Estate Planning and Probate Services in Occidental, Sonoma County

Start with the decision in front of you

For planning, identify what you want to address: instructions for health-care decisions, authority for someone to manage finances, a will, a trust, or coordination among these documents. Estate planning can bring these subjects together, but that does not mean every person needs every document or that routine planning requires court approval. Bring your questions and describe what you want the plan to accomplish; a consultation can help clarify which planning path fits the issues you raise.

After a death, the immediate question is different: what documents exist, and how were the deceased person’s assets titled or otherwise held? Trust administration and formal probate are distinct paths, and which one may apply depends on the documents and ownership of the assets.

Collect a useful picture before meeting remotely

You do not need to resolve every legal question before a consultation. A clear inventory helps make the conversation more practical. Gather what you can, note what is missing, and bring questions about uncertain or conflicting records.

• For planning: existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health-care documents, if any; names of people you are considering for decision-making roles; and a short list of priorities or concerns.
• For post-death administration: any will or trust you can locate, records showing how real estate and financial accounts are titled, and information about assets that may have named beneficiaries or joint owners.
• For either situation: a basic list of real property and other significant assets, where each is located, how ownership is recorded, and who has access to relevant documents.

Use ownership records to choose the next path

Do not assume that a will alone determines how every asset is handled. Compare the documents with actual ownership records: assets held in a trust may raise trust-administration questions, while other assets may require a different analysis. If you are helping after a death, flag assets whose ownership is unclear rather than treating them as automatically part of one process.

If formal probate may be needed, the deceased person’s residence and the location of property can matter. A mailing address by itself does not establish where a particular case belongs.

Occidental and the county context

Occidental is an unincorporated community in Sonoma County, not a separate incorporated municipality. Codi M. Dada Law Office P.C. does not have a physical branch in Occidental; the firm’s office is in Novato, with virtual services available throughout California.

The Sonoma County Superior Court publishes probate and mental-health calendar information. That is a general county court resource, not proof that a particular matter belongs in Sonoma County or a determination of venue. For a possible formal probate, collect the relevant residence and property-location details before asking about the appropriate next step.

A practical next step

Before a virtual consultation, write down whether you are planning for yourself or responding to a death, what decision you need help making, and which records you have already gathered. If the matter involves a death, include a simple ownership inventory and identify any uncertainty about property location or title. This preparation helps focus the discussion without assuming in advance that probate, trust administration, or a particular planning document is necessary.