Your wishes clearly expressed. Your children’s future thoughtfully planned.
A will records your wishes for the distribution of your estate, names the person you would like to carry them out, and allows you to nominate guardians for your minor children. When paired with a living trust, a pour-over will provides an important safeguard for assets left outside the trust.
Guardian appointments require court approval. Assets passing through a pour-over will may require probate.
Your instructions, and your choice of guardian
A will nominates the person who settles your estate (your executor) and, for parents, nominates a guardian for minor children. The court makes the appointment, and a clear nomination gives it your considered guidance.
Read moreShow less
On its own, a will does not avoid probate. Many families pair it with a living trust: the trust holds the assets, and a short pour-over will directs anything left outside it to the trust. We oversee the signing with the witnesses the law requires.
Every parent, and anyone whose plan has changed
- Parents of minor children
- Anyone who has moved, married, divorced or had a child since their will was signed
- Adults with a living trust who need a pour-over will to go with it
- People with modest estates who want simple, clear instructions
Clear instructions for every situation
- Pour-over or standalone will
- Nomination of guardians for minor children
- Nomination of an executor
- Back-up guardians
- Who manages money for your children, and until what age
- How the will works with your trust
How we work together
- Step 1: Gather your information
- Step 2: Design consultation
- Step 3: Review your documents
- Step 4: Sign & fund your plan
Read moreShow less
- 1. Gather your information. Our team sends a simple questionnaire and organizes your family, property and account details before we meet.
- 2. Design consultation. We meet, usually by Zoom, to design your plan: who receives what, who is in charge and how to protect your children.
- 3. Review your documents. Your completed plan is prepared from our design meeting and sent to you to review before signing.
- 4. Sign & fund your plan. We guide you through signing with the witnesses and/or notary appropriate to each document, then explain how to place the right assets in your trust. For clients who prefer the convenience of our assistance, California deed preparation and recording services are available for a separate fee.
A member of our staff will call you to learn about your needs, explain our fees, and schedule your appointment. See the full process on the What to expect page.
“Our first meeting was over Zoom… She remembered our children's names. She remembered where we worked and how that might impact our finances down the road.”
Testimonials describe individual experiences. Results depend on the facts and law applicable to each matter and will differ when those facts differ.
Can I name different people to raise my children and to manage their money?
Yes. Many parents choose one person as guardian and another as trustee of their children's inheritance. We talk through the options during your design consultation.
Does having a will avoid probate?
A will provides important instructions for your estate, but it does not, by itself, avoid probate. Many homeowners use a living trust together with a pour-over will, allowing the documents to serve complementary purposes.
How often should I update my will?
Review it every three to five years, and after any major change: marriage, divorce, a new child, a move or a change in who you would want as guardian.
Your employer’s legal plan may provide benefits toward estate planning services. We can help identify the services to review with your plan provider; coverage and any client responsibility depend on your benefits and the work involved.
- MetLife Legal Plans
- ARAG
- LegalEase
- Exemplar Legal
Protect your children with a clear plan.
Meetings are by appointment, weekdays 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM, by Zoom or at our offices. Call 888.380.2288 or 415.693.8882, or request a time online. Consultations in English, Cantonese or Mandarin.