About company

Santa Barbara Fiduciary

About Us

Who We Are

At Santa Barbara Fiduciary, we provide trusted, high-level support to clients navigating financial complexity—whether through formal fiduciary appointments or behind-the-scenes financial stewardship.

We serve older adults, affluent individuals and families, and the professionals who support them, offering a sophisticated, strategic approach to trust administration, financial oversight, and long-term planning. Some clients appoint us as trustee or agent; others rely on us as signers, consultants, or day-to-day financial managers. No matter the structure, our role is always rooted in clarity, continuity, and care.

Known for our integrity, discretion, and attention to detail, we bring calm to complexity—helping clients move forward with confidence. With growing experience in cross-border matters, we also support globally minded families navigating international estate planning and wealth transitions.

Why Choose Us

When you choose Santa Barbara Fiduciary, you gain more than a service provider—you gain a trusted partner in managing complexity with care. We offer:

Best-in-class expertise grounded in years of experience, technical precision, and fiduciary integrity.
A dedicated, detail-driven team known for responsiveness, thoroughness, and follow-through.
A modern, tech-forward approach that enhances transparency and streamlines administration.
Empathy and discretion in every interaction, especially during sensitive transitions.
A commitment to learning and education, both internally and in collaboration with clients and advisors

We show up as professionals—and as people who care deeply about the lives and legacies we help manage.

Our Experience

Fiduciary Representation - 16 years

Accounting - 16 years

Biology and Immunology - 5 years

About Santa Barbara Fiduciary

Norma Richey Bayes

inspiration, beloved grandmother

My grandmother, Norma Richey Bayes, was my first best friend, mentor, and my rock – Santa Barbara Fiduciary is what I sometimes refer to as her ‘parting gift’ to me.

My grandmother was my inspiration throughout life. She carried herself with dignity, strength, and class. She moved through social circles with commanding power, grace, and elegance. Though she might not have been an easy person to please, there was not a better feeling in the world that earning her love and respect.

As she told the story, I was eight days old when we first met. This day started one of the truest and deepest relationships of my life. Hardly a week of my childhood went by when she wasn’t near. As time and circumstance pulled my family further apart, my grandmother and I remained very close.

After my granddad passed away, I decided I would attend UC Santa Barbara to remain close to her. During this time I found out that she had been diagnosed with blood cancer and regularly helped her with shopping, errands, and general tidying up. I fondly remember enjoying ‘Sundowner Specials’ at The Beachside with her on Thursday nights.

After graduating UC Santa Barbara, I moved up to San Francisco to pursue my career. The distance between my grandmother and myself concerned me as I began to realize the extent of her dependence on my assistance. At first, I noticed her increasing confusion during our phone calls. On one of these calls, she referenced an unusually high outstanding utility bill and threats that it would be turned off. Concern soon escalated to frustration when, without something called a ‘power of attorney,’ the utility company refused to tell me how much she owed them. During one weekend visit, I was shocked to find rotting food in the refrigerator. And I was heartbroken to see the notes she was leaving around the house for my grandfather, who had been gone almost ten years. Making matters worse was her adamant refusal for the caregivers I tried to engage once I attained power of attorney. I moved back to Santa Barbara to fulfill an unspoken promise: that I would be there for her in the end. My grandmother passed away in my arms in May of 2008.

The unspoken bond I had with my grandmother became a serious commitment and challenging passage into the unknown. Those challenges, perhaps still the greatest that I have ever faced, became the foundation for Santa Barbara Fiduciary. My company is now one of my greatest achievements, another gift my grandmother gave me: her parting gift to me.

At Santa Barbara Fiduciary, we work to honor and uphold the legacies of our clients. It’s my personal mission to know that, if there is a heaven, and she ever looks down on me, she would continue to love, respect, and be proud of me.

About Founder

Lindsay Leonard

founder, owner

Dedicated, driven, and results-oriented, I bring over sixteen years of experience as a trust and fiduciary officer, with deep expertise in sophisticated estate, financial, and tax planning strategies. I founded Santa Barbara Fiduciary to offer thoughtful, detail-oriented support for clients navigating complex fiduciary matters.

I’ve been a licensed California Professional Fiduciary since 2010 and hold certifications in Professional Fiduciary Management for both Conservators and Trustees. I’m also a National Certified Guardian, a Registered Trust & Estate Practitioner (TEP), and an active member of the Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council.

Before founding Santa Barbara Fiduciary, I worked in early-stage biotechnology and at a publicly held company focused on developing immunotherapies for cancer. When I returned to Santa Barbara to help care for my grandmother, I transitioned into finance, working as a junior financial analyst at two respected asset management firms where I conducted in-depth research on companies, products, and industries.

That personal experience—providing care and navigating the realities of aging—solidified my desire to support others in times of transition. My work blends technical acumen with empathy, built on years of experience helping families, beneficiaries, and advisors bring clarity and order to complex estate and trust matters.

Qualifications

B.S., Biological Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara (Emphasis in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology and Immunology)
Licensed California Professional Fiduciary (2010)
Certification in Professional Fiduciary Management for Trustees (2010)
Certification in Professional Fiduciary Management for Conservators (2010)
National Certified Guardian (2010)
Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) (2017)
Member, Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council (since 2015)
Over 16 years of experience serving as a trustee in California

Outside of the office, I enjoy cross-country running in the mountains and along the beaches of Santa Barbara with my Doberman, Lexa. I hold a California Firearm Safety Certificate and maintain ongoing survival, defense, and firearms training. I’m also passionate about international travel and have an ever-growing list of foreign languages I hope to learn.

