Are you looking for a wills lawyer in Pasadena, CA?
At The Werner Law Firm, PC, we have built our wills practice on five decades of client representation for California families.
If you want to decide who inherits your property and who cares for your children, a will is where that plan begins. Our Pasadena, CA wills lawyer can draft a will that states your wishes clearly and stands up when it matters most. The Werner Law Firm, PC has prepared wills for California families since 1975, and our founder brings five decades of practice to this work. Your first consultation is free, and it comes with no obligation.
A will is a legal document that directs who receives your property after you pass and who serves as guardian for your minor children. It also lets you name an executor to carry out those instructions. Without one, California's intestacy rules decide these questions for you, and the result may not match what you would have chosen. When someone dies without a will, the estate still goes through probate, and property is distributed according to a fixed formula rather than personal wishes. That formula can leave out people you would have wanted to provide for.
Most people understand they should have a will, but fewer know what makes one valid or how it moves through probate. A wills attorney in Pasadena can draft a document that meets California's requirements and fits your family, whether your estate is simple or has a few moving parts. Good drafting now can spare your family confusion and conflict later.
A will can be simple or it can do a great deal of work, depending on your family and your property. Our Pasadena wills lawyers prepare each one to fit the situation in front of us, not a template. These are the will services our Pasadena attorneys handle most often.
Simple wills. For straightforward estates, a simple will names beneficiaries, an executor, and a guardian for minor children. It is often all a young family needs to start, and it can be expanded later as life grows more complex.
Pour-over wills. When you have a living trust, a pour-over will catches any assets you did not transfer into the trust and directs them there.
Guardian nominations. For parents, a will is the place to name a guardian for minor children, which spares a court from making that choice without your input.
Living trusts. Many clients pair a will with a living trust to keep assets out of probate. We prepare both so they work together rather than at cross-purposes.
Special needs trusts. A will can establish a trust for a beneficiary with a disability, so an inheritance supports them without disrupting their public benefits.
Will updates and codicils. As life changes, a codicil can amend a will without rewriting it, while larger changes call for a new document.
Probate of a will. When a will goes through probate, we guide the executor through the court process and the duties that come with the role.
The Werner Law Firm, PC established its practice in 1975 and has prepared wills, trusts, and estate plans for California families ever since. Our managing attorney, Troy Werner, earned his law degree through Southwestern Law School's SCALE program and is admitted in both California and Texas, bringing 17 years of practice to the firm. Our founder, L. Rob Werner, has practiced for fifty years and is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, along with recognition the firm has earned across the region. As a wills lawyer in Pasadena, CA, our office knows how to draft a document that holds up. Clients who want a complete plan can also work with an estate planning lawyer in Pasadena, CA at our firm.
A large share of our work comes from families we have helped before and the people they refer to us. Every will begins with a free consultation and a plain explanation of what your plan will involve. Our goal is a document you understand fully and can rely on to do exactly what you intend, without surprises for the people who matter to you.
A will is the document most people think of first when they consider estate planning, and for good reason. It puts your wishes in writing and gives your family clear direction during a hard time. It is also flexible, since you can change it as your life changes. Knowing what a will can and cannot do helps you build the right plan around it.
A will can handle several jobs at once. The main ones include the following.
Naming beneficiaries who inherit your property.
Appointing an executor to manage the estate and carry out your instructions.
Nominating a guardian for minor children.
Creating a trust within the will, such as one for a minor or a beneficiary with a disability, so an inheritance does not cost them their benefits.
A will handles what you own in your name alone. Assets with a named beneficiary or a joint owner usually pass outside of it, which is why the whole plan needs to fit together.
A will only works if it is valid and current. A few things decide whether yours does its job.
Meeting California's signing and witnessing requirements so the will holds up.
Naming an executor who is both willing and able to serve.
Keeping the will updated after marriages, births, deaths, and major purchases.
Coordinating the will with beneficiary designations and any trusts you hold.
A will that no longer reflects your life can cause as much trouble as no will at all. That is why we help clients change a will when their circumstances shift, rather than leaving an outdated document in place. Choosing an executor is worth equal attention, since the executor's role carries real duties and can last many months.
Drafting a will is quick. The probate that may follow it is the longer part of the story.
A consultation to review your family, your property, and your wishes.
Drafting of the will and any documents that support it.
A signing appointment with the required witnesses.
Safe storage of the signed original, since that is the copy that counts.
Later, if needed, probate, where the court oversees distribution under the will.
Most wills are drafted within a couple of weeks. When probate is required, it usually takes several months or longer, depending on the estate. How long it runs depends on the size of the estate, whether anyone contests the will, and how quickly each required step is completed. A clearly drafted will tends to make that process smoother for the people you leave behind.
A little preparation makes the first meeting more useful. If you can, bring the following.
A list of your property and a rough sense of what it is worth.
The names of your intended beneficiaries and the person you want as executor.
If you have minor children, your choice of guardian and a backup.
Any will or estate planning document you have already signed.
You don't need every decision made in advance. We can talk through the choices and help you weigh them at your own pace, and we will flag anything that deserves a second look.
Wills are governed by California law, and several public resources can help you understand the basics before or after you meet with an attorney. The following are good places to begin.
The California Courts self-help guide on wills and estates explains wills, trusts, and probate.
The same guide provides a statutory will form and other sample documents.
The full California Probate Code is published by the state for those who want the statutes themselves.
These resources offer general information, not advice about your own will and family.
A will is one of the simplest ways to protect your family and make your wishes known, and it does not have to be complicated to prepare. We would be glad to walk you through the process and answer whatever questions come up. Your first consultation is free, with no pressure to decide on the spot. Contact us to get started.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship! See full disclaimer here.
23 Corporate Plaza Dr., Suite 150
Newport Beach, California 92660
