An Estate Planning & Probate Law Firm Helping You Plan For Your Family's Future
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Over 30 Years of Experience
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Yelp Reviews
This is the first 5 star review I’ve given and I don’t hand out 5 stars like its candy on Halloween but Steven Bliss EARNED this review. He is honest, trustworthy, direct….THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Google Reviews
I just happen to have the greatest experience working with Steve Bliss in San Diego! Top notch wills and estate planning attorney!We have used Steve Bliss many times since 2009…
Top Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
Irvine Probate Law has been decidedly focused on Estate Planning and Probate. Irvine Probate Law believes that no one should be forced to expose their family wealth and misfortunes in the PROBATE courts. Notwithstanding, proper estate planning is the solution.
–Our Practice Areas–

Estate Planning
Avoid Probate & Estate Taxes
Avoiding probate is by far the most common reason why people seek out the advice of an estate planning attorney.
The significant loss of one’s estate to the payment of state and/or federal estate taxes or state inheritance taxes is a great motivator for many people to put an estate plan together.
Call Me, your Estate Planning Attorney

Probate
Intestate Succession
Probate is the court-supervised process of authenticating a last will and testament if the deceased made one.
It includes locating and determining the value of the decedent’s assets, paying his final bills and taxes, then distributing the remainder of the estate to his rightful heirs or beneficiaries.
Each U.S. state has specific laws in place to determine what’s required to probate an estate.

Living Trusts
A living trust can help you avoid the hassles and delays of probate and has other benefits as well..
A living trust is an estate planning tool that bypasses probate, the state court process for wrapping up a person’s estate after they pass away. Compared to a will, a living trust can often get inheritances to your beneficiaries more quickly and with less hassle.
Call Me, your Living Trust Attorney
This Estate Planning Attorney Fights for Your Rights
Irvine Probate Law has expertly managed the Estate Planning, probate, trust, bankruptcy and business management legal needs of clients in Irvine for over 30 years.
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Schedule your free, no obligation 30 minute law consultation now.
Helping Families Like Yours with Estate Planning & Probate Law Since 1991
When you are appointed the representative of an estate in probate, choosing the right attorney to administer the estate is an extremely important task.
With a wide range of responsibilities including debt payments, property cataloging, income gathering and much more, Steve Bliss is able to guide, assist and advise through the entire process.
Our number one priority is to ensure that your estate is undertaken properly and in a timely manner, reducing the your stress and providing beneficiaries with their assets.
The Leading Estate Planning and Probate Attorney in Temecula and San Diego
Experience You Can Count On
If you are looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and professional attorney that has decades of offering courteous service in the field of probate law, then Steve Bliss is the exactly who you need.
Talented in Transaction Probate proceedings, Steve effectively administrates the probate proceedings after your loved one has passed away. With a comfortable yet meticulous approach, Steve probates the will and settles the estate according to his extensive training in California Probate Law.
A Variety of California Legal Services
To meet the needs of all clients, we offer several legal related to estates.
Estate Planning Lawyer
We help create a strategic plan for the management and distribution of your assets in the event of your death, as well as your wishes of personal care if you become incapacitated.
Living Trust Lawyer
This estate planning tool can be incredibly useful to help distribute property and assets to your family while avoiding any costs or delays of probate.
The Irvine Probate Law Advantage
Frequent Questions:
- What is the purpose of a probate? The role of the probate court is to make sure that a deceased person’s debts are paid and assets are allocated to the correct beneficiaries. The term probate is used to describe the legal process that manages the assets and liabilities left behind by a recently deceased person.
- What does probate mean when someone dies? Probate is the term for a legal process in which a will is reviewed to determine whether it is valid and authentic. Probate also refers to the general administering of a deceased person’s will or the estate of a deceased person without a will.
- Do you need probate if there is a will? If you are named in someone’s will as an executor, you may have to apply for probate. This is a legal document which gives you the authority to share out the estate of the person who has died according to the instructions in the will. You do not always need probate to be able to deal with the estate.
- What exactly is probate? Probate is a legal process that is sometimes required to validate a deceased person’s will in order for their wishes to be carried out by an executor named in the will. The executor is the person responsible for administering the deceased person’s estate, ensuring debts are paid and remaining assets are distributed.
Outstanding Management of Risks
Frequent Questions:
- What is the main purpose of a living trust? A living trust is designed to allow for the easy transfer of the trust creator or settlor’s assets while bypassing the often complex and expensive legal process of probate. Living trust agreements designate a trustee who holds legal possession of assets and property that flow into the trust.
- Why would you want a living trust? A living trust also allows your beneficiaries to avoid probate after your death. Probate is a legal process in which your estate is handled by the probate court. … Transferring assets to a living trust makes them exempt from probate. A living trust is also useful if you want to leave assets to your minor children.
- What is the difference between a will and a trust? A will is a legal document that spells out how you want your affairs handled and assets distributed after you die. A trust is a fiduciary relationship in which a trustor gives a trustee the right to hold title to property or assets for the benefit of a third party.
- What is the point of a trust? Trusts are established to provide legal protection for the trustor’s assets, to make sure those assets are distributed according to the wishes of the trustor, and to save time, reduce paperwork and, in some cases, avoid or reduce inheritance or estate taxes.
– Testimonials –
– Why Us? –
Why Irvine Probate Law
We have been in private practice as an Attorney since 1991. My law practice is concentrated in the areas of Wills, Living Trusts and Estate Planning; assisting clients in Probate and Trust Administration matters; assisting clients with Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy cases.
Estate Planning
Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging, during a person’s life, for the management and disposal of that person’s estate during the person’s life and at and after death, while minimizing gift, estate, generation skipping transfer, and income tax.
The Probate
Each U.S. state has specific laws in place to determine what’s required to probate an estate. These laws are referred to as “probate codes.” When a decedent dies without a will, they may be called laws for “intestate succession” or something similar. Probate is still required to pay the decedent’s final bills and distribute his estate, even when he dies without a will.
Frequent Questions
- What estate planning means? Estate planning is the process by which an individual or family arranges the transfer of assets in anticipation of death. An estate plan aims to preserve the maximum amount of wealth possible for the intended beneficiaries and flexibility for the individual prior to death.
- What is estate planning and why is it important? Estate planning is all about protecting your loved ones, which means in part giving them protection from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Essential to estate planning is transferring assets to heirs with an eye toward creating the smallest possible tax burden for them.
- What are the 5 components of estate planning? Will. A will is probably the first document you’ll think of when preparing your estate plan. Trusts. Trusts are legal arrangements that hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Power of Attorney. Health Care Directives. Beneficiary Designations.