By Corcoran Smith Law Corp. · Updated
Create or Update Your California Living Trust
Create a California living trust around your family, your property and your wishes. Corcoran Smith Law can help with a new trust or review the one you already have. Discuss your beneficiaries, successor trustee and funding steps with an attorney, starting with a free consultation.
Your 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.
How to create a California living trust with an attorney
Discuss your family, the property you want the plan to cover, your beneficiaries and the person you would choose as successor trustee. Ask the attorney to explain the proposed terms before you decide to proceed.
- Decisions about who receives property and when.
- A trustee and alternates who can carry out your wishes.
- Questions about children, a blended family or property held with someone else.
Updating a living trust you already have
A marriage, divorce, death, move or property purchase may be a reason to review your documents. Bring the trust and all amendments so the attorney can discuss what needs to change and the appropriate way to do it.
Your home, accounts and trust funding
Ask which assets the proposed trust should hold, what transfer steps are needed and who will complete them. Make the division of work explicit: preparing a trust document and completing asset transfers are questions to discuss together.
- Who will review deeds and account ownership?
- What documents will you need to sign or provide?
- Which transfers, recording charges or follow-up steps are included in the engagement?
Do you need a living trust, a will or both?
Ask about the role of each document in your circumstances. The educational living-trust guide compares the documents; the consultation is where you can discuss how those choices fit your own property and family.
How a California living trust is created
California law provides several ways to create a trust, including an owner declaring that property is held as trustee or transferring property during life to another trustee. A trust must have trust property. The practical question is therefore both what the document says and whether the intended assets were actually placed in the trust.
Sources: Probate Code s.15200 - Methods of creating a trust · Probate Code s.15202 - Trust property required · Verified 2026-10-02.
What does it cost, and what is included?
Cost depends on the work agreed: a new trust or a review, the family and property questions involved, and the help needed with transfers. Ask for the proposed fee, what it includes and any separate expenses. The first consultation is free.
What to bring to your first conversation
- The trust and every amendment, if you already have one.
- A list of your property and how it is held; bring deeds or account information to the consultation if requested.
- Your proposed beneficiaries, trustee choices and questions about your family.
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
See all estate-planning options, including:
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 an attorney help me review a living trust I already signed?
Yes. Ask about a review and bring the complete trust, amendments and a list of changes you want to discuss. The firm can explain the proposed scope and fees before further work.
Is trust funding included in preparing a living trust?
Ask before engaging the firm. Document preparation and help transferring assets can involve different tasks. Confirm who will handle each transfer and any separate expenses.
What if the person who created the trust has already died?
That is a trust administration or beneficiary question. Use the guide to living trusts after death, or explain what happened when you call so the firm can direct the conversation.
Before you call: How a living trust works · Understanding a will