Estate Planning for California Families

Planning for your family’s future is one of the most meaningful steps you can take, not just to protect what you’ve built, but to bring peace of mind to the people you love. At Chaney Counsel, we help families across Los Angeles County, Ventura County, and Southern California create estate plans that are practical, personal, and easy to understand.

Whether you’re preparing for your family’s financial future, updating an existing trust, or caring for a loved one with disabilities, we make the process clear, approachable, and empowering.

A Family-Centered Approach to Planning

Every family is unique, and your estate plan should reflect that. We take the time to understand your goals, values, and relationships before drafting a single document.

Estate planning isn’t just about legal forms; it’s about people and making sure your wishes are honored with compassion and clarity.

As California estate planning attorneys, we work closely with parents, couples, individuals, and caregivers to create plans that fit real life. For families raising children or adults with disabilities, we seamlessly integrate special needs planning so benefits are protected and long-term care is secured.

Whether you are starting a family, preparing for retirement, or updating your legacy, we help you build a plan that grows and adapts as life changes.

What a Thoughtful Estate Plan Includes

A comprehensive estate plan protects far more than assets—it preserves stability and peace of mind.

Our estate planning services include:

• Revocable Living Trusts – Avoid probate and ensure assets transfer smoothly to beneficiaries.
• Last Will & Testament – Appoint guardians for minor children and outline your final wishes.
• Durable Power of Attorney – Authorize someone you trust to manage finances if you become incapacitated.
• Advance Health Care Directive – Ensure your medical preferences are known and respected.
• Trust Funding Guidance – Properly title accounts and property so your trust works as intended.
• Blended Family Planning – Protect children from prior relationships and address unique family dynamics.
• Special Needs Planning Integration – Incorporate Special Needs Trusts and benefit coordination to protect a child or adult with disabilities.

Each plan is customized to your family’s situation. We also provide guidance to trustees, agents, and beneficiaries to ensure that responsibilities are understood and potential conflicts are minimized.

Estate Planning for Families of Children with Disabilities

For many clients, estate planning and special needs planning naturally overlap. Parents and caregivers want to provide for their child without jeopardizing eligibility for SSI, Medi-Cal, or other essential benefits.

We help families create:

• Third-party Special Needs Trusts
• Letters of Intent
• Coordinated estate plans that secure long-term care

As a Los Angeles County special needs estate planning lawyer and a parent herself, Lindsey Chaney offers both legal expertise and lived understanding to help families make confident, informed decisions.

Planning for Life Changes

Life changes, and your plan should too. Events such as marriage, the birth of a child, purchasing a home, divorce, the diagnosis of a disability, or the passing of a loved one can all impact your estate plan.

We help families:

• Review and update existing estate plans
• Coordinate multi-state property
• Navigate blended family dynamics
• Manage successor trustee transitions
• Prepare documents for smooth implementation

Our goal is to keep your plan effective, up-to-date, and aligned with your current needs.

Guidance for Executors, Trustees, and Successor Agents

Serving as a trustee or executor can feel daunting without proper guidance. We support fiduciaries by providing:

• Clear instructions
• Legal oversight
• Practical advice
• Step-by-step directions for trust administration and asset distribution

We help ensure duties are carried out correctly, efficiently, and in compliance with California law.

Why Legal Guidance Matters

DIY estate planning tools often overlook crucial legal requirements or fail to account for California’s unique rules. Working with an experienced Los Angeles County estate planning attorney ensures your plan is:

• Legally valid
• Properly executed
• Customized to your circumstances
• Designed to protect your family when it matters most

Lindsey Chaney brings a warm, compassionate approach to every plan—simplifying complex decisions and helping families avoid common pitfalls. Whether you are planning for young children, aging parents, or a loved one with disabilities, Chaney Counsel provides clarity, structure, and heart in every plan.

Serving Families Across Southern California

Chaney Counsel proudly serves clients in Los Angeles County, Ventura County, and surrounding Southern California communities. We offer both in-person and virtual consultations to make the estate planning process flexible and accessible for busy families.
Our mission is simple: to help families protect what matters most with empathy, precision, and integrity.

Schedule a Consultation

Protect your family’s future with a plan that reflects your values and gives you lasting peace of mind.

Contact Chaney Counsel, your trusted California Estate Planning and Special Needs Trust Attorney, to schedule a consultation today. We’ll help you understand your options, simplify the process, and create a plan that truly works for you.