Free online estate-planning workshop for California families
Thinking about it isn't enough. In this free 45-minute online workshop, California estate attorney Joshua A. Reyes walks you through the basics of estate planning in plain English — and shows you exactly why a Life & Legacy Plan (not just a will) is the smartest way to protect your home, your savings, and the people you love.
45 minutes · Free · From your phone
You've spent decades working hard to give your kids a head start. Don't let a single missing piece of paperwork undo a lifetime of effort. This class is explicitly designed to help you get everything in order, in writing, using a modern framework that passes your assets straight to your children — without expensive court battles, without years of painful delays, and without your family fracturing over who gets what.
45 minutes · From your phone or computer · Free
What you saw
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Maybe it was your husband's family. A close friend's. A neighbor you've known for years.
The father passed away — and before the mourning was even over, the siblings were already saying:
This is mine, this is mine.
The house that took 30 years of work, frozen in court. Kids who grew up sharing a room, now speaking through lawyers. And with the funeral bills still unpaid, the family was already fighting over money.
You had a front-row seat. And you made yourself a quiet promise: “never in my family.”
Here's what almost no one tells you: those families didn't think it would happen to them either. They didn't fall apart out of meanness. They fell apart because nothing was left clear, in writing, done the right way.
When there's no proper plan, you don't decide — the California court does. And probate (the court process for estates) usually takes years and costs far more than any plan:
Years where the house is stuck, the accounts are stuck, and the family wears down.
And watch out for the phrase “I already took care of that.” A will in a drawer, a child added to the title, an expensive binder no one has opened in years… it often FEELS handled without BEING handled.
The good news: this is preventable. And preventing it is far simpler — and far less expensive — than repairing it.
* General California range; every case varies. ** Typical floor for a full probate of a primary residence over $750,000 in California (about 5% of the gross estate). Calculate your estimate below.
Probate cost calculator
Estimate it with the fees California law itself sets (Probate Code §§ 10800 & 10810), plus typical Los Angeles County court costs.
Probate fees are calculated on the gross value — the law does not subtract your mortgage or debts.
Educational estimate only — not legal advice or a quote. Based on statutory fees (Cal. Prob. Code §§ 10800, 10810), court filing fees per the Statewide Civil Fee Schedule effective Jan. 1, 2026 ($435 per petition in L.A. County), the probate referee commission (§8961), and typical L.A. County publication and miscellaneous costs. Simplified routes depend on date of death (rules shown apply to deaths on or after April 1, 2025) and on your exact asset mix; thresholds adjust every three years. Every case varies. Figures current as of July 2026.
The class agenda
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And why common “fixes” like adding a child to the title of your house or buying a cheap online trust often send your family straight into court… the exact thing you were trying to avoid. Including the 3 signs that a plan you already paid for may not work when your family needs it.
Most of us were never taught this at home. You'll see how a guided, step-by-step process, in your language, does the heavy lifting with you. You bring the love for your family; the process handles the paperwork.
What probate in California can cost your family in money and in years — and why “my kids will just work it out” is, in practice, the most common way the fighting starts.
A family letter
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(Composite, fictional story: it combines patterns we frequently see in consultations. It does not describe any real person or client; names and all details are invented.)
Let's call her Rosa.
Rosa built a small food business working double shifts, and with it she paid off the house where she raised her three kids. Nobody taught her any of this at home — in her family, no one ever talked about “what to do with the house, with the money.”
When an aunt passed away, Rosa saw something she never forgot: the cousins — good, hardworking people — split in two over one house and some savings. “This is mine. This is mine.” Some things never healed.
Rosa had spent years on the “I'll get to it, I'll get to it.” That day, “later” ran out. Like the elders say: here today; tomorrow, who knows.
Today her plan says exactly what goes to each of her kids — equal shares, clear instructions, and a trusted person in charge if she couldn't be. A plan designed so her kids never have to guess, fight, or set foot in a courtroom over this.
From “it has to be done, it has to be done” to “it's done.” That relief is the whole point.
The firm
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Joshua A. Reyes is an estate planning attorney licensed in California. His firm, ARCHA LAW P.C., serves California families in English and Spanish — because these conversations go better in the language of your heart.
Joshua has walked many families like yours through this: hardworking parents, couples with one home that cost them everything, adult children helping their parents get things in order. Families who don't want to leave behind an inheritance fight — they want to leave a legacy.
One simple promise from the firm: if we're not the right fit for your situation, we'll tell you honestly and point you in the right direction.
Before you say no
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What many families think before taking the class.
It's the opposite: the hardest inheritance fights are often not over fortunes — they're over one house, some savings, a couple of cars. If you own a home in California, your family can end up in probate even if you're “not rich.” This class was built for working families.
Very common — and exactly why you should come. In California, a will by itself usually does not avoid probate: it's typically the set of instructions a judge carries out INSIDE the court process, not a way around it. And adding a child to your title can create serious new problems — including accidentally leaving your other kids out. We'll walk through why, with clear examples.
Then this class is especially for you. A trust your house was never actually placed into, or one put together by a non-attorney, can be nothing but a nice binder in a drawer. At the class, we'll give you the 3 checks to know whether yours truly works — or only looks like it does. No shame in checking: better to find out now than in court.
Everyone says “later.” Many people have said it for 10 years. And no family gets advance notice of when “later” runs out. This is 45 minutes, free, from your phone or computer — against the 9 to 18 months probate can take from your family.
We've met people who paid thousands of dollars for “plans” that turned out to be worth nothing when it mattered. That's exactly why this webinar is free and educational: first you understand how this works and what questions to ask — then YOU decide, with your spouse, with your family. No pressure, no obligation.
Before you register
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Nothing. It's 100% free. It's an educational class, not a sales pitch in disguise.
Yes — a Spanish-language session is offered (llpes.archalaw.cloud). The firm also serves families in English.
No. If you have a home, savings, or children (especially minors), this applies to you. Small estates end up in court too — and families fight over those as well.
No. Just register and log on. Nobody will ask for account numbers or private details.
Yes, and we recommend it. These decisions are made as a family. If you're the one helping your parents, register and watch it with them.
Register anyway. We'll notify you of the confirmed date and upcoming sessions. Seats per session are limited.
No and no. The webinar is general and informational; it is not legal advice about your specific case, and attending does not create an attorney-client relationship. If afterward you'd like a private look at your situation, you can book a consultation — your call.
Your free access package
Every value above is calculated from our actual hourly rate, not invented for a webinar.
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We don't get to choose how much time we have. We do get to choose what we leave behind — and how.
Next date to be announced — seats per session are strictly limited
Your seat is saved! We'll email and text you as soon as the next class date is confirmed.