50 years of Excellence
Jane B. Lorenz, CPA started her CPA practice in 1975. Within a few years, Jane gained her reputation in the San Diego professional community as a smart, thoughtful, and trustworthy CPA. In the 1980s, she began serving on trusts and found that the sources of training were limited. She gathered with other fiduciaries, incubating the eventual emergence of the Professional Fiduciary Association of California, and served as one of the Charter Presidents, fulfilling duties in San Diego, and California, statewide. Jane served on the Estate Planning Law Advisory Commission, adding questions about private fiduciaries (for the first time) on the Estate Planning Law Specialists exam. Jane served on the committees responsible for devising the rules under which we are licensed today.
Marguerite Lorenz, MCIT CLPF (Jane’s stepdaughter) joined Jane’s practice in 2003. “Jane B. Lorenz, CPA” became Lorenz Fiduciary Services, Inc. (LFS, January 2004). With two fiduciaries and two full time staff members, they took on new, more complex matters, presented educational programs to professionals and laypeople, and continued to build the company reputation for good communication, solid work completion, and improving the quality of life of their long-term clients. Jane and Marguerite published “Ethics for Trustees” in 2011. Marguerite was appointed by the Governor in 2012 to serve on the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau Advisory Committee, and Jane continued to support the leadership of PFAC. Marguerite has served on the Independent Trustee Alliance Board since 2016.
Clay Spiegel, CPA, CLPF (Jane’s son), joined LFS in 2009, bringing us to 7 team members. Clay finished his CPA requirements and continued the tax practice along with the fiduciary practice. As CFO, Clay has guided LFS into better preparation for the future. In 2012, Jane, Marguerite, and Clay acquired the office building in Temecula together, allowing us to grow steadily in the sanctity of our own work home.
Noah Benton, Esq., CLPF, CIT (Clay’s brother-in-law), joined the firm in 2016. As a California-licensed attorney with both estate planning and probate/trust litigation experience, Noah began taking on court matters and assisted in the toughest transition any family company can face. Jane passed away in September 2017, and together with the staff (12 of us at the time) we all weathered the storm of grief while maintaining our matters, and caring for our clients.
Joe McMackin, CLPF joined us in early 2018, and along with our dedicated staff, helped us upgrade our internal systems giving us more visibility and efficiency. Joe greatly improved our website, bringing his great technology skills and communication insights to every enhancement. Joe’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to guide the company’s growth. The firm decided to cease the tax preparation business in 2019, focusing on our service as private trustees.
Ryan Shumacher, Esq., CLPF discovered LFS in 2019, while he searched for a premier fiduciary firm to join. He had years of experience as an estate planning attorney, then fiduciary specialist at a private bank trust department, and wanted to serve as an independent trustee to better serve the trusts and estates community. Ryan’s experience and relationships brought LFS to new professional communities throughout Southern California, and we updated our company name to Lorenz Private Trustees. As of 2024, we are 20 team members strong.
Now, celebrating its 50th anniversary, Lorenz Private Trustees, is the premier independent fiduciary firm in the United States with offices in Temecula, San Diego, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Jane would be so proud.
Marguerite Lorenz, MCIT CLPF (Jane’s stepdaughter) joined Jane’s practice in 2003. “Jane B. Lorenz, CPA” became Lorenz Fiduciary Services, Inc. (LFS, January 2004). With two fiduciaries and two full time staff members, they took on new, more complex matters, presented educational programs to professionals and laypeople, and continued to build the company reputation for good communication, solid work completion, and improving the quality of life of their long-term clients. Jane and Marguerite published “Ethics for Trustees” in 2011. Marguerite was appointed by the Governor in 2012 to serve on the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau Advisory Committee, and Jane continued to support the leadership of PFAC. Marguerite has served on the Independent Trustee Alliance Board since 2016.
Clay Spiegel, CPA, CLPF (Jane’s son), joined LFS in 2009, bringing us to 7 team members. Clay finished his CPA requirements and continued the tax practice along with the fiduciary practice. As CFO, Clay has guided LFS into better preparation for the future. In 2012, Jane, Marguerite, and Clay acquired the office building in Temecula together, allowing us to grow steadily in the sanctity of our own work home.
Noah Benton, Esq., CLPF, CIT (Clay’s brother-in-law), joined the firm in 2016. As a California-licensed attorney with both estate planning and probate/trust litigation experience, Noah began taking on court matters and assisted in the toughest transition any family company can face. Jane passed away in September 2017, and together with the staff (12 of us at the time) we all weathered the storm of grief while maintaining our matters, and caring for our clients.
Joe McMackin, CLPF joined us in early 2018, and along with our dedicated staff, helped us upgrade our internal systems giving us more visibility and efficiency. Joe greatly improved our website, bringing his great technology skills and communication insights to every enhancement. Joe’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to guide the company’s growth. The firm decided to cease the tax preparation business in 2019, focusing on our service as private trustees.
Ryan Shumacher, Esq., CLPF discovered LFS in 2019, while he searched for a premier fiduciary firm to join. He had years of experience as an estate planning attorney, then fiduciary specialist at a private bank trust department, and wanted to serve as an independent trustee to better serve the trusts and estates community. Ryan’s experience and relationships brought LFS to new professional communities throughout Southern California, and we updated our company name to Lorenz Private Trustees. As of 2024, we are 20 team members strong.
Now, celebrating its 50th anniversary, Lorenz Private Trustees, is the premier independent fiduciary firm in the United States with offices in Temecula, San Diego, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Jane would be so proud.