This page is for two kinds of people:
- You’ve never done Estate Planning and you’re ready to stop putting it off.
- You have a plan from another attorney but want a new one.
Returning Modlin Legal Estate Planning clients whose plan needs updating should head to Estate Plan Refresh.
I wanted to update my trust and related documents. After reading dozens of listings and reviews online, I chose Marina — excellent academic background, plenty of experience, and not part of a huge and impersonal firm (something I really wanted to avoid). She was even able to track down a real estate deed that the county no longer puts online, saving me half a day at the county recorder’s office. She made the entire process run smoothly, and I highly recommend her.
– C.L., Sunnyvale, CA
Why Choose Modlin Legal?
- Free, no obligation 15-minute consultation — no forms to fill out beforehand
- Flat fees, quoted upfront — no surprises
- Done in about three weeks — faster than anyone Marina knows of
- Marina explains everything in plain language — as much or as little as you want
- In person in the Bay Area, or fully remote anywhere in California
Prior to meeting with Marina, I had reached out to a couple of other attorneys — they gave me fat folders with a ton of forms to fill out. Marina’s approach was totally different: we met with her 2 times! She asked her questions, gave us some light homework, and at the second meeting we reviewed the entire living trust with only a few minor modifications. She is the most professional and caring attorney — just contact her for a consultation and you won’t regret it.
– Tom D., San Jose CA
The mission of Modlin Legal is to make legal services accessible, affordable, and non-intimidating. We want you to enjoy your time with us, and we’d like to form a lifelong relationship that you can count on.
Highly recommend Marina for estate planning and living trusts. She was friendly, honest, very knowledgeable, affordable, and kind. She clearly spelled out everything we had to do, meetings were on Zoom, and the final signing in person was quick. We completed our living trust in just a few weeks!
– Nandita D.
How Estate Planning Works
Nobody wants to do their Estate Planning, so Marina makes it fast and painless — and before you know it, you’re done.
• Free 15-minute consultation by phone or Zoom. Marina listens, explains what you need, and if it’s the right fit, gives you a flat-fee quote. No obligation.
• First meeting: Marina gathers everything through conversation — no questionnaires, no paperwork to fill out beforehand. She walks you through every decision and explains the tradeoffs in plain language, with the goal of building a plan that actually fits your life and minimizes the chance of future problems.
• Drafting: Marina prepares your complete Estate Planning — Revocable Living Trust, Last Will and Testament, Durable Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive, and all documents needed to transfer your California real estate into your new Trust.
• Review: Marina explains the documents as much or as little as you want to understand them.
• Signing: in person in the Bay Area, or remotely if you’re elsewhere in California.
If you’ve been putting this off for years, you’re in good company — Marina gets people across the finish line.
Set up a free consultationMy wife and I used Modlin Legal to create our family trust after buying a house. Marina did a great job educating us on community property and separate property, and helped us get on paper the plans for our estate and children if the worst were to happen. She answered all our questions and got everything done quickly. Signing in office was an enjoyable experience — not something I can say for any other document signings I’ve done!
– Mickey G.
Components Of An Estate Plan
A typical estate plan consists of four documents:
- “The will” is where you nominate who will raise your minor children. Without a will, the judge will decide who will raise them, and who will be managing their inheritance. (Read more here or watch this video.)
- “The revocable trust” is what will keep your real and personal property (worth $208,850 or more) out of probate, saving your loved ones months of bureaucratic agony, and tens of thousands of dollars. A trust will also ensure that your 19 year old children don’t spend their inheritance on a new Ferrari. (Read FAQs or watch our videos to learn more.)
- “The Power of Attorney” allows you to choose a person who will pay your bills while you are incapacitated. This way, you won’t find your house in foreclosure when you get better. (Here’s a video with more information.)
- “The Health Care Directive” allows you to specify your wishes relating to life support, among other things. That way, your relatives won’t keep you on it while they try to figure out what to do with you. (Read here or watch this video to learn more.)