Estate planning and business law in Bonita.
We prepare wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and business agreements. We also review existing documents when your family, property, or business changes.
Estate planning and business services.
We explain what each document does, how to put it into effect, and when it may need to be updated.
Revocable living trust
A trust designed around your property, accounts, family structure, and distribution goals.
Will and powers of attorney
Pour-over wills, durable powers of attorney, and health care directives so the right people can act.
Trust funding guidance
Guidance on retitling assets and reviewing account ownership and beneficiary designations.
Existing plan review
Review an existing will or trust after changes in your family, property, or wishes.
Business agreements
Entity formation, operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and buy-sell planning.
Succession planning
Planning for ownership transitions, family businesses, liquidity, and continuity after a key event.
What is the difference between a will and a trust?
Both have a place. The difference matters most for California homeowners, families with property in more than one state, and anyone who wants a plan for incapacity, not just death.
Swipe or scroll across to compare both options.
| Consideration | Will alone | Revocable living trust |
|---|---|---|
| Probate | Goes through probate | Avoided for assets titled in the trust |
| Privacy | Probate is a public court process | Trust administration is generally private |
| If you become incapacitated | No effect until death. A power of attorney is needed to act. | Successor trustee can manage trust assets without a court. |
| Property in more than one state | May require a separate probate in each state | Trust-owned property avoids a second probate |
| Costs | Lower to create, but probate can add thousands, sometimes tens of thousands. | Higher to create. Avoids those probate costs for assets titled in the trust. |
| Upkeep | Update after major life changes. | Keep it funded: retitle existing assets, and title new accounts and property in the trust. |
General information about California estate planning, not legal advice. The right structure depends on your assets, family, and goals.
- The state decides who inherits. Without a will or trust, California's intestate succession rules choose your heirs.
- Your estate may go through probate. A public, court-supervised process that commonly takes a year or more in California.
- Fees are set on the gross estate. Statutory attorney and executor fees are calculated on the value of assets before debts, so a home is counted at full value even with a mortgage.
- No one is automatically in charge if you cannot act. Without a power of attorney or trust, a court conservatorship may be the only path.
When to review your estate plan.
Clients usually reach out when something changes: a home purchase, marriage, divorce, new child, death in the family, business growth, retirement, inheritance, or a trust that has not been reviewed in years.
You own real estate in California or more than one state.
You have children, blended family issues, or specific distribution wishes.
You own a business or expect a business transition.
Your current trust may not be funded or may not match current accounts.
Legal services for business owners.
Help with forming a business, setting out ownership terms, and planning a transfer or succession.
Entity formation
LLC and corporation formation, including the documents that establish how the business is owned and managed.
Owner agreements
Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and buy-sell provisions that set out each owner’s rights and responsibilities.
Transition planning
Business succession planning that considers ownership, valuation, liquidity, taxes, and the next generation.
Legal work can affect tax, wealth, and insurance decisions.
Koala Law PC is a separate law firm. When you authorize it and when it helps the work, Koala Law can coordinate with the appropriate Koala tax, wealth, or insurance team to review how legal documents affect account ownership, beneficiary designations, taxes, and business decisions.
Legal services can be used independently.
Attorney-client relationships and legal privileges are handled through Koala Law PC.
Coordination happens only when the client authorizes it and when it helps the work.
What clients ask about Koala Law.
No. Legal services can be engaged on their own. Koala Law is separate from the other Koala entities, including Koala Financial. Coordination is available when useful and authorized, but it is not required.
A standard plan usually includes a revocable living trust, pour-over will, durable power of attorney, advance health care directive, trust certification, and guidance on trust funding. Scope depends on the client, and the flat-fee pricing page lists what each plan includes.
Yes. Many clients start with an existing estate plan. We review whether it still matches assets, family, beneficiaries, business interests, and current goals.
Yes. Koala Law handles entity formation, operating agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, and business succession planning.
Request a consultation.
Tell us what you need help with. We will follow up within 1 business day to arrange a 15-minute introductory conversation. There is no obligation, and you do not need to gather documents before reaching out.
Request received
Thank you for reaching out. A member of the Koala Law team will be in touch within 1 business day.
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