Why San Jose Estate Planning Requires Specialized Expertise
San Jose is the heart of Silicon Valley—home to the world's most valuable tech companies and the professionals who build them. From Apple and Google engineers in Willow Glen to Nvidia executives in Almaden Valley, San Jose residents hold unprecedented wealth in RSUs (Restricted Stock Units), ISOs (Incentive Stock Options), and NSOs (Non-Qualified Stock Options). A template trust that works for someone without equity compensation doesn't work for a Silicon Valley engineer with $800,000 in unvested RSUs.
RSU Vesting Complexity
Your RSUs vest on a schedule—typically over 4 years. Your trust must properly capture both vested and unvested shares, or your family faces a "mini-probate" at 191 N First Street.
ISO Exercise Windows
Incentive Stock Options have 90-day exercise windows after death. Without proper planning, your family may lose valuable ISOs before they can act.
$1.5M+ Real Estate
San Jose's $1.5 million median home value means $56,000 in probate fees for an average family. Almaden Valley and Silver Creek estates face $96,000+.
RSU, ISO & Stock Option Estate Planning
Silicon Valley's tech compensation creates unique estate planning challenges. Your RSUs, ISOs, and stock options require specialized handling.
Why Tech Equity Is Different
Unlike traditional investments, tech equity has unique characteristics:
- RSUs (Restricted Stock Units): Vest over time, taxed as income at vesting
- ISOs (Incentive Stock Options): 90-day exercise window after death
- NSOs (Non-Qualified Options): Different tax treatment than ISOs
- ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan): Holding period requirements
- Plan administrator: Schwab, E*TRADE, Morgan Stanley coordination
LegalZoom asks if you have "investments." Trust & Will has no RSU or ISO provisions. We understand that a Nvidia engineer's equity compensation is fundamentally different from a savings account.
Tech Equity Trust Provisions
- RSU vesting schedule acknowledgment
- ISO exercise window provisions
- Plan administrator coordination language
- Unvested equity capture provisions
- ESPP holding period documentation
- Beneficiary designation coordination
ISO Alert: ISOs typically expire 90 days after termination of employment (including death). Your successor trustee needs authority to exercise options quickly—or your family loses valuable equity.
Silicon Valley Companies: Estate Planning by Employer
San Jose and Silicon Valley are home to the world's most valuable companies. Each has different equity compensation structures and plan administrators:
Plan Administrator Note
Your trust must work with your company's plan administrator—typically Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, or Morgan Stanley. We include language that coordinates with these platforms for seamless equity transfer.
Trust & Will doesn't ask who your plan administrator is. LegalZoom has no provisions for Schwab or E*TRADE coordination. We create trusts that work with Silicon Valley's equity infrastructure.
Major Silicon Valley Employers
- Apple - RSUs, ESPP (Cupertino/San Jose)
- Google/Alphabet - GSUs, ESPP (Mountain View)
- Nvidia - RSUs, stock options (Santa Clara)
- Cisco - RSUs, stock options (San Jose)
- Adobe - RSUs, ESPP (San Jose)
- PayPal - RSUs, stock options (San Jose)
- Western Digital - RSUs (San Jose)
- Zoom - RSUs, stock options (San Jose)
Also serving: Meta, Netflix, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Synopsys, Cadence, and all Bay Area tech companies.
San Jose Neighborhoods: From Tech Hubs to Luxury Estates
San Jose's diverse neighborhoods range from starter homes to multi-million dollar estates:
Premium Neighborhoods
Almaden Valley ($2M - $5M)
Executive enclave. Tech executives and senior engineers. Golf courses and vineyards.
Silver Creek ($2.5M - $6M)
Luxury homes with country club. Highest San Jose values. $126,000+ probate exposure.
Willow Glen ($1.5M - $3M)
Historic downtown district. Tree-lined streets. Popular with tech families.
Rose Garden ($1.3M - $2.5M)
Historic district. Near downtown. Strong Prop 13 tax bases.
Family Neighborhoods
Evergreen ($1.2M - $2M)
East San Jose foothills. Growing tech professional population.
Cambrian ($1.3M - $2.2M)
Central location. Good schools. Popular with young families.
North San Jose ($800K - $1.5M)
Condos and townhomes. Near tech campuses. First-time buyers.
Berryessa ($900K - $1.6M)
BART access. Growing neighborhood. Tech commuters.
Additional San Jose Neighborhoods: Blossom Valley • Communications Hill • Santana Row Area • Downtown • Japantown • Naglee Park • Shasta/Hanchett • West San Jose • Bernal/Edenvale • Coyote Valley
The "Silicon Valley Probate Trap": Fee Exposure by Neighborhood
Statutory fees under CA Probate Code §10810. Tech equity is valued at fair market value on date of death.
RSU Alert: Your vested RSUs are valued at fair market value on date of death for probate. If your stock is at an all-time high, so is your probate exposure. $500K in vested Nvidia RSUs = $21,000+ in additional fees.
Santa Clara County probate court
191 N First Street, Department 12
The 191 N First Street Backlog: Why Tech Families Wait
All San Jose and Santa Clara County probate cases are heard at the Downtown Superior Court (DTS) at 191 North First Street. Department 12 handles probate—and the backlog is substantial.
