Orange County, California Estate Planning Attorney

The Law Office of J. Larry Ballard has been helping people in Orange County with estate planning, estate administration, and probate matters for over thirty-five years. Located in Fullerton, California, I regularly represent clients in the cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Yorba Linda, Buena Park, Brea, and Placentia.

Skilled Orange County Estate Planning Attorney

I have over forty-two years of legal experience and have developed a comprehensive understanding of the tools and strategies available to protect my client’s wealth, minimize federal estate taxes, and pass their assets on to their heirs.

I am a certified specialist in Probate, Estate Planning, and Trust Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. In addition, I have an extensive knowledge of tax law, finance, and business planning. I am also a certified specialist in Taxation Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, hold a degree in accounting, and passed the CPA exam.

Why are these Qualification Important for an Orange County Estate Planning Attorney?

Estate planning is complex and involves more than just drafting a simple will. If fact, an estate plan that involved only a will is likely to result in extensive probate that could cost as much as 3.5% of the value of the gross estate. As an estate-planning attorney, I also view myself as an asset protection lawyer. I recognize any comprehensive estate plan should consider the tax implication of specific estate planning strategies for you as well as your heirs.

By using Revocable Living Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT), and drafting community property documents, I am able to minimize the federal estate tax on most of my client’s assets. Determining the types of trusts that are appropriate for any specific client’s estate requires a comprehensive understating of accounting to determine the current value of assets and forecast asset values into the future. This is best accomplished by an asset protection lawyer.

What should be included in a comprehensive estate plan?

While a Revocable Living Trust may be the primary document related to estate planning, a comprehensive estate plan is as much about protecting you while you are living as protecting the inheritance of your heirs. Therefore, I use a variety of methods to protect my clients including a simple will, or pour-over will to direct the distribution of assets not included in trusts. In addition, I routinely prepare a number of estate planning documents depending on the need of my client including:

• Powers of attorney for asset management
• Power of attorney for healthcare decisions
• Living wills
•  Advanced healthcare directives
• Community property documents

My business experience comes to bear in estate planning matters involving closely held or family owned businesses. I have an in-depth understanding of succession planning and how to protect the operations of business as they transfer from on generation to the next.

Contact an Orange County, California Estate Planning Lawyer

Whether you are in need of an estate planning attorney for a simple or complex estate planning matter, please contact the Law Offices of J. Larry Ballard. I can be reached by phone at 714-871-1132, by  e-mail, or by filling out the intake form on the Contact Us page.

The Law Offices of J. Larry Ballard

1235 North Harbor Boulevard - Suite 200 – Fullerton, CA 92832-1324

As an estate planning attorney & asset protection lawyer, I represent clients throughout North Orange County, the Inland Empire, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and the cities of Diamond Bar, La Mirada, La Habra, Whittier, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Yorba Linda, Buena Park, Brea, and Placentia.