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California Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering California probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc.
In-depth guides covering California probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
Free California last will form. 2 witnesses. Name beneficiaries, guardians, and executor. Download PDF, print, and sign.
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This information identifies you as the person making this will. It also determines your state's specific execution requirements.
FREE & PRIVATE: This form is free—no account or credit card required. Your form entries and generated document never leave your browser—SimplyTrust does not transmit or store them. You are responsible for saving your completed document.
SELF-HELP SERVICE: SimplyTrust provides a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, select forms for you, or tell you how to complete forms. Our role is limited to providing a platform where you input your own information into document templates.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
California requires 2 adult witnesses present when the testator signs.Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified May 31, 2026 Witnesses must be 18 or older. California allows interested witnesses (beneficiaries), though most families use disinterested witnesses.
No, notarization is not required for a valid will in California.Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified May 31, 2026 The state does not use an execution-time self-proving affidavit. Instead, witnesses can provide a sworn affidavit during probate to confirm proper execution.
Yes, California recognizes holographic (handwritten) wills if the material provisions are in the testator's handwriting.Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified May 31, 2026 Holographic wills typically do not need witnesses, but they're more vulnerable to legal challenges than a formally executed will.
A will does not avoid probate — it goes through the California probate court for validation and asset distribution. Simple estates typically take 9-12 months.Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified May 31, 2026 Estates valued under $208,850 may qualify for a Small Estate Affidavit, which is faster than full probate. Use the probate cost calculator to estimate what probate would cost in California.
As a community property state, California treats most marital assets as jointly owned. Without a will, community property generally passes to the surviving spouse, while separate property is divided among the spouse and children according to intestacy law. See exactly how California divides assets with the California inheritance calculator.
A will distributes assets through probate court — public, slower, and carries the state-specific costs you can see on the probate calculator. A revocable living trust skips probate, keeps the estate private, and lets your family receive assets faster. If avoiding probate matters to you, you can create a revocable trust instead of, or alongside, this will.
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