Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

No.

Demand, no. request, yes. This is a common request especially in small estates, as the cost of an accounting may out weigh the paranoia of the beneficiaries.

No, the attorney cannot demand that you waive the accounting as a condition of distribution. As has been said, he/she can request that you waive the accounting. Another alternative is for you to request an informal accounting. An informal account of trust would be prepared by the attorney and the trustee in lieu of a formal one prepared by an accountant. After the final transactions of the estate have all occurred or have been settled, the trustee should provide this informal accounting to all beneficiaries. This type of accounting should start with the balances on hand at the beginning of the accounting period and show the balances at the end of the final accounting period. It should also list the trust and estate�s receipts, disbursements, and distributions showing a final balance of zero, along with a receipt for each beneficiaries� share of the estate. The informal accounting can be sent along with the distributions.