Estate planning for Irvine and Orange County families

Your plan is built around your family and what you own. It may include:

• A will. Names who inherits and who should care for minor children. If you have a trust, a short "pour-over" will moves anything left outside the trust into it.
• A revocable living trust. Holds your home and major accounts during your life and lets a successor trustee pass them to your family without probate court.
• A durable power of attorney. Names someone to handle your finances if you become unable to.
• An advance health care directive. Names someone to make medical decisions for you and records your wishes.
• Guardian nominations. Names who should raise your minor children if both parents are gone.
• A review of your beneficiary designations. Retirement accounts and life insurance pass by beneficiary form, not by your will, so we check that they match the rest of your plan.

We explain each document in plain language, so you know what it does and how the pieces fit together.

California's intestacy rules decide who inherits, and the result may not match what you wanted. Property in your name alone may have to go through probate court, and the court appoints someone to handle the estate. A will or a trust lets you make those choices yourself.

Review your plan every few years, and after any big change: marriage or divorce, a new child or grandchild, buying or selling a home, a move, or the death of someone you named as trustee or agent. Beneficiary forms need the same check. If your plan was signed long ago, bring it to your consultation and we will tell you what still works.