Your family knows exactly what to do
No confusion, no court. Your successor trustee follows a clear roadmap and distributes your assets directly, usually within weeks, not years.
Your San Diego home goes to your family, not San Diego Superior Court.
Without a Trust, California Probate can cost San Diego families $42,000 in mandatory fees on a typical home, and tie up their inheritance for 9 to 18 months in San Diego Superior Court. Isha Singh creates flat-fee California Estate Plans completed entirely by Zoom from your San Diego home, including digital notarization.
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Why this matters now
Without a plan, California decides who gets everything you built.
In California, Probate fees run 4–8% of your estate’s gross value, not your equity. On a typical San Diego home valued near $900,000, that’s approximately $42,000 in mandatory fees before your family sees a dollar, plus 9–18 months in San Diego Superior Court. A trust eliminates all of it.
In California, even a simple home goes through probate if you only have a will. That means a court-supervised process lasting 9 to 18 months, fees of 4–8% of your estate’s gross value, and your private financial affairs becoming public record, accessible to neighbors, creditors, and anyone who looks.
San Diego is in San Diego Superior Court. Our Chatsworth office serves San Diego families by Zoom or in person, with plans built around California requirements and your family’s needs.
After your plan is done
Here's what life looks like after your plan is done.
Your privacy stays protected
Trusts don’t go through probate court, which means your assets, your beneficiaries, and your wishes remain completely private.
Your children are protected no matter what
If something happens to both you and your spouse, your plan names exactly who raises your children, no court makes that decision for you.
The fees your family saves are yours to keep
The cost of a well-drafted trust is a fraction of what probate would take. Most families save 10x–20x the cost of the plan in avoided fees.
Your attorney
Meet Isha Singh, estate planning attorney for San Diego families.
After serving as a partner at a prominent California firm, Isha launched her own practice to give clients something big firms can’t: direct access to a senior attorney who genuinely invests in each family’s outcome, without the layers of associates, billing surprises, or being handed off mid-process. Whether you prefer meeting by Zoom from your San Diego home or coming into the Chatsworth office in person, every consultation and every document review is conducted by Isha directly.
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How it works
Your estate plan in four simple steps.
Most families complete their entire estate plan in two to three weeks. Here’s exactly what to expect.
01
Intake & scheduling
You reach out and our team handles intake, gathering your basic information and scheduling your Zoom consultation with Isha. Quick, simple, and done on your timeline.
02
Zoom consultation with Isha
Isha meets with you personally by video to walk through what estate planning means for your family, answer every question, and design your custom plan on the spot, tailored to your exact situation.
03
Review & sign, your way
Isha reviews every document with you personally. If you’re local or prefer in-person, come to our Chatsworth office. If you prefer to stay home, we schedule a second Zoom and connect you with a digital notary, fully legal, fully remote.
04
Lifetime plan support
Once your plan is signed, you’re part of the family. Isha remains available as your life evolves, marriages, new children, property changes, and more. When amendments are needed, they’re handled under the firm’s amendment fee schedule. What you’ll never do is pay to rebuild your entire estate plan from the ground up.
Your custom estate plan
What's included in a San Diego estate plan.
Every plan is custom-built for your family. Most clients include some or all of the following core documents.
See what’s right for my family
Revocable Living Trust
Avoids probate entirely
Your most powerful tool. Assets held in a trust pass directly to your beneficiaries, no court, no delays, no public record. In California, this is essential for anyone who owns a home.
Last Will & Testament
Names guardians for minor children
Designates who raises your children if something happens to both parents, a decision no court should make for you. Also captures assets not titled in the trust via a pour-over provision.
Durable Power of Attorney
Keeps finances in trusted hands
Names the person you trust to manage your finances, pay bills, and handle legal matters if you become unable to, preventing a court-appointed conservatorship.
Advance Healthcare Directive
Your medical wishes are honored
Combines a living will and a healthcare Power of Attorney under California law. Your wishes about medical treatment are documented, and your chosen person speaks for you if you cannot.
