Wills &
Trusts
250+FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
Did you know that the State of California already has an estate plan for anyone who fails to prepare or update one for themselves… and it doesn’t protect you or your loved ones in the way you would want?
It is essential that you feel confident and sure about the estate plan you have in place and we can help!
Imagine the peace of mind you will have when your estate plan (Will and Trust) is completed and your assets and family are protected and safe.
We help you set up a trust-based estate plan to protect your family from the time, hassle, and cost of probate court.
Wills tend to always dominate the estate planning conversation. It is quite a shame since there are so many estate planning tools that you can use to create a plan that is best for you. Let’s focus on trusts. A probate lawyer will admit that the probate process can be unnecessarily long and drawn out. Especially in California, the Probate Court is likely inundated with substantial estates.
Dealing with probate court fees, probate litigation, and family members popping out of the woodwork is a lot for an executor to contend with. Trusts are flexible tools that allow you to decide when someone will benefit from your estate. Protect your family from the dramatics of the probate process where you can. Speak to a trust attorney at the Meier Law Firm about our estate planning services at a planning session.
You are sure to benefit from our firm’s estate planning services. We are keen on ways to avoid probate by choosing to go through the trust administration process instead. An estate planning professional will tell you that creating trusts can save costs and time and avoid creditors. Families often see the benefit of taking this route in the long run.
Short term, you will benefit from having a wide range of trust options:
Estate Planning – Wills & Trusts
Did you know that the State of California already has an estate plan for anyone who fails to prepare or update one for themselves—and it doesn’t protect you or your loved ones in the way you would want?
You must feel confident and sure about the estate plan you have in place, and we can help!
Imagine the peace of mind you will have when your estate plan (Will and Trust) is completed, and your assets and family are protected and safe. A trust attorney at the Meier Law Firm is ready to help to create an estate plan best suited for your needs.
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VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE.
Our overall experience was one of satisfaction as well as a learning experience. The people at The Meier Law Firm are extremely knowledgeable within Family Trust planning. They did a good job of explaining each step of the process in a manner that we could understand. They were always punctual when meeting with us, and the meetings were always concise and comforting. They were also pleasant and friendly.
My brother had lost his living trust documents. Suddenly, we found out he has stage 4 cancer. We called Meier and they were able to put together an updated trust in less than a week. Everyone at the firm was wonderful and caring. Melanie was our attorney. If you are looking for a caring, honest law firm, Meier is the one for you!
Our experience with the Meier Law Firm was positive from our first meeting with Jessica, through the final product we received last week. Very professional yet personable. Every question was answered & suggestions made to simplify our Trusts. Their attention to detail gave us confidence in their work.
We were introduced to Meier Law Firm through a learning session at our daughter’s school district. We eventually decided to establish a family trust, as well as a special needs trust, through their firm. The team at Meier Law Firm were professional and incredibly responsive to our family’s needs. I highly recommend their legal services.
Just thinking about creating a trust or a will can be overwhelming. But Meier Law Firm makes it easy. They tell you what you need to know, ask all of the right questions, & provide great practical suggestions along the way that go far beyond the legal checklist. Highly recommend them for personal, professional service to deliver what you need in a timely manner.
Not only do they provide expert guidance; they will walk the journey with you step-by-step to help with your family trust. They execute at high levels, are very responsive, and deliver the optimal results within difficult situations. You definitely want Meier Law Group on your side of the table. I give my highest recommendation!
Here are some of the main ways we help our clients. Not sure where to start? Book your planning session.
Join a live webinar, register for an in-person event or invite Laura and Josh to speak at your company event.
In Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan, estate planning attorney and mother Laura Meier shows you the legal and practical steps you must take to protect your children from temporary foster care, courtrooms, loss of inheritance, and other turmoil most kids experience when their parents pass away.
“Laura Meier’s The Family Nest Egg gives parents the tools they need to find confidence, stop worrying, and secure the financial future for their loved ones. Laura’s real-life stories and actionable advice make this read a trustworthy resource for budgeting, investing, and preparing for a financial crisis.”
California permits handwritten wills, also called holographic wills. You do not even need a witness to sign your holographic will. However, it’s not the best idea to handwrite your will. It’s best to create a formal, printed will signed by two witnesses. It is challenging to prove the validity of a handwritten will after someone has passed. Additionally, none of your potential heirs can claim you were not of sound mind or under someone else’s influence when you create a formal will.
The most significant limitation for property included in a will is shared property or property that does not belong to you. You can only leave property that you fully own to your beneficiaries. Additionally, you cannot leave shared property to your heirs. For example, if you own a home or business with someone, your partner will typically receive the asset because of their right to survivorship. You cannot leave the property to someone else in your will.
You can write your will without an Orange County will attorney, but it’s not generally in your best interest. Lawyers have specialized knowledge that ensures they draft proper legal documents, including wills. If you choose to write your will without the help of an experienced attorney, you risk your heirs fighting over your assets and potentially finding a loophole in the document to contest your will.
People choose to set up a trust for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, they will set up a trust to help probate, decrease estate taxes, and get assets in the hands of their beneficiaries sooner after their death. Setting up a trust can make life easier for your beneficiaries, especially if you have considerable assets to consider.
You might also want to set up a trust to:
A trust does have some disadvantages, which you should carefully consider before creating a trust:
An Orange County trust lawyer can help go over the potential disadvantages ahead of time, which may help you make a decision that better fits your needs.
While you do not legally have to have an attorney to set up a trust, most people find that hiring a lawyer is very advantageous. A lawyer can help ensure that your trust is set up correctly and in accordance with your wishes, avoiding potentially high costs and unintended consequences later.
Virtual and in-person appointments available.
