Estate Planning
Wills, trusts, and planning documents built around your family and your goals, not a generic template.
Partner
Colleen Van Egmond Delahanty
A Certified Estate Planner who has recovered millions for families harmed by financial elder abuse and trust disputes.
Partner · Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration & Trust Litigation
Colleen Van Egmond Delahanty is a named partner at Van Egmond and Heitlinger, APC, where she focuses on estate planning, probate, trust administration, and elder law. She holds the Certified Estate Planner designation, a credential that reflects her focus on helping families protect what they have built and pass it on without unnecessary conflict or cost. Search her name and her practice is the first result, a reflection of the reputation she has built in Modesto and across Stanislaus County.
Colleen's litigation work speaks for itself. She recovered approximately $11 million in a financial elder abuse and trust litigation matter, holding a wrongdoer accountable for exploiting someone who trusted them. She has also been part of legal teams that secured $7 million and $3.3 million in business dispute recoveries. She takes financial elder abuse seriously because the damage goes beyond money. It breaks trust inside families, and she works to rebuild what was taken.
Beyond litigation, Colleen guides families through the everyday realities of estate planning, probate, and conservatorships, including emergency conservatorships when a loved one needs protection right away. She knows these matters are rarely just legal problems. They involve aging parents, difficult family dynamics, and decisions people do not want to make but have to.
- Certified Estate Planner™
- Award-Winning Attorney
- Trust and Estate Litigation
- Conservatorships and Emergency Petitions
- Financial Elder Abuse Recovery
Focus areas
What Colleen handles.
Probate
Guiding families through the probate process after a loved one passes, from filing through final distribution.
Trust Administration
Helping trustees carry out their duties correctly and helping beneficiaries make sure a trust is administered properly.
Conservatorships
Petitioning for conservatorship when a loved one can no longer manage their own affairs, including emergency filings when protection cannot wait.
Elder Law and Financial Elder Abuse
Protecting older adults from exploitation and pursuing recovery when financial elder abuse has already occurred.
Trust Litigation and Business Disputes
Representing clients in contested trust matters and business disputes, backed by a track record of significant recoveries.
Approach
How she works with clients.
Colleen explains legal options in plain language before she recommends a path forward. She listens first, asks the questions families have not thought to ask, and builds a plan or a case strategy around what actually matters to the client, whether that is protecting a parent, resolving a trust dispute, or planning for the next generation.
Questions
Questions for Colleen
What is a Certified Estate Planner?
It is a professional designation that reflects focused training and experience in estate planning. Colleen holds this certification and uses it to build plans that hold up when they are needed most.
What happens if my parent needs a conservatorship right away?
California allows for emergency, or temporary, conservatorships when someone needs protection before a full hearing can be held. Colleen can file for emergency relief and walk you through the process from there.
What is financial elder abuse and what can I do about it?
Financial elder abuse happens when someone misuses an older adult's money, property, or trust for their own benefit. Colleen has recovered significant settlements in these cases and can evaluate whether you or a family member has a claim.
Do you only handle large estates?
No. Colleen works with families of all sizes, from a simple will to a complex trust dispute, and tailors her approach to what your situation actually requires.
Talk to Colleen directly.
Call (209) 876-8886 or send a message. You speak directly with a partner.