Serving Chatsworth · Northridge · Porter Ranch · Granada Hills · Woodland Hills · West Hills · Simi Valley & all SFVCA Bar #249708818-714-1789
LAESQUIRE — SNC Law Office

Estate Planning &
Legal Protection
for SFV Families.

Shekhar Chikhalikar, Esq. and SNC Law Office have protected California families for over 10 years — with customized estate plans, probate avoidance, Medi-Cal trusts, special needs planning, and civil litigation. Serving Chatsworth, Northridge, Porter Ranch, Granada Hills, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Simi Valley, and the entire San Fernando Valley.

⚖️ CA Bar #249708 · 10+ Years 📜 Living Trusts & Wills 🏛️ Probate & Conservatorship 💊 Medi-Cal & Special Needs

Transparent Pricing

Couple Trust Package$2,000
Single Trust Package$1,500
Will Package$500
Per Minor Child+$250
LLC / Corporation$750

50% deposit to begin. No hidden fees. No charge for client calls. Every plan custom-drafted — no form kits or LegalZoom shortcuts.

Start Intake Form → Free 10-Min Review
📜 Customized Living Trusts
🏛️ Probate Avoidance
💊 Medi-Cal & SNT Planning
👶 Guardianship & Conservatorship
⚡ Mediation & Litigation
Legal Services

What legal help do you need?

From estate planning to probate to litigation — serving families, individuals, and business owners throughout the San Fernando Valley.

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Estate Planning & Living Trusts

A properly drafted living trust avoids probate, protects your privacy, and ensures your wishes are carried out. Every document customized to your family — no one-size-fits-all packages.

Explore Estate Planning →
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Probate

Probate takes 9–18 months and consumes 4–10% of the gross estate. We help families navigate California probate — or avoid it entirely with a properly funded trust.

Explore Probate →
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Medi-Cal Planning

Pre-planning is essential because Medi-Cal has a look-back period. A Medi-Cal trust lets your parent qualify for state benefits while protecting the family home from state liens.

Explore Medi-Cal Planning →
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Special Needs Trusts

A Special Needs Trust supplements SSI and Medicaid benefits without disqualifying the beneficiary — covering quality-of-life extras that public funds cannot provide.

Explore Special Needs Trusts →
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Conservatorship & Guardianship

When a loved one can no longer make safe decisions, or when minor children need legal protection — we establish, defend, and administer conservatorships and guardianships.

Explore Conservatorship →

Litigation & Mediation

Trust and will contests, contract disputes, insurance denial litigation, and title disputes. We fight for the right result while always exploring mediation first to protect relationships and reduce costs.

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Start Online — Anytime, From Anywhere

Start your estate plan right now.

Fill out your intake form online, pay your deposit, and Shekhar will draft your customized documents. No office visit required to get started.

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Married Couple Trust — $2,000

Complete trust, wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, deeds. Start with $1,000 deposit.

Start Intake Form →
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Single Trust Package — $1,500

Individual living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, healthcare directive, and deeds. Start with $750 deposit.

Start Intake Form →
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Will Package — $500/person

Will, healthcare directive, and power of attorney. A starter plan. Does not avoid probate — but every adult needs these. Start with $250 deposit.

Start Intake Form →
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Probate Filing — $500 Court Deposit

A loved one passed without a trust. We guide you through California probate from petition to distribution. Start with the $500 court filing deposit.

Start Intake Form →

All forms are confidential. No attorney-client relationship until a fee agreement is signed. Contact us →

Our Standard

The Four P's of a good estate plan.

Every plan LAESQUIRE creates is measured against these four outcomes.

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Protection

Protecting you, your spouse, your children, and your assets from creditors, predators, and court proceedings during your lifetime and after.

P
Probate Avoidance

A properly funded living trust bypasses probate entirely — no public record, no 9–18 month delay, no 4–10% fees eating your estate.

P
Privacy

A living trust is private. Unlike a will, it never becomes public record. Only those you choose will know the details of your estate.

P
Peace of Mind

Knowing your family is protected, your wishes honored, and your loved ones won't be left fighting in court — that's the real value.

Complete Trust Package

Every plan is fully customized — not a form kit.

A complete LAESQUIRE estate plan includes every document your family needs — for after your death and to protect you during your lifetime.

  • Customized Revocable Living Trust
  • Pour-Over Wills (one per person)
  • Durable Power of Attorney
  • Healthcare Power of Attorney
  • Living Will / Advance Healthcare Directive
  • HIPAA Authorization
  • Real Estate Deeds (up to two CA properties)
  • Assignments of Personal & Business Interests
  • Memorial Instructions
  • Guardianship documents for minor children (+$250/child)
  • No charge for client calls during drafting

Why not just a will?

A will alone guarantees probate — a public court process lasting 9–18 months that costs 4–10% of your gross estate. A $1M home with an $800K mortgage is still a $1M asset for calculating probate fees.

A will offers no protection during your lifetime. Without a power of attorney and healthcare directive, the court may appoint a conservator — possibly a stranger — to manage your finances and healthcare.

