The Journal
Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
Is a Will a Public Record in California?
Your will is private while you're alive, and becomes a public court record after you die. How that works, and why trusts stay private.
Read →Is a QPRT Still Worth It in 2026? A California Reality Check
Qualified personal residence trusts made sense when the estate tax exemption was lower. With $15M per person now permanent, most California families can skip the QPRT: here's the…
Read →Ancillary Probate in California for Out-of-State Residents
If someone who lived in another state died owning California real estate, you may need a second, California probate. How ancillary administration works and how to avoid it.
Read →Can You Open a Safe Deposit Box After a Death in California?
You don't need court letters to open a deceased relative's safe deposit box in California to look for the will: the statute, the steps, and what you can…
Read →Does a Living Trust Need to Be Notarized in California?
California law doesn't require a trust to be notarized, but in practice you'll need a notary anyway. What the law requires vs. what banks and county recorders demand.
Read →What Is a Trust Protector – and Do You Need One in California?
Trust protectors are heavily marketed and lightly regulated in California. What they can actually do, when one helps, and when it's an upsell you can skip.
Read →Can Siblings Force the Sale of an Inherited House in California?
Yes. Any co-owner can file for partition. But California's newer partition law gives you a right to buy your siblings out first. How it works and what changed.
Read →Inheriting a House With a Reverse Mortgage in California
A reverse mortgage comes due when the borrower dies. Heirs have real options (keep it for 95% of value, sell, or walk away) but the deadlines are short.…
Read →Want a straight read on where you stand?
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