pre-IPO stock. We create trusts that work with your company's equity plan.
AI & Tech Equity Considerations
- Pre-IPO shares and private company stock
- Founder equity with vesting schedules
- Double-trigger acceleration provisions
- 83(b) election documentation
- Plan administrator coordination
- Unvested compensation capture language
Startup Note: If your company is pre-IPO, your shares may represent significant wealth that traditional estate planning overlooks. We ensure proper assignment language.
San Francisco Neighborhoods: TIC Hotspots to Victorian Estates
From TIC-heavy districts to single-family Victorian neighborhoods, SF's diverse housing stock requires specialized planning:
High TIC Concentration
Mission District ($1.2M - $2.5M)
Highest TIC density in SF. Victorian buildings with fractional ownership. Assignment of Interest critical.
Noe Valley ($1.8M - $4M)
Victorian homes and TICs. Family neighborhood. Strong Prop 13 bases.
Castro / Dolores Heights ($1.5M - $3.5M)
Mixed TIC and condo buildings. Victorian and Edwardian architecture.
Haight-Ashbury ($1.4M - $3M)
Historic Victorian TICs. Multi-unit buildings with fractional shares.
High-Value Single-Family
Pacific Heights ($5M - $30M+)
Ultra-luxury estates. Probate fees: $126,000-$450,000+. Privacy essential.
Sea Cliff ($4M - $15M)
Oceanfront estates. Premium values. Catastrophic probate exposure.
Marina District ($2M - $6M)
Bay views and Mediterranean architecture. Young professional families.
Sunset / Richmond ($1.3M - $2.2M)
Family neighborhoods. Multi-generational homes. Strong Prop 13 protection.
Additional SF Neighborhoods: SoMa • Mission Bay • Potrero Hill • Bernal Heights • Cole Valley • Hayes Valley • Dogpatch • Glen Park • Inner Sunset • Outer Sunset • Inner Richmond • Presidio Heights • Russian Hill • North Beach • Telegraph Hill
The "San Francisco Probate Trap": Fee Exposure by Neighborhood
Statutory fees under CA Probate Code §10810. TIC values included at full fractional share.
TIC Alert: Your TIC fractional interest is valued at full market value for probate. A $1.2M TIC share = $50,000 in fees—AND your co-owners can't refinance until probate closes.
San Francisco probate court
400 McAllister Street, Room 202
The 400 McAllister Backlog: Why SF Heirs Wait Years
San Francisco probate cases are heard at the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister Street. The Probate Division (Room 202) is understaffed and backlogged—families routinely wait 18-24 months for distribution.
What Public Probate Means for SF Families:
- Your TIC interest frozen—co-owners can't refinance
- Victorian home appraised publicly at market value
- 18-24 month backlog at Civic Center Courthouse
- $60,000+ in statutory fees
- Founder equity valuation becomes public record
For a TIC owner in the Mission or a tech founder in SoMa, this public exposure and delay is devastating. A living trust bypasses 400 McAllister entirely—your estate transfers privately in weeks, not years.
Prop 19 Alert: San Francisco's Victorian Tax Base at Risk
Many San Francisco families have owned their Victorian homes for generations—with property tax bases from the 1970s and 1980s. Proposition 19 threatens to destroy this legacy if your children don't move into the property within 12 months of inheritance.
Without Planning
Your $4,000/year tax bill becomes $21,000+/year if children don't move in within 12 months.
With Proper Planning
We help you understand Prop 19 exclusions and structure your trust for maximum tax protection.
Noe Valley Example: A Victorian purchased in 1978 for $95,000 is now worth $3.5M. Current taxes: $2,400/year. Without planning, heirs who don't move in pay $42,000/year—more than $39,000 extra annually, forever.
