By Corcoran Smith Law Corp. · Updated
California Estate Planning Attorney for Your Family
Make a plan for the people you care about and the decisions you want to make. Get California attorney help with a will, living trust, financial power of attorney or advance health care directive through Corcoran Smith Law. Start with a free consultation, even if you do not know which documents you need.
A new child, a home, a marriage or an old set of documents can be the reason to start. Tell the firm what has changed and what you want your plan to do.
Which part of your plan do you need help with?
Choose the decision you want to make below. A conversation can help connect the documents, so your will, trust and beneficiary choices work toward the same goals. You do not need to order a package before discussing your situation.
- Create or update a living trustYour home and the people you care about deserve more than unanswered questions. Start with what you want to put in place. You can ask about a first trust, an update or property that still needs attention.Explore attorney help
- Prepare or update a willPut your wishes into words while you have time to think them through. Whether this is your first will or a change to an older one, you can start with a conversation about the people and decisions that matter to you.Explore attorney help
- Plan for financial decisionsWho would handle a financial decision if you could not? A planning conversation can help you think through the person, the powers and the instructions, rather than leaving those questions until a difficult moment.Explore attorney help
- Document your health care wishesMake room for a conversation about your wishes before someone else has to guess. You can ask for help with the legal document while discussing treatment preferences with your health care provider and the people you trust.Explore attorney help
Start with your family, your property and your wishes
- Who you want to receive your property, and any family circumstances the attorney should understand.
- Who you would trust to carry out the plan or make decisions if you could not.
- Your home, accounts, business interests and existing beneficiary designations.
- Documents you already signed and changes since you last reviewed them.
Already have a will or trust? Ask about a review
Bring the documents you have rather than starting from memory. Discuss a move to California, changes in your family, a new property or a person named in the plan who can no longer serve. Ask which documents need attention and which can stay as they are.
How wills, trusts and asset ownership fit together
A will or living trust can address how property passes after death. Some assets instead pass through co-ownership or a beneficiary designation. Reviewing the documents alongside the way assets are held helps identify gaps between the written plan and the arrangements already in place.
Sources: California Attorney General — Estate planning, wills and trusts · Verified 2026-10-23.
What does it cost, and what is included?
Ask which documents are recommended, what preparation and review include, and whether signing assistance, property transfers or future amendments are separate. The first consultation is free; any further work and fees should be agreed before it begins.
What to bring to your first conversation
- Existing wills, trusts and powers of attorney, if any.
- A broad list of property and accounts; account balances and numbers are not needed in the website form.
- The people you want to provide for and questions you want answered.
You can call before gathering every document. The website form needs only your name and a phone number or email; save private documents and account details for the firm’s instructions.
Understand your options before deciding
Nicholas Jacobs lists estate planning, inheritance disputes and beneficiary rights in his practice. Read the team’s background and ask who would handle your planning work.
The attorneys behind this resource
Enquiries through California Inheritance Law go to Corcoran Smith Law Corp. Review the attorney profiles and State Bar records, then ask who would handle your matter and what experience they have with your particular issue.
Read the team’s background and how this site prepares its legal information. Representation requires a conflict check and a written engagement; contacting the firm does not guarantee acceptance.
Common questions
Can I call before deciding whether I need a will or trust?
Yes. Explain your family, property and goals in the free consultation. Ask which documents fit those goals and what the next step would involve.
Can I ask about updating an existing estate plan?
Yes. Bring the current documents and a list of changes in your family, property or wishes so the firm can discuss the scope of a review.
Before you call: How a living trust works · Understanding a will