Expertise.com Homepage

2024

Last updated:

Best Estate Planning Lawyers in Fresno, CA

Our Recommended Top 6

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
  • Mystery Shopping Calls

Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Fresno Estate Planning Lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

121Reviewed

75Curated

6Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

4082 N. Cedar Ave. #104, Fresno, CA 93726

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Philip M. Flanigan Attorney at Law offers estate planning counsel services to Fresno clients. This service caters to clients who do not want their estate to be claimed by the state or who require assurance as they plan a trip or surgery. Its comprehensive estate plan includes crafting trusts and a gifting plan, establishing wills, creating a durable power of attorney, and crafting advance health directives. The firm has focused on estate planning since 1998 and is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and WealthCounsel, LCC.

Fresno, CA 93704

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Howk & Downing, L.L.P. is a firm that provides estate planning and elder law services to families and individuals in the Fresno area. The attorneys assist clients in a variety of legal matters, including veteran’s benefits, life care planning, estate planning, probate, trust administration, Medi-Cal application and planning, special needs planning, and conservatorships. The attorneys at the Law Office of Howk & Downing, L.L.P. are members of the Wealth Counsel and the National Attorney of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robert Howk - PartnerActive29 yrs

Fresno, CA 93720

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (8)
Avvo
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Fishman, Larsen, & Callister is a law firm that offers legal solutions to individuals and businesses throughout the Fresno area. The lawyers are well-trained in a broad selection of legal areas, including claim avoidance, litigation, entity selection and formation, business planning, tax planning, tax litigation, estate planning, real property, and trust administration. Their founding member, Robert G. Fishman, is a member of the Fresno County Bar Association and the State Bar of California.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jared Callister - ShareholderActive17 yrs
Robert Fishman - ShareholderActive49 yrs

Fresno, CA 93711

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Heberger & Company is an accounting firm that provides financial management services to individuals, businesses, and organizations in the Fresno area. The corporation was established in 1985 to offer non-profit information returns, payroll returns, sales and use tax returns, pension and profit sharing, property tax, litigation, and business valuation services. The founder, John Heberger, is accredited by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

Fresno, CA 93704

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
3.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Ford Financial Group is a financial advisory firm that offers investment solutions to clients in the Fresno area. This team handles a range of financial services, including retirement planning, income and investment planning, tax planning, estate planning, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and education planning. The CEO, Carole R. Ford, was named by Barron’s Magazine as one of the Top 100 Women Financial Advisers in the United States.

Hanford, CA 93230

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.4 (41)
Facebook
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Dias Law Firm, Inc. is a firm that offers persistent legal representation to individuals and businesses in the Hanford area. Their team is well-versed in an array of practice areas, including corporation law, real estate law, family law, personal injury law, probate and trusts, estate planning, civil litigation, business law, employment law, and criminal law. The founder, Michael A. Dias, is a member of the Fresno County Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michael Dias - Founder / ShareholderActive28 yrs

Compare our Top Estate Planning Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Philip M. Flanigan Attorney at Law
4082 N. Cedar Ave. #104, Fresno, CA 93726
Law Office of Howk & Downing, L.L.P.
Fresno, CA 93704
Fishman Larsen Callister
Fresno, CA 93720
Heberger & Company
Fresno, CA 93711
Ford Financial Group
Fresno, CA 93704
Dias Law Firm, Inc.
Hanford, CA 93230

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

  • What does an estate planning attorney do?

    An estate consists of the total assets that form an individual’s net worth, no matter how large or small. Estate planning attorneys use their in-depth knowledge of state and federal laws to help people best manage what will happen with their estates after they die or become incapacitated. Estate planning attorneys can prepare wills, form trusts, reduce estate tax burdens, and decrease or eliminate the need for probate court.

  • What are valuable estate planning services an attorney can provide?

    With the many intricacies of assets, taxes, and state and federal laws that can affect a person’s estate, an estate planning lawyer can be a valuable professional asset, no matter how large or small a person’s estate may be. An estate planning attorney can:

    • Create a comprehensive plan to protect a client's legacy, that includes a will, power of attorney, trusts, life insurance, and advanced medical directives
    • Optimize an estate plan as tax laws, life events, assets, and goals change over time
    • Protect a client’s loved ones by preventing assets from entering probate
    • Help clients designate a person to make important health decisions for them if they become incapacitated

  • Can estate planning attorneys help create trusts/wills?

    Estate planning attorneys can create trusts and wills. Through a will, an attorney can help a client designate their estate’s beneficiaries and assign an executor to represent the will in probate court. These attorneys can also create trusts, allowing a client to assign a trustee to oversee the estate, potentially avoiding probate court and holding assets to be distributed over time.

  • Is estate planning the same as drafting a will?

    While both estate plans and wills officially document how their owners wish to allocate certain assets after their death, there are key differences. In estate planning, a will is often just one of several documents that form a comprehensive plan. In a will, people must designate a person responsible for executing their will after their death. The will can include guardians for their children when they die and beneficiaries to receive an inheritance of money, property, and other assets.

  • What are the steps involved in estate planning?

    To create a thorough and effective estate plan, individuals should follow these steps:

    • Prepare a will that designates an estate executor; indicate who will receive what assets, and assign a trust and guardians for any children. Consider using an attorney if the will is in any way complex.
    • To avoid probate, have an attorney create a revocable living trust.
    • Assign beneficiaries to other assets, such as life insurance policies, retirement plans, and securities.
    • Use an attorney to prepare a living will, name a health care proxy, and create a HIPAA release form.
    • Update the plan every five years.

  • How long does the estate planning process last?

    The length of the process can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the estate, the specific law office, and whether there’s an emergency or urgent need. If you’re using an attorney, you can generally expect it to take one to five weeks. You may be able to speed up the process by immediately providing your attorney with any bank statements or other documents they need.

  • What is a trust?

    A trust is an agreement between a grantor, a trustee, and a beneficiary. In this agreement, the grantor allocates funds or real property assets to the trustee to be held either until the grantor passes away or until a specific, agreed-upon date. At that point, it's the responsibility of the trustee to distribute funds or property to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. While there are similarities between a will and a trust, a will is a more comprehensive document that typically requires probate court, while a trust allows assets to pass to the beneficiary without probate.