Law Offices of Connie Yi

The Law Offices of Connie Yi is a boutique San Francisco firm with a 5.0 rating built on personalized service and consistent results. Connie Yi handles tax law alongside wills, trusts, and probate, and that combination turns out to be genuinely useful for property tax clients. A significant portion of property tax disputes in California arise from estate planning events: inherited properties, trust transfers, and the death of an owner who held real estate. Connie understands both sides of those transactions. Clients describe the office as responsive, thorough, and honest about expectations. Connie takes time to explain what's happening and why, which matters when you're navigating an unfamiliar government process. The firm isn't trying to be the biggest property tax shop in the city. It's trying to do right by the clients it takes on, and the reviews reflect that.

The firm handles property tax appeals and assessment disputes with particular depth in matters connected to estate planning and trust administration. When a property transfers through a trust or estate, California's reassessment rules can either protect or hurt the new owner depending on how the transaction was structured and how the exclusion was documented. Connie reviews those situations carefully and files the appropriate claims with the Assessor's office. For straightforward overassessments, the firm handles informal review requests and formal appeals before the Assessment Appeals Board. Connie prepares the supporting documentation, negotiates with the Assessor's office, and represents clients at hearings when cases go that far. The trust and probate side of the practice creates natural overlap with Prop 19 planning. For families who want to pass real estate to children while preserving the low assessed value, Connie advises on timing, structure, and documentation before the transfer happens. Getting this wrong is expensive and often irreversible, so clients benefit from working with someone who handles both the estate planning and the tax consequences of the same transaction.

The firm starts every property tax engagement with a consultation to understand the full picture. For inherited or trust-held properties, that means reviewing the estate plan or trust document alongside the assessment notice to understand what exclusions might apply and whether they were properly claimed. For market-value disputes, it means reviewing the property record and comparable sales to assess how strong the appeal case is. Connie handles filings, deadlines, and all correspondence with the Assessor's office. If a formal hearing is needed, she prepares the written argument and supporting evidence and represents the client before the Assessment Appeals Board. She keeps clients informed at each step and is accessible by phone and email in a way that's not always the case at larger firms. Most property tax matters resolve within a year, though complex estate-related disputes can take longer depending on how quickly the Assessor's office moves.

The firm serves property owners throughout San Francisco County and surrounding Bay Area counties including San Mateo, Marin, and Alameda. Given the crossover with trust and estate administration, the firm frequently handles matters where property is held in trusts formed in other counties or states but located in the Bay Area. Out-of-area clients with Bay Area property are welcome to reach out. Geographic scope for probate matters follows California court jurisdiction.