Business Details
22 Years
experience
Your Trusted Estate Planning Partner in Livermore
Bartsch Law was founded in 2004 with a clear mission: to provide clients with peace of mind by ensuring their loved ones are cared for and their assets protected. Our practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, and tax planning, with specialized expertise in navigating complex probate processes and elder law matters. With over two decades of experience, including prior work at a prominent estate and elder law firm, our team combines deep technical knowledge with a compassionate approach to client service.We prioritize personalized solutions that address individual needs, whether through creating living trusts to avoid probate or developing tax-efficient strategies for wealth transfer. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our hands-on approach to trust administration, where we leverage lessons from real-world cases to avoid common pitfalls in estate planning. We serve clients across the East Bay area, offering both legal expertise and community-focused support.
Services
Estate Planning
Trust Administration
Probate Services
Tax Planning
Elder Law
Medi-Cal Planning
Asset Preservation
Living Trusts
Will Preparation
Tax Preparation
Details
- Year established: 2004
Highlights and features
- We offer 20+ years of specialized expertise in estate and trust law.
- Our in-house trust administration services ensure comprehensive planning solutions.
- We prioritize probate avoidance strategies to save clients time and money.
- Our tax planning integrates advanced tools for wealth preservation.
- We serve East Bay communities with personalized, locally informed guidance.
Services
Estate Planning
Estate Planning ensures your wishes for family and property are honored during incapacity or after death. Our approach combines tax expertise with personalized strategies to safeguard assets and minimize government intervention. We create living trusts, wills, and advanced directives tailored to individual needs while educating clients on probate avoidance benefits.
Trust Administration
Trust Administration handles post-death asset distribution through non-court supervised processes. Our experience with 40+ trust estates informs proactive planning strategies that prevent common pitfalls. We guide trustees through tax compliance and asset protection while maintaining beneficiary relationships built on transparency and accountability.
Probate Services
Probate Services assist with court-supervised estate distribution for clients lacking trusts. We streamline this public, costly process through organized case management and legal expertise. Our approach minimizes delays while protecting client privacy and maximizing estate value preservation during judicial proceedings.
Tax Planning
Tax Planning integrates with estate strategies to reduce exposure through family partnerships, charitable trusts, and life insurance tools. We address gift taxes, estate taxes, and income tax implications for both planning and post-mortem scenarios. Our services include fiduciary tax returns and specialized planning for disabled beneficiaries.
Elder Law
Elder Law coordinates estate planning with long-term care needs and public benefit preservation. We help families navigate Medi-Cal eligibility, conservatorships, and care arrangements while maintaining quality of life. Our collaborative approach addresses aging-related challenges through legal frameworks that protect both personal and financial well-being.
People
Rosmary S. Bartsch
Attorney at Law
Founder of Bartsch Law with 20+ years of estate planning experience. Former associate at Gilfix & La Poll Associates specializing in trust administration. Graduated with distinction from San Jose State University and UC Hastings College of the Law. Combines tax expertise with practical insights from administering 40+ trust estates.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I really need?
At minimum, a living trust, pour-over will, and durable power of attorney. We customize additional documents based on your family situation and asset complexity.
How does a living trust avoid probate?
Assets held in trust bypass court-supervised probate, maintaining privacy and reducing administrative costs. We help properly fund trusts to ensure seamless asset transfer.
Can I update an existing estate plan?
Yes, we review and modernize outdated plans to reflect current laws and personal circumstances, ensuring your intentions remain legally enforceable.
What's involved in trust administration?
We guide trustees through asset inventory, tax filings, debt settlement, and distributions. Our process emphasizes clear communication with beneficiaries and tax-efficient decision-making.
How does Medi-Cal planning work?
We develop strategies to protect assets while maintaining eligibility for long-term care benefits, balancing legal compliance with financial security for seniors.
