Laguna Beach Estate Planning Lawyer

Welcome to the leading Laguna Beach Estate Planning, Probate and Trusts law offices of MORTENSEN & REINHEIMER, PC in Orange County, California. We specialize in advising clients on all aspects of estate planning, tax planning and business planning with dedicated expertise and outstanding personal service.

As skilled Laguna Beach Probate attorneys, we can provide the legal help you need, from assisting you with probating an estate, drafting a Will, a Living Will or a Revocable Living Trust, to providing strategic business planning and devising an effective estate plan. We strive to fully understand your goals, your financial situation, your family, your desires and dreams so we can help you protect your hard-earned assets and ensure your loved ones are provided for according to your wishes.

If your combined personal and real property exceeds $100,000 in value, you may want to consider implementing something more than a basic Will to ensure that the conservation and transfer of your finances and property are administered in the most tax-efficient way possible. 

Under California state law, a basic Will is subject to probate, a court-administered process that is handled through the Southern California Probate Courts. The probate process determines the validity of a Will, resolves any claims of debt made by creditors and distributes the decadents’ assets to beneficiaries. Probate can take considerable time, generally six months to three years, and costs can be as much as 10% or more of an estate’s gross assets. A basic Will can also be contested by anyone and ultimately becomes part of the court records, which can be inspected by the public upon request.

A Revocable Living Trust is often seen as a preferable alternative to the basic Will. Some advantages of a Living Trust include privacy, reduced probate costs and specifically defined management of your assets. A Living Trust allows all or some of your assets to be administered by someone you know and trust, without court involvement and without public access.

The Laguna Beach estate planning attorneys of MORTENSEN & REINHEIMER, PC offer a complete range of estate planning services and options to clients throughout Orange County. To learn more about our estate planning services, living trusts and probate administrating services call MORTENSEN & REINHEIMER, PC at (714) 573-7149, or e-mail us at mailto:info@ocestateplanning.net and we will immediately contact you to schedule a free initial estate planning consultation.