Experience and Background

Kim is a native Alamedan with strong ties and a deep appreciation for the Bay Area. After graduating from high school in Alameda, she relocated to Los Angeles where she attended the University of Southern California (USC); graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Kim continued her education at USC graduating from the USC School of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree in 2003. 

Kim began her legal career in Los Angeles practicing Estate Planning, Probate and transactional Corporate law. After practicing for several years in Los Angeles, Kim returned to her Bay Area roots where she has since been practicing since 2008.

Kim has over 15 years of legal experience in the areas of estate planning and probate and is actively taking new clients.

☎ Education

USC Law School, Los Angeles
Juris Doctor Decree

USC, Los Angeles
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

Areas of Practice

ESTATE PLANNING

Estate Planning is the process of making a plan, prior to death, to direct the distribution of a person's estate. An estate consists of everything a person owns, including, real property, vehicles, businesses, bank accounts, retirement accounts, and personal property.

Estate Planning also covers important decisions such as guardianship nominations, health care decisions, minimizing taxes plus many additional important personal and financial decisions.

Kim combines personal attention with her many years of experience to design and implement a customized estate plan that meets the needs of each individual client. She prides herself on being involved with each client, building a personal relationship while providing a cost-effective legal approach.

A typical Estate Plan consists of a Revocable Living Trust and/or will (pour-over will), a financial power of attorney, an Advance Health Care Directive, and various ancillary documents to complete the plan. An important component of a completed estate plan is “funding” the Revocable Living Trust. Funding is the process of transferring assets to a trust.

Trust administration

Trust Administration is the process of administering a Revocable Living Trust when a person dies. Trust Administration is typically less expensive and faster than a probate proceeding. The goal is to guide and advise the successor trustee to make the administration as seamless and efficient as possible. Trust Administration encompasses various required actions by the successor trustee; marshaling trust assets, paying creditors, preparing a trust account, working with an accountant to prepare trust and individual tax returns, and ultimately distributing the trust property.

PROBATE

Probate is the court proceeding to administer a person's (non-trust) estate when a person dies. The first step is to have a personal representative appointed by the court. Once appointed, the personal representative, with court supervision, is tasked with various responsibilities; collecting estate assets, notifying and paying creditors, appraising estate assets, preparing an estate accounting, and distributing the estate assets to the intended beneficiaries.

ENTITY FORMATION

Kim works closely with tax and financial professionals to determine the most appropriate type of entity for each client. Different types of business entities include Corporations, S-Corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and Partnerships. Kim provides the following services: the initial consultation, formation and filing of the entity, and drafting and filing the initial business documents.