A $1 million house is ordinary by Los Angeles standards, yet if it goes through probate, California’s statutory fee schedule allows $23,000 for the attorney and another $23,000 for the executor, which is why the first question an estate planning lawyer in Los Angeles usually asks is whether you have a living trust. For many local families, that one document matters more than any tax strategy.
At the top of the market, the picture changes. Studio founders, real estate dynasties, art collectors, and families with assets in several countries need planning that blends tax law, trust design, and sometimes litigation. The five lawyers and firms below cover that full range, from Pasadena families updating a trust to ultra-wealthy clients with homes on three continents. Each holds current 2026 rankings or recognition you can verify.
Estate Planning in California: The 2026 Numbers
These figures shape almost every Los Angeles estate plan this year:
- Federal estate tax exemption: $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple, starting January 1, 2026. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made it permanent, with annual inflation adjustments.
- No California estate tax: California has no state estate tax or inheritance tax.
- Probate fees: Statutory fees start at 4% of the first $100,000, then 3% of the next $100,000 and 2% of the next $800,000. They’re calculated on the gross value, so a mortgage doesn’t reduce the fee.
- Small estates: Since April 1, 2025, personal property up to $208,850 can pass without full probate, and a primary residence worth up to $750,000 may qualify for a simplified court petition.
- Inherited homes: Under Proposition 19, a child who inherits a parent’s home keeps the low property tax base only if they move in as a primary residence, and only up to about $1 million above the existing assessed value.
- Community property step-up: When one spouse dies, both halves of community property usually receive a new, higher tax basis. That’s a major benefit for long-held LA real estate.
Five Estate Planning Attorneys Los Angeles Families Rely On
1. Loeb & Loeb: Rodney Lee and the Private Client Group
Loeb & Loeb’s private client practice holds the top Band 1 ranking for Southern California private wealth law in the 2026 Chambers High Net Worth guide. Its bench is deep. Senior Statespeople Paul Frimmer and Stuart Tobisman work alongside ranked planners Leah Bishop, Jeffrey Loeb, Danielle Miller, Ronald Pearson, Alyse Pelavin, and Michael Rosen-Prinz.
Rodney Lee is Best Lawyers’ 2027 “Lawyer of the Year” for trusts and estates in Los Angeles. He spends much of his time on what happens when plans are challenged, including undue influence, capacity disputes, and trustee removal. That makes him a useful advisor for families who expect a plan to be challenged.
The firm offers something unusual. Paul Frimmer was also named Best Lawyers’ 2027 “Lawyer of the Year” for art law in Los Angeles. For families whose wealth includes paintings, sculpture, or a collection that may go to a museum, that combination is rare.
- Who calls them: entertainment families, collectors, and multigenerational wealth
- Where: 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA 90067
2. Sheppard: Adam Streisand
Adam Streisand’s client list reads like a history of celebrity estate fights. He has handled matters involving the estates of Ray Charles, Marlon Brando, and Rodney Dangerfield. He represented Katherine Jackson in matters involving Michael Jackson’s estate and represented Britney Spears in her conservatorship proceedings. He also represented Steve Ballmer in the trust matter tied to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Chambers has ranked him a “Star Individual” for private wealth disputes since 2011, its highest individual tier. In 2026 he appears on lists from Forbes, Lawdragon, and the Daily Journal. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
On the planning side, the firm’s Nancy Baldwin Reimann holds a 2026 Chambers Band 2 ranking for Southern California private wealth law. Families who expect a contest can draft with the litigators who would defend the plan.
- Who calls them: families expecting conflict, and anyone already in a trust dispute
- Where: 1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, CA 90067
3. Proskauer: Rachel Harris
Plenty of Los Angeles wealth crosses borders. Some clients are moving to the U.S., some are U.S. citizens living abroad, and many families hold property in several countries. Rachel Harris focuses on exactly these situations, including pre-immigration planning, which is often most valuable before someone becomes a U.S. tax resident.
