Thoughtful Planning to Protect Your Family, Values, and Legacy

Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. In fact, almost every adult needs some form of estate planning, whether they own a home, have children, or simply want a say in what happens if something unexpected occurs.

Yet many families rely on verbal promises or assumptions—never putting their wishes into a legally enforceable plan. Unfortunately, when that happens, family values can be lost, loved ones can be placed under unnecessary stress, and costly legal problems often follow.

At Geiger Law Office, we help individuals and families throughout California create clear, customized estate plans that provide peace of mind during life and certainty for those they leave behind.

Why Estate Planning Matters More Than Most People Realize

Estate planning is about far more than distributing assets after death. A well-designed plan helps you:

  • Protect your minor children by naming guardians you trust
  • Ensure your children do not inherit too much, too soon
  • Avoid unnecessary probate delays, expenses, and publicity
  • Reduce conflict among family members
  • Protect inheritances from creditors, lawsuits, and divorces
  • Plan for incapacity, not just death
  • Preserve family harmony and financial security

Without proper planning, California law—not you—will decide many of these issues.

The Problem With Probate in California

California is widely known as a probate-unfriendly state.

When an estate goes through probate:

  • The process often takes 12–24 months or longer
  • Court oversight is required for nearly every action
  • Statutory fees are paid to both the attorney and executor
  • Total costs commonly run 3–5% of the estate’s value
  • The entire process is public record

Most clients we meet are clear: this is not something they want their children or loved ones to endure.

Revocable Living Trusts: The Foundation of Most Estate Plans

For most clients, we recommend a revocable living trust as the centerpiece of their estate plan.

A properly funded trust can:

  • Avoid probate entirely
  • Provide continuity of financial management during incapacity
  • Protect privacy
  • Allow for thoughtful distributions to children
  • Incorporate asset protection for beneficiaries and tax planning strategies

That said, no two families are the same. Your plan should reflect your specific concerns, such as:

  • Will my child’s inheritance be exposed in a divorce?
  • What happens if my spouse remarries after I pass away?
  • How can I avoid burdening my children with administration?
  • How will estate taxes be paid if they apply?

Our role is not just to draft documents, but to coach you through these decisions, combining technical legal knowledge with real-world experience about what works—and what causes problems down the road.

Protecting the People You Love (Not Just the Assets You Leave)

Estate planning is ultimately about protecting people.

Many clients are surprised to learn that, with proper planning, inheritances can be protected from:

  • Creditors
  • Lawsuits
  • Predatory influences
  • Future divorcing spouses

This is often accomplished through:

  • Bypass Trusts and/or QTIP Trusts for a surviving spouse
  • Continuing asset protection trusts for minor and adult children
  • The use of an independent or third-party trustee, when appropriate
  • Including an independent Trust Protector to be able to react to unforeseen legal, tax and family dynamic changes, if ever needed

These structures and added provisions can allow flexibility and protection when needed—giving the trustee the ability to pause distributions during creditor or legal issues.

Incapacity Planning: The Documents People Overlook

A comprehensive estate plan must also address what happens if you are alive but unable to act.

Key incapacity documents include the following:

  • A Durable Power of Attorney for Financial Matters
  • An Advance Health Care Directive
  • A HIPAA Authorization for Release of Medical Information

Why Drafting Quality Matters

Poorly drafted powers of attorney often create expensive problems.

For example, if a power of attorney lacks disclaimer authority, your agent may miss opportunities to:

  • Reduce estate taxes
  • Allow more assets to pass to the next generation unencumbered by estate taxes
  • Create flexibility in planning for estate tax mitigation if needed

These technical provisions can make a meaningful financial difference for families with moderate to larger estates.

Health Care Decisions and Clear Guidance

An Advance Health Care Directive allows you to:

  • Name who will make medical decisions for you if you are ever unable to for yourself
  • Express your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments
  • Reduce conflict and uncertainty during emotional moments for your family

Without clear guidance, families can end up in painful disputes—sometimes even involving the courts. Proper planning helps prevent that.

A HIPAA Authorization ensures that your health care agents, trustees, and attorney can obtain the necessary medical information to determine capacity and act appropriately on your behalf.

Educating Clients So They Can Make Confident Decisions

We believe informed clients make better decisions. To help families understand the estate planning process in plain English, our office provides many educational resources addressing topics such as:

  • Choosing guardians for minor children
  • Protecting a child’s inheritance from creditors and divorcing spouses
  • Strategies to reduce or eliminate estate taxes
  • Planning for what happens when a loved one passes away

Estate planning is not a one-size-fits-all process—and it should never feel rushed or confusing.

Start With a Conversation

If you want an estate plan that:

  • Reflects your values
  • Protects the people you love
  • Avoids unnecessary court involvement
  • And provides true peace of mind

We invite you to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced estate attorneys at Geiger Law Office.

We’re here to help you plan thoughtfully—for today, and for the generations that follow. To further help you, check out our founder Brenda Geiger’s book titled "Secrets of Great Estate Planning, Sixth Edition" (2025). To request a copy, click here.