How to Create Your San Francisco Living Trust
Complete Questionnaire
Answer questions about your property, TIC status, founder equity, and beneficiaries
15 minutes
Attorney Review
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) reviews for TIC provisions and equity assignment
Same week
Sign Locally
Sign with any notary throughout San Francisco neighborhoods
Your choice
Fund Your Trust
Transfer property via Grant Deed—SF Assessor-Recorder forms and transfer tax affidavit included
Protected!
What San Francisco Families Say
★★★★★ 4.9/5 average from 127 reviews
"We own a TIC unit in the Mission and were terrified about what would happen to our co-owners if something happened to us. Attorney Gyene created a trust with proper Assignment of Interest language. LegalZoom didn't even know what a TIC was."
— Jennifer K., Mission District
TIC Owner, November 2024
"I'm an AI engineer with significant pre-IPO shares and founder equity. Attorney Gyene understood how to structure the trust to handle unvested shares. Trust & Will had no concept of how founder stock works."
— David C., SoMa
AI Sector Professional, October 2024
"My neighbor's Noe Valley Victorian went through 22 months of probate at 400 McAllister. The court published their entire asset inventory—$68,000 in fees later, everyone knew their business."
— Margaret L., Noe Valley
Victorian Home Owner, September 2024
Frequently Asked Questions: San Francisco Living Trusts
How much does probate cost for a San Francisco home?
For a median San Francisco home valued at $1.7 million, California statutory probate fees total approximately $60,000. Under CA Probate Code §10810, fees are based on gross market value. For Pacific Heights or Sea Cliff estates, fees can exceed $162,000. TIC interests are valued at full fractional share. A living trust bypasses these fees for $400.
Can a living trust handle my San Francisco TIC (Tenants-in-Common) unit?
Absolutely—and this is critical for SF TIC owners. Your TIC interest requires specific Assignment of Interest language to transfer properly. Without a trust, your TIC share goes through probate, potentially blocking your co-owners from refinancing for 18-24 months. We include TIC-specific provisions that coordinate with your TIC Agreement. Learn about TIC provisions →
Where is the probate court for San Francisco?
All SF probate cases go to the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister Street, Room 202 (Probate Division). The court currently has an 18-24 month backlog due to staffing constraints. Every filing becomes public record. A living trust bypasses 400 McAllister entirely—your estate transfers privately.
Serving San Francisco's TIC Owners & Tech Professionals
We understand that San Francisco is unique—where TIC ownership and AI sector wealth create estate planning challenges found nowhere else. Our trust documents reflect the 7x7's distinctive property landscape.
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) has over 25 years of experience helping California families—including San Francisco TIC owners, tech founders, and Victorian home families.
Most SF Clients:
- Complete questionnaire online (15 min)
- Receive attorney-reviewed documents via email
- Sign at any SF notary
- Record deed at SF Assessor-Recorder
450 N Brand Blvd, Suite 600, Glendale, CA 91203
Bay Area Regional Hub
San Francisco Neighborhoods Served
Mission District • Noe Valley • Pacific Heights • Sea Cliff • Marina • SoMa • Mission Bay • Castro • Haight-Ashbury • Cole Valley • Bernal Heights • Potrero Hill • Sunset • Richmond • Hayes Valley • Dogpatch • Glen Park • Russian Hill • North Beach • All SF zip codes 94102-94158
San Francisco Estate Planning Statistics
With San Francisco home values averaging $1,400,000, families face significant probate exposure. A living trust bypasses the court system entirely, saving your family an estimated $65,000 in fees and 16-20 months of waiting.
San Francisco Probate Court Information
If you pass away without a living trust in San Francisco, your estate will go through probate at:
Civic Center Courthouse
400 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Current backlog: 16-20 months for initial hearings
Even "simple" probate cases in this jurisdiction routinely take 16-20 months from filing to final distribution. A living trust allows your family to avoid this courthouse entirely, transferring assets privately without court involvement.
San Francisco Neighborhoods We Serve
Our online living trust services are available to families throughout San Francisco:
Plus: Presidio Heights, Cow Hollow, North Beach, Financial District, Sunset, Richmond, and all SF neighborhoods.
