Estate Planning Blog
Plain-English articles on California wills, trusts, probate, and estate planning from attorney William Ha.
Will vs. Trust: What California Homeowners Need to Know
If you own a home in California, the choice between a will and a living trust is one of the most important, and most misunderstood, decisions …
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What to Do When a Parent Dies in California: A Step-by-Step Guide
A compassionate, practical checklist for California families on the first steps to take after a parent passes away.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in California?
If you die without a will in California, state law decides who inherits and who is in charge. Here's how intestate succession works, and why it may not match your wishes.
How to Fund Your Living Trust (and Why It Matters)
A living trust only avoids probate for the assets you actually retitle into it, so here is how to fund yours in California.
How Much Does Probate Cost in California?
California probate fees are set by statute based on the gross value of your estate, and they are charged twice. Here's what probate really costs, and how to avoid it.
How Long Does Probate Take in California?
California probate commonly runs about 12 to 18 months and often longer, and here is what drives that timeline and how a funded trust avoids it.
DIY Wills in California: What Goes Wrong (and When You Really Need a Lawyer)
Online will kits are cheap, fast, and everywhere. For $20 and twenty minutes, they promise you a finished estate plan. I understand the appeal, and …
Can Medi-Cal Take Your Home? California Estate Recovery, Explained
One of the most common fears I hear from California families is this: “If I go on Medi-Cal, will the state take my house?
California Prop 19, Explained: How It Changed Inheriting a Home
Proposition 19 changed the rules for passing a California home to your children. Here's what it did, who it affects, and why it matters for your estate plan.
Six Reasons Your Trust Will Not Avoid Probate
Six common reasons a California trust still ends up in probate, from unfunded assets to pour-over wills and bad titling.
Out of Trust Assets: Can They Avoid A Full Probate?
If a house ends up outside your trust, a Heggstad petition or California's small-estate rules may still avoid full probate.
How Much Money Do You Need to Create a Trust?
There's no minimum net worth for a trust, what matters is whether you own a home or have people to protect.
California Property Ownership: Different Ways to Hold Title
Community property, joint tenancy, tenancy in common and more, how you hold title in California shapes what happens at death.
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