HIPAA Authorization
Gives loved ones access to info
Authorizes your designated people to receive your medical information, so your family isn’t blocked from updates during a health crisis.
Who we serve
San Diego families at every stage of life.
You don’t need to be wealthy or elderly to need an estate plan. You just need people who depend on you.
Planning for your next chapter
Marriage is a good time to align beneficiary choices, property ownership, and decision-making documents so your plan reflects the life you are building together.
Client testimonials
What our clients say
Why families choose us
The San Diego estate planning firm that does things differently.
Partner-level experience. Boutique attention. Flat fees. Here’s what sets Isha apart.
Transparent flat-fee pricing
You know the full cost before we start. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices, no awkward “how long did that email take” calculations. Peace of mind starts with the fee.
All attorney work done by Isha personally
Scheduling and intake are handled by our support team so the process runs smoothly. But every consultation, every document review, and every signing is conducted by Isha, the only attorney at this firm. You are never advised by a paralegal or associate.
Deep expertise in California probate law
California’s community property rules, Proposition 19 implications, and trust-funding requirements are not generic, and neither is Isha’s advice. Every plan is built for California.
Virtual or in-person, built around your life
Consultations and signings happen by Zoom or in person at our Chatsworth office, your choice. Remote clients can complete the entire process including notarization from home through our digital notary service. No one-size-fits-all approach.
Specialists in blended families & special needs
Modern families are complex. Isha designs trusts for blended families, multi-generational planning, and families with a loved one who has special needs, with the nuance these situations require.
Legal plan memberships accepted
We work with LegalEase, LAMP, LegalShield, LawPoint, and CLC, making professional estate planning accessible at reduced cost for members. Not sure if your plan is covered? Ask on your free consultation call.
San Diego estate planning
What every San Diego homeowner needs to know.
California estate planning law is the same statewide, whether your home is in San Diego, Los Angeles, or anywhere else in California. The same Probate Code, community property rules, and Proposition 19 implications apply. Isha Singh serves San Diego families entirely by Zoom, including consultation, document review, and digital notarization. San Diego County probate matters are handled at San Diego Superior Court, and a properly funded trust avoids the process entirely.
Without a plan, California’s intestate succession laws decide who inherits your estate, and their answer may not match yours. Unmarried partners receive nothing. Blended families face competing claims. And every asset above $208,850 (the 2025–2026 probate threshold, excluding the primary residence) goes through the court system before reaching your family.
A properly drafted and funded revocable living trust solves all of this in one document. It keeps your estate out of court, keeps your affairs private, and gives your family a clear roadmap at the worst possible time.
California’s community property rules add another layer, and under Proposition 19 (2021), how your real property is titled in your trust can significantly affect your children’s property tax bill when they inherit.
Consider starting or reviewing a plan if:
The right time to start your estate plan is before you need it, because once a health crisis or death occurs, your options narrow dramatically.
- You own real property in California.
- You have children, especially minor children.
- You have married, divorced, or remarried.
- A loved one with special needs depends on you.
- You have experienced a major change in assets.
- Your existing plan is more than three to five years old.
If you already have a plan, review it after a child, property, divorce, or trustee change.
Start your estate planCalifornia’s estate planning requirements are specific and unforgiving. A trust that isn’t properly funded provides no probate protection, a will with incorrect witness signatures is invalid, and an advance healthcare directive must meet California’s execution requirements.
Online templates frequently miss California-specific requirements such as community property elections, Prop 19 structuring, HIPAA authorizations, and language required by financial institutions and healthcare providers.
A single drafting error can invalidate a document and expose your estate to the probate process you were trying to avoid.
Talk with our teamNeighboring areas
Right in your San Diego neighborhood.
We know the San Diego your family calls home and build estate plans around the life you have here.