What Public Probate Means for Tech Families:
- Your RSU holdings valued and published publicly
- Stock option details become court records
- 18-month backlog at Department 12
- $56,000+ in statutory fees
- ISOs may expire before probate closes
For a Silicon Valley professional whose compensation is largely equity-based, this public exposure is devastating. Your colleagues, competitors, and recruiters can see your entire portfolio. A living trust bypasses 191 N First Street entirely—your estate transfers privately.
Prop 19 Alert: San Jose's Legacy Tax Base at Risk
Many San Jose families—especially those in Willow Glen, Rose Garden, and Cambrian—have owned their homes for decades with incredibly low property tax bases. Proposition 19 threatens to destroy this legacy if your children don't move into the property within 12 months of inheritance.
Without Planning
Your $5,000/year tax bill becomes $18,000+/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.
Willow Glen Example: A home purchased in 1985 for $180,000 is now worth $2.2M. Current taxes: $3,600/year. Without planning, heirs who don't move in pay $26,400/year—more than $22,000 extra annually, forever.
How to Create Your San Jose Living Trust
Complete Questionnaire
Answer questions about your property, RSUs, ISOs, stock options, and beneficiaries
15 minutes
Attorney Review
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) reviews for tech equity vesting and plan coordination
Same week
Sign Locally
Sign with any notary throughout San Jose and Silicon Valley
Your choice
Fund Your Trust
Transfer property—Santa Clara County Recorder forms and instructions included
Protected!
What Silicon Valley Families Say
★★★★★ 4.9/5 average from 127 reviews
"I'm a senior engineer at Nvidia with significant RSUs and ISOs. Attorney Gyene understood exactly how to structure the trust to handle vesting schedules and coordinate with Schwab. LegalZoom just asked if I had 'investments.'"
— Kevin T., Almaden Valley
Nvidia Engineer, November 2024
"Our Almaden Valley home plus my Apple stock options made estate planning complicated. Attorney Gyene created a trust that properly handles both real estate and vested/unvested equity. Trust & Will couldn't explain how ISOs work."
— Priya M., Almaden Valley
Apple Employee, October 2024
"My colleague's Willow Glen estate went through 20 months of probate at 191 N First Street. The court published their entire portfolio—including all their Cisco RSUs. Everyone at work knew their business."
— James W., Willow Glen
Cisco Employee, September 2024
Frequently Asked Questions: San Jose Living Trusts
How much does probate cost for a San Jose home?
For a median San Jose home valued at $1.5 million, California statutory probate fees total approximately $56,000. Under CA Probate Code §10810, fees are based on gross market value. For Silver Creek or Almaden Valley estates with significant tech equity, fees can exceed $126,000. A living trust bypasses these fees for $400.
Can a living trust handle my RSUs, ISOs, and stock options?
Absolutely—and this is critical for Silicon Valley tech professionals. Your RSUs, ISOs, and NSOs require specific Assignment of Personal Property language to transfer properly. We include tech equity provisions that coordinate with your plan administrator (Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, Morgan Stanley). ISOs have 90-day exercise windows—your successor trustee needs authority to act quickly. Learn about tech equity provisions →
Where is the probate court for San Jose?
All San Jose and Santa Clara County probate cases go to the Downtown Superior Court (DTS) at 191 North First Street, typically heard in Department 12. The court has an 18-month backlog. Your tech equity valuations become public record. A living trust bypasses 191 N First Street entirely—your estate transfers privately.
Serving Silicon Valley's Tech Professionals
We understand that San Jose and Silicon Valley professionals have unique estate planning needs—complex equity compensation, high-value real estate, and the need for privacy. Our trust documents reflect the tech industry's distinctive compensation landscape.
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) has over 25 years of experience helping California families—including Silicon Valley engineers, executives, and tech founders.
Most Silicon Valley Clients:
- Complete questionnaire online (15 min)
- Receive attorney-reviewed documents via email
- Sign at any local notary
- Record deed at Santa Clara County Recorder
450 N Brand Blvd, Suite 600, Glendale, CA 91203
South Bay & Silicon Valley Hub
San Jose Neighborhoods Served
Almaden Valley • Silver Creek • Willow Glen • Rose Garden • Evergreen • Cambrian • Berryessa • North San Jose • Blossom Valley • West San Jose • Downtown • Japantown • Santana Row Area • All Santa Clara County
San Jose Estate Planning Statistics
With San Jose home values averaging $1,350,000, families face significant probate exposure. A living trust bypasses the court system entirely, saving your family an estimated $62,000 in fees and 14-18 months of waiting.
San Jose Probate Court Information
If you pass away without a living trust in San Jose, your estate will go through probate at:
Downtown Superior Court
191 N First Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Current backlog: 14-18 months for initial hearings
Even "simple" probate cases in this jurisdiction routinely take 14-18 months from filing to final distribution. A living trust allows your family to avoid this courthouse entirely, transferring assets privately without court involvement.
San Jose Neighborhoods We Serve
Our online living trust services are available to families throughout San Jose:
Plus: Santana Row, Campbell, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Saratoga, and all South Bay communities.
