Why Santa Clara Estate Planning Requires Specialized Expertise
Santa Clara is the global semiconductor capital—where Intel, Nvidia, and Applied Materials are headquartered, and where chip industry veterans hold decades of accumulated equity. From senior engineers with 25 years of Intel RSUs to Nvidia architects whose stock has grown 1,000%+, Santa Clara residents hold unprecedented wealth in semiconductor company stock. A template trust designed for someone with a savings account doesn't work for someone with $2 million in chip company equity.
Semiconductor Stock Complexity
Chip industry veterans often have decades of accumulated equity—multiple RSU grants, stock splits, and acquisition conversions. Your trust must properly capture all vesting schedules and historical grants.
Explosive Stock Growth
Nvidia stock has grown over 1,000% in recent years. What started as modest RSU grants is now worth millions—and your probate exposure grows with every stock split.
$1.8M+ Real Estate
Santa Clara's $1.8 million median home value means $62,000 in probate fees for an average family. Combined with chip stock, executives face $150,000+ exposure.
Semiconductor Stock Estate Planning
Intel, Nvidia, and Applied Materials compensation creates unique estate planning challenges. Your chip industry equity requires specialized handling.
Why Chip Industry Equity Is Different
Unlike traditional investments, semiconductor equity has unique characteristics:
- Long-term RSU accumulation: 20-30 year employees have complex holdings
- Stock splits: Nvidia's splits created complex cost basis tracking
- ESPP shares: Quarterly purchases with holding period requirements
- Acquisition conversions: Old chip company stock converted to new
- Plan administrator: Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity coordination
LegalZoom asks if you have "investments." Trust & Will has no semiconductor equity provisions. We understand that an Intel engineer's 25-year stock history is fundamentally different from a mutual fund.
Chip Industry Trust Provisions
- RSU vesting schedule acknowledgment
- Stock split tracking provisions
- Plan administrator coordination language
- ESPP holding period documentation
- Cost basis records capture
- Beneficiary designation coordination
Nvidia Alert: With stock up 1,000%+, a $50K RSU grant from 5 years ago may now be worth $500K+. Your probate exposure has grown 10x—your trust needs to reflect current valuations.
Santa Clara's Semiconductor Giants: Estate Planning by Employer
Santa Clara hosts the global headquarters of the world's most important semiconductor companies. Each has different equity compensation structures:
Stock Split Alert
Nvidia's multiple stock splits have created complex cost basis situations. Your trust must properly document original grant dates and split-adjusted share counts for proper tax treatment.
Trust & Will doesn't ask about stock splits. LegalZoom has no provisions for tracking chip industry equity history. We create trusts that capture decades of semiconductor compensation.
Santa Clara Semiconductor HQs
- Intel Corporation - RSUs, ESPP, stock options (Santa Clara HQ)
- Nvidia - RSUs, ESPP, explosive growth (Santa Clara HQ)
- Applied Materials - RSUs, stock options (Santa Clara HQ)
- Marvell Technology - RSUs, stock options (Santa Clara)
- Palo Alto Networks - RSUs, ESPP (Santa Clara)
- ServiceNow - RSUs, stock options (Santa Clara)
Also serving: AMD, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Synopsys, Cadence, and all semiconductor industry professionals.
Santa Clara Neighborhoods: From Tech Campuses to Family Homes
Santa Clara's neighborhoods range from established family communities to areas near major tech campuses:
Premium Areas
Old Quad ($2M - $3.5M)
Historic district near Santa Clara University. Chip executives and long-term residents.
Rivermark ($1.5M - $2.5M)
Master-planned community. Popular with semiconductor professionals. Modern homes.
Mission Santa Clara ($1.8M - $2.8M)
Near Intel and Nvidia HQs. Walking distance to campuses. Premium location.
Pomeroy Area ($1.6M - $2.5M)
Established neighborhood. Tree-lined streets. Long-term homeowners with low tax bases.
Family Neighborhoods
Central Park ($1.4M - $2M)
Family-friendly with excellent schools. Growing tech professional population.
Northside ($1.3M - $1.9M)
Near Levi's Stadium. Newer developments. Young semiconductor engineers.
Scott/Homestead ($1.2M - $1.8M)
Entry point for chip industry professionals. Condos and townhomes available.
Agnew ($1.1M - $1.7M)
Northwest Santa Clara. More affordable. Growing area near tech campuses.
Additional Santa Clara Areas: Lawrence Station • Bowers • Monroe • Montague • Great America • All neighborhoods within city limits
The "Semiconductor Probate Trap": Fee Exposure by Asset Value
Statutory fees under CA Probate Code §10810. Chip stock is valued at fair market value on date of death.
Nvidia Stock Alert: If you received Nvidia RSUs 5 years ago, they may have grown 1,000%+. A $100K grant is now worth $1M+. Your probate exposure grew from $4,000 to $36,000+ in additional fees alone.
