Estate Planning

Paley & Prehn, PLC

Guiding California residents, property owners, and U.S. citizens abroad through every stage of estate planning

At Paley & Prehn, PLC, we believe estate planning is more than just preparing documents—it’s about creating peace of mind. A thoughtful estate plan protects your family, safeguards your assets, and ensures that your wishes are carried out with clarity. Our attorneys provide personalized guidance to craft estate plans that reflect your values, goals, and unique family circumstances.

Whether you are new to estate planning or seeking to revise your current documents, we are here to help you navigate every step with compassion, clarity, and professionalism.

Our firm is based in California, but our reach is global—we work with attorneys across the U.S. and abroad to deliver coordinated estate planning for nonresidents, expats, and families with international ties.

Revocable Living Trust Packages

In California, a revocable living trust is the foundation of a well-structured estate plan. Properly drafted and funded, it allows your assets to pass outside of probate, ensuring a smoother, more private process for your loved ones without the delays, costs, and publicity of court proceedings.

Our comprehensive trust package typically includes:

• Revocable Living Trust – The central document that manages assets during your lifetime and distributes them at death — for married couples, it can also be structured with tax-sheltered subtrusts (such as A/B, A/B/C, or disclaimer bypass provisions) to maximize estate tax exemptions, if needed. A trust also allows you to control how and when beneficiaries receive their inheritances. [Learn more about structuring inheritances for children through subtrusts »]

• Pour-Over Wills – Ensure that any assets not formally titled in your trust are distributed according to your wishes.

• Durable Powers of Attorney – Appoint agents to handle financial matters if you become incapacitated.

• Advance Health Care Directives – Name trusted decision-makers for medical care and sets forth your treatment preferences.

• Asset Transfer Documents – Ensuring proper transfer of real estate, personal property, business interests, and debt instruments into the trust, when relevant.

We take the time to review your documents with you to ensure you fully understand them, and we walk you through every step with written instructions tailored to your situation (not just a generic funding letter). Our flat-rate services include follow-up support and confirmation that everything has been properly completed.

We also offer low-cost annual maintenance plans to assist with keeping your asset lists current and making minor updates to your estate planning documents as needed.

Wills

Even when a trust is central to your estate plan, a will remains an important supporting document. In California, a will allows you to:

• Appoint Guardians for Minor Children – Ensure your children are cared for by the people you trust most.

• Direct the Distribution of Assets Not Otherwise Covered – Serve as a safety net for property that is not titled in your trust and does not pass by beneficiary designation.

• Coordinate With Your Trust – A pour-over will directs any remaining assets into your trust so that inheritances can be distributed—or managed over time—under one unified plan.

Planning for Incapacity

A well-designed estate plan prepares not only for the transfer of assets but also for the possibility that you may be unable to make decisions for yourself. We draft documents that ensure your financial and medical affairs are managed by those you trust:

• Advance Health Care Directives – Express your medical preferences and designate someone to make decisions if you cannot.

• Durable Powers of Attorney – Authorize a trusted agent to handle financial and legal matters on your behalf.

• HIPAA Provisions – Incorporated into your directives and powers of attorney to ensure your agents have access to necessary medical information.

These safeguards provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones, ensuring that your wishes are honored and your affairs continue smoothly if incapacity occurs.

Advanced Trust Planning

For families with more complex planning needs, irrevocable trusts can be powerful tools for tax efficiency, charitable giving, and structuring inheritances. Common types we prepare include:

• Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) – Remove life insurance proceeds from the taxable estate and provide liquidity for heirs.

• Special Needs Trusts – Protect eligibility for government benefits while ensuring long-term financial support for a loved one with disabilities.

• Charitable Legacy Planning – Many of our clients wish to make philanthropy part of their estate plan. We help structure charitable trusts, establish private foundations, and coordinate giving through donor-advised funds to ensure your charitable goals are carried out effectively and with lasting impact. [Learn more about estate planning for charity »]

Revocable trusts for married couples may include marital and bypass trust structures to maximize tax benefits. While not irrevocable at the outset, these trusts become irrevocable at the first spouse’s death, allowing couples to maximize estate tax exemptions and preserve assets for the next generation.

Special Considerations

At Paley & Prehn, PLC, we recognize that every family situation is unique. Certain circumstances call for careful attention and specialized planning:

• Blended Families – When families include children from prior relationships, estate planning must be handled with particular care. We design trusts and supporting documents that protect your current spouse and children from previous relationships, balancing fairness and reducing the likelihood of future conflict.

• Divorced Clients – Estate planning after divorce is essential to ensure your assets pass according to your current wishes and to protect children from prior relationships. There are certain updates that can be made even while a divorce is pending, and others that must wait until it is finalized. We help clients navigate these rules, revise outdated documents, and avoid unintended outcomes. [Learn more about estate planning and divorce »]

• U.S. Citizens Abroad – Many of our clients live overseas but own California property or other U.S. assets. We coordinate with local counsel worldwide to ensure your plan complies with California law while integrating smoothly with your country of residence. [Learn more about estate planning for expats »]

Why Choose Paley & Prehn?

• California-Based with Global Reach – Our firm is rooted in California, but we regularly assist U.S. citizens living abroad and coordinate with attorneys nationwide and worldwide to deliver seamless planning solutions.

• Comprehensive Approach – From foundational trusts and wills to advanced tax-sensitive strategies, we provide the full spectrum of estate planning services.

• Personalized Guidance – We don’t use boilerplate forms. Every estate plan is tailored to reflect your unique family, goals, and circumstances.

• Clarity and Compassion – We take the time to review documents with you, explain your options, and ensure you feel confident in your plan.

• Trusted Advisors – With decades of combined experience, we balance meticulous legal detail with a commitment to client care and long-term relationships.

If you are ready to create or update your estate plan, Paley & Prehn, PLC can help. Contact us today for a consultation with an experienced estate planning attorney who will walk you through your options and craft a plan that gives you peace of mind.