The Journal — Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
Certification of Trust in California: What the Bank Can Ask For
The bank wants your whole trust? Probate Code 18100.5 lets you hand over a short Certification of Trust instead — keeping your beneficiaries and terms private.
Read →Trust Amendment vs. Restatement in California: Which Do You Need?
An amendment tweaks a provision; a restatement rewrites the trust while keeping its name and date so you don't re-title assets. How to know which one you need.
Read →What Is a QTIP Trust — and Do Blended Families Need One? (California)
A QTIP trust provides for a surviving spouse for life while locking in who inherits at the end — the classic blended-family tool. How it works, and when…
Read →Can Someone With Dementia Sign a Will or Trust in California?
A dementia diagnosis doesn't automatically void a will. California's capacity standard, the sliding scale for trusts, lucid intervals, and how to document capacity.
Read →Can’t Find the Original Will? What to Do in California
If the original will was last with the person who died and can't be found, California presumes it was revoked. How to probate a lost or copy will…
Read →Are Electronic or Online Wills Valid in California?
California has not adopted electronic wills. A DocuSigned or emailed will isn't valid — you still need a signed writing with two witnesses. What actually makes a will…
Read →The California Statutory Will: When the Free Form Is Enough
California's Probate Code 6240 statutory will is a free, valid fill-in-the-blank form. Who it actually works for — and why owning a home usually means you need more.
Read →Per Stirpes vs. Per Capita in California: What They Actually Mean
Per stirpes sends a deceased beneficiary's share down to their kids; per capita splits among survivors. California's default, and which one most parents actually want.
Read →Want a straight read on where you stand?
Talk to Eric. A free 30-minute call, no pitch. He’ll tell you where you’re exposed, what it would cost to fix, and what you can skip.
Talk to Eric