Santa Clara probate court (in San Jose)
191 N First Street, Room 107
The 191 N First Street Problem: Why Chip Industry Families Wait
All Santa Clara probate cases are heard at the Downtown Superior Court (DTS) at 191 North First Street in San Jose. Department 12 handles probate—and the backlog means your family waits while your equity is frozen.
What Public Probate Means for Semiconductor Families:
- Your Intel/Nvidia/AMAT stock valued and published publicly
- Stock option details become court records
- 18-month backlog at Department 12
- $62,000+ in statutory fees
- Colleagues can see your entire portfolio
For semiconductor professionals whose wealth is largely in employer stock, this public exposure is devastating. Your coworkers, competitors, and recruiters can see your exact holdings. A living trust bypasses 191 N First Street entirely—your estate transfers privately.
Prop 19 Alert: Santa Clara's Legacy Tax Base at Risk
Many Santa Clara families—especially long-term Intel and semiconductor industry employees—purchased homes decades ago when Silicon Valley was still orchards. Proposition 19 threatens to destroy this legacy tax base if your children don't move into the property within 12 months of inheritance.
Prop 19 Exclusion: 2025-2027
For transfers in 2025-2027, the Prop 19 exclusion amount is $1,044,586. This means if your children inherit and move into the property, they can exclude up to $1,044,586 of the difference between assessed value and current market value from reassessment. Above that, the property gets partially reassessed.
Without Planning
Your $4,000/year tax bill becomes $22,000+/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.
Old Quad Example: A home purchased in 1988 for $220,000 is now worth $2.5M. Current taxes: $4,400/year. Without planning, heirs who don't move in pay $30,000/year—more than $25,000 extra annually, forever.
How to Create Your Santa Clara Living Trust
Complete Questionnaire
Answer questions about your property, RSUs, stock options, and beneficiaries
15 minutes
Attorney Review
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) reviews for semiconductor equity and vesting
Same week
Sign Locally
Sign with any notary throughout Santa Clara and Silicon Valley
Your choice
Fund Your Trust
Transfer property—Santa Clara County Recorder forms and instructions included
Protected!
What Semiconductor Families Say
★★★★★ 4.9/5 average from 127 reviews
"I'm a principal engineer at Intel with 25 years of RSUs and stock. Attorney Gyene understood semiconductor compensation—the vesting schedules, the stock splits, the acquisition implications. LegalZoom had no clue what a 4-year cliff vest was."
— Michael R., Old Quad
Intel Engineer, November 2024
"My husband and I both work at Nvidia—our combined equity was complicated. Attorney Gyene created a trust that handles both of our RSU vesting schedules and coordinates with Schwab. Trust & Will didn't even ask about our employers."
— Jennifer L., Rivermark
Nvidia Employee, October 2024
"After 30 years at Applied Materials, my equity and our Santa Clara home made estate planning critical. Attorney Gyene addressed both the real estate and semiconductor stock. The $56,000 we would have lost to probate is now protected."
— David K., Pomeroy
Applied Materials Veteran, September 2024
Frequently Asked Questions: Santa Clara Living Trusts
How much does probate cost for a Santa Clara home?
For a median Santa Clara home valued at $1.8 million, California statutory probate fees total approximately $62,000. Under CA Probate Code §10810, fees are based on gross market value. For semiconductor executives with significant stock holdings, fees can exceed $150,000. A living trust bypasses these fees for $400.
Can a living trust handle my Intel, Nvidia, or Applied Materials stock?
Absolutely—and this is critical for semiconductor industry professionals. Your RSUs, stock options, and ESPP shares require specific Assignment of Personal Property language to transfer properly. We include chip industry equity provisions that coordinate with your plan administrator (Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity). For long-term employees with decades of stock history, proper documentation is essential. Learn about semiconductor equity provisions →
Where is the probate court for Santa Clara?
All Santa Clara probate cases go to the Downtown Superior Court (DTS) at 191 North First Street in San Jose, typically heard in Department 12. The court has an 18-month backlog. Your semiconductor stock valuations become public record—visible to coworkers and competitors. A living trust bypasses 191 N First Street entirely—your estate transfers privately.
Serving Silicon Valley's Semiconductor Professionals
We understand that Santa Clara semiconductor professionals have unique estate planning needs—decades of accumulated equity, complex vesting schedules, and the need for privacy. Our trust documents reflect the chip industry's distinctive compensation landscape.
Attorney Rozsa Gyene (Bar #208356) has over 25 years of experience helping California families—including Intel, Nvidia, and Applied Materials engineers and executives.
Most Semiconductor 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
Santa Clara Neighborhoods Served
Old Quad • Rivermark • Mission Santa Clara • Pomeroy • Central Park • Northside • Scott/Homestead • Agnew • Lawrence Station • Bowers • Monroe • All Santa Clara neighborhoods
