Walnut Creek · Contra Costa County

Estate Planning Lawyer in Walnut Creek, CA

Living trusts, wills and incapacity documents for Walnut Creek families, with a local office by appointment and flat fees.

Consultations in English, Romanian and Russian · Serving all of California

A Local Office in Walnut Creek

AJ Law Firm (Law Office of Andrei Jingan) keeps an office in Walnut Creek, where clients meet attorney Andrei Jingan by appointment. Many clients prefer Zoom or phone for the planning meeting and come in only to sign.

We also serve Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Danville, Alamo and Rossmoor.

What We Prepare

  • Revocable living trusts and pour-over wills
  • Wills and guardianship nominations for minor children
  • Durable financial powers of attorney
  • Advance health care directives and HIPAA authorizations
  • Trust amendments, restatements and funding reviews
  • Deeds transferring California real estate into a trust

Probate in Contra Costa County

If a Contra Costa County resident dies with assets outside a trust above California’s small-estate limit (currently $208,850 for most deaths on or after April 1, 2025), the family usually has to go through probate in the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. Probate is public, commonly takes a year or more, and California sets statutory attorney and executor fees by the size of the gross estate. For a $1,000,000 estate, those statutory fees total $46,000 before costs. A properly funded revocable living trust generally avoids that process.

Planning Points We Often See Here

  • Retirees, including Rossmoor residents, planning for incapacity and naming successor trustees
  • Homeowners who want to understand Proposition 19 before leaving a house to children
  • Updating older trusts after a death, divorce or move
  • Business owners coordinating company interests with a trust

Flat Fees

Flat fees, confirmed in writing before any work begins: trust-based estate plan $3,500 for an individual or $4,500 for a couple; will-based plan $2,500 for an individual. Includes one California property deed. Additional properties and specialized trusts are quoted separately, in writing, before any work begins. See Legal Fees.

How It Works

1

Free 15-minute call. Tell us what you need and we’ll recommend the right approach.

2

Planning meeting. By Zoom, by phone, or in person in El Dorado Hills or Walnut Creek.

3

Review your documents. Read every page and ask anything until it’s right.

4

Sign and finish. We coordinate signing, notarization and next steps.

Work Directly with Your Attorney

Andrei Jingan is a California-licensed attorney practicing estate planning and business law, and a father of three. You work with him directly from the first call through signing.

  • Offices by appointment in El Dorado Hills and Walnut Creek
  • Serving all of California remotely, and in person where needed
  • Consultations in English, Romanian and Russian

Walnut Creek Estate Planning FAQs

Do I have to come to an office to make an estate plan in Walnut Creek?

No. Most Walnut Creek clients meet by Zoom or phone, and in-person meetings are available at our Walnut Creek office. Documents can be signed at the office or with a mobile notary near you.

How much does a living trust cost?

Our flat fee for a trust-based estate plan is $3,500 for an individual or $4,500 for a couple, including one California property deed. A will-based plan is $2,500 for an individual. Your fee is confirmed in a written engagement agreement before any work begins.

Does a living trust avoid probate in Contra Costa County?

Generally yes, if the trust is properly funded, meaning your home and other assets are titled in the trust’s name or pass to it by beneficiary designation. We prepare the deed for one California property as part of the trust plan and give you written funding instructions for the rest.

Can you help in Romanian or Russian?

Yes. Attorney Andrei Jingan consults directly in English, Romanian and Russian.

Start Your Walnut Creek Estate Plan

Book a free 15-minute call, phone us, or send a message. We reply within one business day.

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    Attorney advertising. Contacting AJ Law Firm (Law Office of Andrei Jingan) through this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential information until we have agreed to represent you. This page provides general information, not legal advice for your situation.