By Corcoran Smith Law Corp. · Updated
Prepare or Update Your Will With a California Attorney
Prepare a California will that puts your wishes in writing. Corcoran Smith Law can help you plan for the people you care about, choose an executor and review how a will fits your existing documents. Start with a free consultation about a first will or an update.
Put 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.
How to have an attorney prepare your first will
Tell the attorney who you want to provide for and who you would trust to carry out the plan. Discuss questions about children, family relationships and property before choosing the terms.
- Beneficiaries and any particular gifts you want to discuss.
- Your proposed executor and an alternate.
- Questions about provisions for children and coordination with a trust.
Updating a will after your circumstances change
Bring the signed will and any later documents. Explain a marriage, divorce, birth, death or other change that prompted the review. Ask how an update should be prepared and signed rather than assuming handwritten edits will do what you intend.
A will, a living trust or both?
A planning conversation should cover your whole arrangement, including any trust and beneficiary designations. Ask what the proposed will would cover, how it would work with the other documents and whether a living trust should be considered.
Preparing, reviewing and signing your California will
Discuss your wishes, review the proposed document and ask questions before signing. Confirm how the signing will be arranged, what copies to keep and where the original should be stored. If you are asking whether an existing will is valid, the will-requirements guide is the more direct starting point.
California will signing requirements
California generally requires a written, signed will with two witnesses present at the same time who understand that the document is a will and sign during the testator’s lifetime. Different rules can apply to a handwritten will or a defect in witnessing. Ask about the execution method for the particular document rather than treating every form of will as interchangeable.
Sources: Probate Code s.6110 - How a California will is executed · Probate Code s.6111 - Holographic wills · Verified 2026-09-21.
What does it cost, and what is included?
Ask what drafting, a review of existing documents and signing assistance would cost, and how revisions are handled. A will and a broader estate plan can have different scopes. The first consultation is free; confirm fees for further work before proceeding.
What to bring to your first conversation
- Any existing will, codicils or trust documents.
- The people you want to name and decisions you are unsure about.
- A general list of your assets and existing beneficiary arrangements.
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 I ask a lawyer to prepare a will without already knowing the wording?
Yes. Bring your wishes and questions. The consultation can cover the decisions to make and the proposed preparation process.
Can I discuss a will and living trust in the same consultation?
Yes. Explain what you already have and ask how the documents would fit together. You do not need to decide on a document package before the conversation.
What if my question concerns someone else’s will after a death?
Explain that when you call. Probate, access to a will and a will dispute are different from preparing your own will. The firm can discuss the relevant next step.
Before you call: How a living trust works · Understanding a will