San Mateo, CA estates & probate lawyer Jeffrey Loew explains why there’s been an increase in trust and estate litigation. He expounds that the aging of the baby boomer generation, coupled with the exponential rise in real property values—particularly in California—has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of trusts and estates. What might previously have constituted a modest family estate can now represent multi-million-dollar holdings. This economic shift has, in turn, increased the prevalence of financial elder abuse and undue influence, rendering trust and estate litigation a central feature of modern probate practice.

Historically, trusts and estates constituted a relatively narrow field of law. However, as estate values have grown and the elderly population has expanded, disputes that might once have been resolved informally or without conflict now frequently escalate into contested litigation. This trend reflects both the heightened financial incentives for heirs and beneficiaries, as well as the increased vulnerability of elderly individuals to exploitation in the final years of life.