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Elder law attorneys in California focus on the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the California healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and California's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in California average $443 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,329–$2,658 for a simple individual will and $4,320–$6,480 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
California has a generous small-estate threshold of $208,850. Estates under that line can use the Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case — most families can handle it without an attorney. For estates above the threshold, formal probate generally benefits from counsel because of the procedural overhead, even when nothing is contested. The California probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In California, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships (community property rules can produce surprising outcomes); ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
28 firms
Serves San Mateo and Santa Clara counties from Redwood City. Handles trust and probate administration, conservatorships and guardianships, and probate and trust litigation, with seven attorneys certified as specialists in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. Practicing on the Peninsula since 1987.
Location
333 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 350Redwood City, CA 94065
Phone
(650) 368-4662
Established
1987
Service Area
2 counties
Husband and wife estate planning attorney team Erik and Tiffani Aanestad understand the risks of probate and create lasting, personalized solutions while protecting assets and ensuring legacy for heirs and family. Specializing in Living Trusts, Estate Administration, Probate, and Elder Law serving Grass Valley, Nevada City, and Nevada County.
Location
430 South Auburn StreetGrass Valley, CA 95945
Phone
(530) 798-4321
Service Area
3 counties
Serves Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and Kern counties from Santa Barbara, with additional Central Coast offices. Handles probate administration, trust and estate administration, and elder law alongside estate planning. Chris Botti is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Law; the first consultation is free.
Location
351 Paseo Nuevo, 2nd FloorSanta Barbara, CA 93101
Phone
(805) 585-1885
Established
1966
Service Area
4 counties
Attorney Anthony G. Celaya focuses exclusively on estate planning and elder law, including Medi-Cal planning, serving the Napa Valley since 2004. Has created hundreds of estate plans for individuals and families in Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. Offices in Napa and San Diego. Offers complimentary initial consultations.
Location
960 School St.Napa, CA 94559
Phone
(707) 754-0977
Service Area
4 counties
Serves Merced and Mariposa counties from an office near the Merced courthouse. Handles probate, estate administration, and elder law matters including Medi-Cal planning and asset protection. Practicing in Central California since 1992.
Location
728 West 19th StreetMerced, CA 95340
Phone
(209) 720-3912
Established
1992
Service Area
2 counties
Serves Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, and Contra Costa counties from San Rafael. Handles probate representation, trust administration, and Medi-Cal and elder law matters alongside estate and tax planning. Founder Jim Cunningham is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and heads the San Rafael office.
Location
1000 4th Street, Suite 300San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone
(866) 988-3956
Service Area
4 counties
Estate planning and elder law firm serving the East Bay for over 35 years. Helping people in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Danville, San Ramon, and throughout Contra Costa and Alameda Counties with wills, trusts, probate, and Medi-Cal planning.
Location
1855 Olympic Boulevard, Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, Suite 125Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Phone
(925) 208-4543
Established
1988
Service Area
2 counties
Serves Lake County from Lakeport. Handles trust and probate administration, small-estate matters, and Medi-Cal and SSI benefits planning alongside estate planning. Dennis Fordham is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and the only such specialist in Lake County.
Location
870 S Main StLakeport, CA 95453
Phone
(707) 263-3235
Service Area
1 county
Salinas firm serving Monterey County families with estate planning, trust administration, conservatorships, and probate. Drafts trusts, wills, advance health care directives, and powers of attorney, and guides clients through the probate process after a loved one's death. Small-firm practice with personal attention.
Location
306 Capitol StreetSalinas, CA 93901
Phone
(831) 424-1414
Service Area
1 county
Chico firm serving Butte County and the northern Sacramento Valley since 1985, regularly representing executors and trustees in administering a decedent's estate. Its probate and trust administration group also handles elder law, long-term care planning, special needs trusts, and Medi-Cal asset preservation.
Location
466 Vallombrosa AveChico, CA 95926
Phone
(530) 893-2882
Established
1985
Service Area
9 counties