Fiduciary Fee Range Schedule

Fiduciary Services

Trustee
Executor
Agent Under Power of Attorney
Agent Healthcare Directive

Trust Administration Assistance (Agent to Trustee)
Fiduciary Accounting & Financial Concierge Services
Successor Fiduciary Appointment Planning
Other Fiduciary Support Services

Professional Fiduciary hourly rate $325 per hour

Support Staff hourly rate range $125– $250 per hour

Real estate sales facilitated: 1% of sales price at close of escrow

Probate Administration Fees

Fees payable to the Professional Fiduciary as the Personal Representative for customary services are authorized under Probate Code §10800 and, pursuant to Probate Code §10800 are computed on a fee base comprised of gross assets, plus receipts and gains, less losses, as follows:

4% of the first $100,000
3% of the next $100,000
2% of the next $800,000
1% of the next $9,000,000
0.5% of the next $15,000,000
Court discretion after $25,000,000

In addition to statutory fees, pursuant to Probate Code §10801, extraordinary fees can be requested for services such as, but not limited to, tax issues, real property sales and litigation and are subject to court approval, as follows:

Professional Fiduciary hourly rate range $325 per hour

Support Staff hourly rate range $125 – $250 per hour

Real estate sales facilitated: 1% of sales price at close of escrow

Benefits of Working With Us

Expertise

With almost a decade of experience, Santa Barbara Fiduciary manages the property and power entrusted to us according to your specific terms and in your best interests. We pride ourselves on our ability to take responsibility for the financial well-being of current and future beneficiaries. We understand legal terms, feel comfortable managing complex assets, and have the fortitude to honor your wishes.

Personalized Services

At Santa Barbara Fiduciary, we understand the unique challenges that come with your succession planning and implementation. For nearly a decade, we have served as a trusted partner of individuals and families, providing fiduciary guidance, services, and solutions based on a thorough understanding of each client’s unique situation and goals.

Objectivity

Even in the most loving families, relations can sometimes become difficult and emotionally charged. And while a carefully drafted trust document explains your intent and provides directions, it can be difficult for a trustee who is a parent, sibling, relative, or friend to act objectively. A professional trustee, on the other hand, benefits from being an outsider who can make decisions free from bias and considerations of family dynamics.

Diligence

We are persistent, patient, and preserving. We apply the degree of care and caution required by the circumstances of a person. We are steadfast in our commitment to accomplish what is undertaken.

Accountability

Accountabilty is the obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. It also includes the responsibility for money or other entrusted property. At Santa Barbara Fiduciary, we embrace rising above one’s circumstances and demonstrating the ownership necessary for achieving desired results.

Transparency

Transparency is the ability of the receiver to have full access to the information they want, not just the information the sender is willing to provide. Transparency embodies honesty and open communication. As a professional organization committed to their responsibilities and compliance, Santa Barbara Fiduciary is naturally upfront & visible about the actions we take. We believe that transparency is a key component to success.

Team Approach

Unlike corporate trustee and many other providers, we specialize in working with external professional advisors. Choosing us does not mean losing the team you have spent a lifetime building. We can work closely with your existing team of advisors to tailor our services to your individual needs. We are as equally comfortable taking the lead in your team as we are in taking a back seat role. It’s your choice. Enjoy both continuity of service and peace of mind, knowing that every aspect of your trust or estate will be managed optimally.

Flexibility

As a smaller firm, we have the ability to respond quickly and readily to changing circumstances and expectations. Our organizational agility means that we can modify our approach to tasks based on the unique preferences and needs of the client.

Accessibility

We understand that people are complex and there is a dynamic nature to life. Being readily available and accessible builds relationships. We are able to act quickly and efficiently on your behalf when needed.

Continuity

It’s important to remember that over the years, age or illness could prevent an individual from performing the duties of being your agent. In naming an agent, you want to be sure that as your family’s situation changes and time takes its toll, your agent will continue to be responsive. By choosing Santa Barbara Fiduciary, you help ensure continuity for the full term of your succession plan.

No Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest common in estate planning can include family members who are beneficiaries acting as trustee, corporate trustees appointing themselves as the investment advisor (thereby profiting from fees), and even drafting attorneys appointing themselves in client documents (thereby also profiting from fees). As objective, third party professionals, we avoid conflicts of interest and effectively represent the best interests of the individual and or trust.

Confidentiality

Some corporate trustees are in the business of money and investment management. Some charge trust clients retail prices for ancillary financial services, in effect making profits on both sides of every transaction.Our compensation comes solely from serving as trustee. No commissions, no kick backs, no incentives to make or not make distributions. We focus on what the trust document says and what your family needs. Period.

Education

Santa Barbara Fiduciary is committed to the continuing education, development, and improvement of their team. All team members are required to engage in furthering their education outside of their office roles. Lindsay attends major trust and estate planning conferences each year, attends continuing educational seminars on pertinent and current issues, and participates in the Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council meetings.

Empathy & Advocacy

Our role is not merely that of a business manager, decision-maker, or guardian. It is also a nurturing bond of trust, concern, and attentive care. We seek to support mental and emotional well-being; reduce the stress of challenging circumstances or unexpected events; and, most importantly, help each client, and their families, enjoy a fulfilling life.

Testimonials

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