Fiduciary & Trustee Services in Orange County and the Inland Empire

Families across Orange County and the Inland Empire deserve a steady, impartial hand during life's most difficult transitions. I provide professional fiduciary, trustee, and conservatorship services to individuals and families throughout Southern California — bringing the diligence, transparency, and compassion that define my practice.

I am a California-licensed Professional Fiduciary (CLPF #1663) and a National Certified Guardian (NCG #16646), licensed and regulated by the California Professional Fiduciary Bureau. That license allows me to serve in both private appointments — as a trustee or under a power of attorney — and in court-appointed roles, including conservatorships and court-supervised trustee appointments. Whether your family needs a private fiduciary or one the court can appoint and oversee, I bring the same accountability and care to the work.

How I Serve California Families

Trustee & Successor Trustee — I serve as trustee or successor trustee for living trusts, special needs trusts, and other trusts — managing assets, making distributions, filing accountings, and carrying out the trust's terms exactly as intended.

Conservator (of the Person and/or Estate) — When the court appoints a professional to protect an adult who can no longer manage their own care or finances, I serve as conservator with the diligence, transparency, and reporting the role requires.

Agent under a Financial (Durable) Power of Attorney — Acting under a durable power of attorney, I manage day-to-day finances and longer-term financial decisions for clients who need a trusted, accountable hand.

Health Care Agent (Advance Health Care Directive) — Serving as the agent named in an Advance Health Care Directive, I make and coordinate medical decisions in line with a client's documented wishes when they are unable to do so themselves.

Consulting & Life Management — For families navigating care, finances, and complex transitions, I provide experienced guidance — helping you organize, plan, and make confident decisions.

Representative Payee — Where appropriate, I serve as a Social Security Representative Payee as a complementary service to an existing engagement.

A note on scope

My California practice includes both private fiduciary roles and court-appointed appointments. As a licensed professional fiduciary, I can be named privately in your estate documents or appointed and supervised by the probate court — whichever best fits your family's situation.

Why families choose me

My path to fiduciary work began in senior care — more than two decades helping families coordinate support and navigate difficult transitions. That experience shapes how I serve every client: I understand not just the financial and legal mechanics, but the human realities behind them — the worry, the family dynamics, and the dignity that must be protected at every step. Southern California families have trusted me with their most personal decisions for years, and I bring that same attentive stewardship to every fiduciary engagement.

Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your family's situation and how I can help. There's no obligation, and everything you share is treated with care and discretion.

Fee Schedule — California Effective June 2026

Melissa Kakuk, EMBA — California-licensed Professional Fiduciary CLPF #1663 · NCG #16646

Hourly services

  • Professional fiduciary time — $250 /hour

  • Administrative & bookkeeping support — $135 /hour

  • Extraordinary or complex matters (litigation, complex tax, complex real-property sales) — $295 /hour

Other charges

  • One-time client set-up — $1,000

  • Real property sales — 1% of gross sale price

  • Minimum monthly engagement — $500 (or the equivalent billable time, whichever is greater )

Third-party costs (attorneys, accountants, vendors, filing fees) are billed separately, at cost Court-supervised matters (conservatorships, court-supervised trusteeships) Compensation for court-appointed roles is set under applicable California Probate Code provisions and is subject to the court's determination of reasonableness. Fees are tailored to the complexity of each matter and confirmed in a written engagement agreement before services begin. This schedule is for general information and is not an offer or guarantee of specific fees. Professional Fiduciaries are licensed and regulated by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Professional Fiduciaries Bureau — (916) 574-7340 · fiduciary.ca.gov

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