Wills And Trusts Attorneys Serving California Families

When it comes to protecting your family and your assets, the right plan depends on your specific situation. At the Law Office of Michael L. Seidman, our attorneys help California families understand their options and put the right documents in place, whether that means a will, a trust or a combination of both. Everything is handled on a flat-fee basis, so you know exactly what things will cost before we begin. Our office is based in Bakersfield and we serve clients throughout California, with most meetings available by Google Meet or phone.

Do I Need A Will, A Trust Or Both?

For most California families, a will alone is not enough. A will controls certain assets and names guardians for minor children, but it does not avoid probate. A trust is designed to transfer assets to your beneficiaries without the need for court involvement, provided those assets are properly titled in the trust’s name. Many California families benefit from having both a trust to handle the bulk of their assets and a will to catch anything that was not transferred to the trust during their lifetime.

The right combination depends on what you own, who you are providing for and how important it is to you to keep your family’s affairs out of the public probate process. Here is a quick way to think about it:

• A will names guardians for minor children and distributes assets not held in your trust
• A trust transfers assets to your beneficiaries without probate, provided the trust is properly funded
• Both documents together create a complete plan that accounts for assets inside and outside the trust

Our estate planning attorneys walk through these distinctions with every client before recommending anything, so you can make an informed decision rather than a rushed one.

Types Of Wills And Trusts We Prepare

We prepare a range of documents depending on what your family’s situation calls for. Here is an overview of the most common ones and what each does.

Last Will And Testament

A will names guardians for minor children and distributes assets not held in a trust. It also serves as a backup for any property not transferred to a trust during your lifetime. In California, a will must go through the probate process before assets can be distributed, which is one reason many families choose to pair it with a living trust.

Revocable Living Trust

A revocable living trust is designed to transfer assets to your beneficiaries without the need for probate, while allowing you to maintain full control to modify or revoke the trust during your lifetime. In California, many homeowners benefit from a properly funded living trust because it can help keep the estate out of the public probate process and reduce delays for your family after you are gone.

Irrevocable Trust

An irrevocable trust cannot be easily modified once established and may offer potential tax planning and Medi-Cal planning advantages for certain clients. Your attorney will explain whether an irrevocable trust makes sense in your situation, including how California’s specific rules on creditor protection apply to your circumstances.

Pour-Over Will

A pour-over will works alongside a living trust to direct any overlooked or newly acquired assets into your trust at death, ensuring they follow your distribution plan even if they must pass through probate first. It serves as a safety net for your overall estate plan.

What Happens If Someone Dies Without A Will In California?

Dying without a will in California means your estate falls under the state’s intestate succession laws rather than your own wishes. California law determines who receives your property based on a fixed hierarchy of relatives, and that outcome may look nothing like what you would have chosen. A surviving spouse does not automatically receive everything. How much they inherit depends on whether the property is community or separate and whether children, parents or siblings are also in the picture.

The practical consequences extend beyond who gets what. Assets may pass to relatives you were estranged from, a long-term partner who was never legally married to you may receive nothing and the probate process can drag on for months while your family waits for resolution. Disagreements over the estate are also more likely when there is no written record of your intentions. A well-prepared will or trust removes that ambiguity before it becomes someone else’s problem to sort out.

Accessible Estate Planning For Every California Family

The Law Office of Michael L. Seidman was built around the idea that estate planning should be clear, accessible and free of surprises. Whether you are in Bakersfield or anywhere else in California, you do not need to visit an office to get a complete, well-drafted estate plan.

Most of the process can be handled remotely by Google Meet or phone, including your planning session, design meeting, document review and follow-up questions. Signing can be coordinated at our Bakersfield office, through a notary near you or by FedEx with detailed instructions. If you prefer to meet in person, we are glad to accommodate that as well.

A few things that set this firm apart from a typical estate planning practice:

• Handling all estate planning on a flat-fee basis with the cost agreed to before any drafting begins, so there are no hourly rates, no surprise invoices and no billing by the email
• Understanding how divorce judgments, custody orders, support obligations and blended family dynamics affect estate plans, and planning with those realities in mind rather than around them
• Serving clients throughout California remotely, so geography is never a barrier to getting a plan in place
• Taking the time to walk every client through their options in plain language before recommending any particular documents

These are not just process features. They reflect how this firm believes estate planning should work for real families dealing with real-life complexity.

Talk To An Estate Planning Lawyer Today

Whether you are starting from scratch or updating a plan that no longer fits your life, our attorneys are ready to help. Call the Law Office of Michael L. Seidman at 661-520-5214 or schedule your consultation online to get started from anywhere in California.