A California Simple Will lets you specify who inherits your assets, who will be guardian of your minor children, and who will administer your estate when you pass away. Without a will, California's "intestate succession" laws decide for you — and the result is often not what you would have wanted. Prepare yours in under 20 minutes, bilingual, valid throughout California.
Every adult in California should have a Will, especially if you: have minor children under 18 (CRITICAL — the Will is where you name a guardian), own valuable personal property (jewelry, vehicles, family heirlooms), want to leave something specific to someone who is NOT a default heir (a friend, unmarried partner, charity), or want to make sure a specific family member does NOT inherit. A Will is complementary to a Living Trust, not a replacement — the Trust avoids Probate, the Will catches everything not in the Trust.
Under Probate Code §6110, a California Will is valid if: (1) you are 18 or older and mentally competent, (2) you sign it in the presence of TWO adult witnesses at the same time, and (3) the witnesses sign the document confirming they saw your signature. The witnesses CANNOT be beneficiaries of the Will. California also accepts "holographic" (handwritten) Wills, but we recommend them only in emergencies — a formal witnessed Will is always safer.
Not required — California requires TWO witnesses, not a notary. However, a notarized "self-proving affidavit" speeds up the Probate process and we recommend it.
No. The Will is the guide that Probate court follows to distribute your assets — but the assets still go through Probate. To AVOID Probate, you need a Living Trust ($599+).
Yes. You can make a new Will (which revokes the previous one) or add a "codicil" (amendment). We recommend making a completely new Will instead of codicils to avoid confusion.
California applies "intestate succession" rules: the spouse receives community property, and separate property is divided between spouse and children by complicated formulas. An unmarried partner inherits NOTHING under intestate succession.
With Multi Servicios 360, just $99. A California attorney charges $300–$1,000 for a simple Will.
A Simple Will is an instruction document that ONLY takes effect after your death and ALWAYS goes through probate (court process). A Living Trust transfers assets during your life and AVOIDS probate at death. California probate can cost $15,000-$30,000 and take 1-2 years — a Trust saves this. But a Will is simpler ($199 vs $599) and sufficient if your estate is modest or you do not own a home.
YES — California requires TWO competent adult witnesses present at signing, who are not beneficiaries of the will. If a beneficiary signs as a witness, that part of the will is invalidated. Additional notarization is NOT required but gives extra legal weight ("self-proving will").
California applies "intestate succession" rules (Probate Code §6400+): spouse gets all community property + 1/3 to 1/2 of separate property; children get the rest. With no spouse or children, parents inherit; then siblings; then nephews/nieces. WITHOUT your decision, the State decides.
Multi Servicios 360 is a self-help legal document preparation platform. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
Multi Servicios 360 | www.multiservicios360.net | 855.246.7274
Additional legal documents that clients in your situation frequently request with Multi Servicios 360, a self-help legal document preparation platform.
Multi Servicios 360 es una plataforma tecnológica de autoayuda que permite a las personas preparar sus propios documentos legales. No somos un bufete de abogados, no actuamos como abogados, no redactamos documentos por usted, y no brindamos asesoría legal ni recomendaciones sobre qué documentos legales son apropiados para su situación específica. Si necesita asesoría legal, debe consultar a un abogado licenciado en California.