- Balboa Park
- Gaslamp Quarter
- San Diego Zoo
- USS Midway Museum
- La Jolla Cove
- Coronado
- Petco Park
- Old Town San Diego
Areas we serve across California
Personal attention, wherever you are in California.
You get personal attention and flat-fee pricing no matter where you are in California. Estate planning isn't one-size-fits-all. Your plan is built around your family, assets, and situation.
- Northridge
- Encino
- Porter Ranch
- Chatsworth
- Canoga Park
- Reseda
- Van Nuys
- Tarzana
- Woodland Hills
- Sherman Oaks
- Studio City
- North Hollywood
- Calabasas
- West Hills
- Los Angeles
- Burbank
- Glendale
- Pasadena
- Culver City
- Long Beach
- Santa Clarita
- Simi Valley
- Ventura
- Irvine
- Anaheim
- Santa Ana
- Huntington Beach
- Riverside
- San Bernardino
- Rancho Cucamonga
- San Diego
Common questions
San Diego estate planning questions and answers
Do I need a trust if I already have a will in San Diego?
In California, a will still goes through probate. If your estate is above $208,850, which applies to virtually every San Diego homeowner, a will alone guarantees your family ends up in San Diego Superior Court. At San Diego home values, that means approximately $42,000 in mandatory fees before your family inherits. A revocable living trust avoids the entire process and can be completed by Zoom.
How much does probate cost in San Diego County?
California sets statutory probate fees on a sliding scale of 4–8% of the estate’s gross value, not your equity. On a typical San Diego home worth $900,000, fees are calculated on the full $900,000 regardless of your mortgage: a minimum of $21,000 per party, attorney and executor each, totaling approximately $42,000, before court costs and appraisal fees.
How long does a San Diego estate plan take?
Most clients complete their estate plan in two to three weeks from the initial consultation to signing. Isha meets with you by Zoom, prepares the documents, and reviews them with you before signing at the Chatsworth office or remotely with a digital notary. Rush timelines are available for urgent circumstances.
How much does a professional estate plan cost in San Diego?
Our firm uses transparent flat-fee packages, so you know the full cost upfront. The investment depends on the complexity of your family situation and the documents included. Ask about pricing on your free call, with no pressure or obligation.
Can I use an online will or trust service in San Diego?
Online templates are not designed for California’s specific laws, community property elections, Proposition 19 structuring, trust-funding requirements, or precise execution requirements. A trust that is not properly funded provides no probate protection, and fixing a poorly drafted plan can cost more than doing it right the first time.
What happens to my San Diego home without a trust?
If your home is not held in a trust, it will go through probate upon your death, even if you have a will. The process includes court filings, a mandatory waiting period, a court hearing, and ongoing fees for the attorney and executor based on the home’s gross value. Proposition 19 may also affect your children’s future property tax bill.
Does a San Diego home worth over $1 million have to go through probate?
No. What matters is how your home is titled, not what it is worth. A home held in a living trust, owned in joint tenancy, or covered by a transfer-on-death deed may avoid probate. A home owned alone and above the applicable threshold usually requires the full probate process. The $750,000 limit is based on full value, not equity. Sources: California Probate Code §13151; Judicial Council of California.
Can San Diego children keep a parent’s low property tax bill?
Sometimes. Proposition 19 requires the home to have been the parent’s main residence, a child to make it their main residence within one year, required exemptions and claims to be filed on time, and the home’s value to be within the applicable limit. Rental properties and vacation homes do not qualify for the same treatment. Source: California State Board of Equalization.
I bought my San Diego home in 1992. Will my children keep my property tax rate?
Only if they meet the Proposition 19 rules. Your property tax is based on your home’s 1992 value, and that value can go up by no more than 2% per year. Your children can keep that same tax base only if one of them moves in and meets every requirement; otherwise the home is reassessed at current market value.
Protect your San Diego family’s future from home.
Schedule your free consultation by Zoom from your San Diego home. Most plans are completed in two to three weeks, flat fee, with Isha personally handling every detail.
Take the first step