She is admitted in California, New York, and England and Wales. She holds degrees from Harvard and Yale Law School and an LL.M. in taxation from NYU. She joined Proskauer’s Los Angeles office in June 2025. Chambers 2026 ranks her for private wealth law in both Southern California and the Western Region, and she appears in Best Lawyers for trusts and estates through the 2027 edition.
- Who calls them: ultra-high-net-worth international families and Americans living overseas
- Where: Century City. The firm lists both 2029 Century Park East, Suite 2400, and 2049 Century Park East, Suite 3200, so confirm before visiting.
4. Withers: The Former Hoffman Sabban & Watenmaker Team
In January 2025, international private client firm Withers took in the Los Angeles trusts and estates firm Hoffman Sabban & Watenmaker, founded in 1981. Partners Paul Gordon Hoffman, Alan Watenmaker, Chang Chae, and Eric Tokuyama joined more than 20 Withers lawyers already in Los Angeles.
Withers describes its California private client group as the largest on the West Coast. Its network includes offices across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and India. That’s useful for LA families with relatives, businesses, or property overseas. Under one roof, clients can get estate planning, charitable planning, trust administration, family law, and dispute resolution.
- Who calls them: globally connected families who want one firm across borders
- Where: 10250 Constellation Boulevard, Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA 90067
5. Lagerlof: Estate Planning for Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley
Not every family needs a Century City tower. Lagerlof has practiced in Pasadena since 1908 and calls itself the city’s largest law firm. Its trusts and estates practice earned a place in the 2026 Chambers California Spotlight guide, which highlights strong regional and mid-sized firms.
The practice covers what most households actually need: living trusts, wills, probate and estate settlement, trust administration, private fiduciary services, and elder law. For an aging parent, that last area can matter as much as the trust itself. The firm also has offices in Encino and El Segundo.
- Who calls them: established families, retirees, and adult children handling a parent’s affairs
- Where: 155 North Lake Avenue, 11th Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101
Why a $1 Million House Makes Living Trusts So Common in LA
California’s probate fees are set by statute and based on the estate’s gross value. On a $1 million estate, the attorney’s statutory fee is $23,000, and the executor can claim the same amount. That’s $46,000 before court costs, appraisals, and months of delay. In Los Angeles, many ordinary homes are worth well over $1 million.
A funded revocable living trust usually avoids probate entirely. That’s why so many LA plans start with one, and why lawyers stress funding the trust. A trust that never had the house deeded into it doesn’t help.
A few common mistakes are worth checking:
- The deed was never transferred. Signing a trust doesn’t move the house into it. Confirm the recorded deed names the trust.
- Beneficiary forms are out of date. Retirement accounts and life insurance pass by beneficiary form, not by your trust or will.
- Prop 19 surprises. Heirs who don’t plan to live in an inherited home may face a much higher property tax bill.
This content is general information, not legal advice. Estate plans depend on family, tax, and property details, so speak with a licensed California attorney about yours.
Estate Planning FAQs for Los Angeles
Q1. How much does an estate plan cost in Los Angeles?
A: A basic living trust package often costs a few thousand dollars. Complex plans for high-net-worth families, with tax structures or international assets, can cost far more.
Q2. Do I need a living trust or just a will in California?
A: If you own a home or significant assets, a living trust usually makes sense, since a will alone still requires probate in California for larger estates.
Q3. Does California have an inheritance tax?
A: No. California has no estate or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax applies, with a $15 million per-person exemption in 2026.
Q4. How long does probate take in Los Angeles County?
A: Often a year or more, and contested estates can take much longer. Court timelines vary, which is one reason many families prefer trusts.
Q5. What happens to property taxes when I inherit my parents’ house?
A: Under Proposition 19, you can keep their tax base only if you move in as your primary residence, and only up to an inflation-adjusted value limit.