Studies show 80% of people using form kits fill them in incorrectly. An improperly executed document is invalid — and you cannot correct that after you're gone.

A properly funded living trust avoids all of this.

Life & Estate Planner — $30

Organize before you meet with an attorney.

The LA Vakil Life & Estate Planner helps you gather everything in one place — assets, accounts, beneficiaries, wishes, and family information — before your first appointment. Your name on every page. Download your personalized PDF. $30 one-time, no subscription.

Service Area

Estate planning attorney serving all of the San Fernando Valley.

LAESQUIRE serves families throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Call or text 818-714-1789, or use the intake forms above.

Chatsworth
Northridge
Porter Ranch
Granada Hills
Woodland Hills
West Hills
Simi Valley
Canoga Park
Reseda
Tarzana
Winnetka
Encino
Sherman Oaks
Van Nuys
North Hills
Arleta
Pacoima
Sylmar
Mission Hills
North Hollywood
Studio City
Calabasas
Sun Valley
Greater Los Angeles
The Coordinated System

Legal planning that connects to real estate and insurance.

An estate plan that doesn't account for how your property is titled or how your insurance is structured is incomplete. LAESQUIRE is the legal lane inside LA Vakil — where all three work together.

LAESQUIRE

Legal Foundation

Trusts, deeds, powers of attorney, healthcare directives — documents that protect you during your lifetime and transfer your estate on your terms.

  • Customized living trusts
  • Probate & estate administration
  • Medi-Cal & special needs planning
  • Conservatorship & guardianship
LAREALTi

Real Estate Alignment

Property must be deeded into your trust to avoid probate. How you take title affects reassessment, step-up in basis, and what happens when you're gone.

  • Deed preparation & recording
  • Probate property sales
  • Title and ownership review
  • Prop 19 coordination
INSUREDLA

Insurance Coordination

When your home is transferred into a trust, your homeowners policy needs to be updated. Trust-owned property has different insurance requirements that most agents miss.

  • Trust-owned property coverage
  • Umbrella & liability review
  • Life insurance coordination
  • Business entity insurance
Common Questions

Estate Planning FAQ

Questions families in Chatsworth, Northridge, Porter Ranch, and across the SFV ask before starting an estate plan.

A will alone guarantees probate — a public court process taking 9–18 months that costs 4–10% of your gross estate. A living trust avoids probate entirely, keeps your affairs private, and protects you if you become incapacitated. For most California families who own property, a living trust is the better choice. A pour-over will is still included in every trust package as a safety net.
LAESQUIRE charges $2,000 for a couple's trust package and $1,500 for a single trust package, plus $250 per minor child. This includes the customized living trust, pour-over wills, durable power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, living will, HIPAA authorization, up to two California real estate deeds, assignments of personal property, and memorial instructions. No hidden fees. No charge for client calls during drafting.
California Probate Code §10810 sets maximum statutory fees: 4% of the first $100,000, 3% of the next $100,000, 2% of the next $800,000, and 1% of the next $9,000,000. Debts are not deducted — a home appraised at $1,000,000 with an $800,000 mortgage is still a $1,000,000 asset for fee purposes. A typical estate also incurs $1,000–$3,000 in court costs. The personal representative receives the same statutory fee as the attorney. A $1M estate can incur $40,000+ in combined fees before distribution.
When a Medi-Cal recipient owns a home at death, California's Department of Health Services can place a claim against the estate to recover benefits paid. A Medi-Cal trust removes the home from the recipient's name in a way that protects it from state liens while preserving Medi-Cal eligibility. Pre-planning is critical because of the look-back period. Adult children who want to protect an elderly parent's home and their own inheritance should act early — before any long-term care need arises.
Yes — and this is one of the most commonly missed steps. When a home is transferred into a living trust, the homeowners insurance policy should be updated to reflect the new ownership. Many standard policies have provisions that can create coverage gaps for trust-owned property. INSUREDLA reviews your existing coverage as part of the coordinated LA Vakil process to make sure no gap is created.
Yes. Every adult — regardless of asset level — needs at minimum a Healthcare Power of Attorney, a Durable Power of Attorney, and a Living Will. Without these, if you become incapacitated, the court must appoint a conservator. This process is public, expensive, and traumatic for families. The Will Package ($500) covers these basics for every adult.
Yes. LAESQUIRE serves clients throughout the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles — including Northridge, Porter Ranch, Granada Hills, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Simi Valley, Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Calabasas, and all surrounding neighborhoods. Virtual consultations are available for clients throughout California.
Start Here

Ready to protect your family?

The free 10-minute review is the best starting point. Tell us your situation — estate plan, probate, Medi-Cal, or just figuring out where to start — and we'll give you clear guidance on the best next step.

📞 818-714-1789

Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed without a signed fee agreement. Legal services by SNC Law Office, CA Bar #249708. Each matter requires individual evaluation.

🚀 Start Your Estate Plan → 👫 Married Trust 👤 Individual Trust 📄 Will Package 🏛️ Probate