Estate Planning Lawyer Kensington, CA
Located in the Berkeley Hills, Kensington blends seamlessly into neighboring North Berkeley. However, Kensington is in Contra Costa County rather than Alameda County, so the Contra Costa County Superior Court generally handles probate proceedings involving residents' estates.
At Davidson Estate Law, we help Kensington families prepare revocable living trusts, wills, guardianship nominations, powers of attorney, and health care directives. We work with clients from our Oakland office at 1300 Clay Street and online, helping them plan asset transfers, provide for loved ones, and designate who can make decisions if they become incapacitated.
For more than 25 years, our family firm has advised Bay Area families on estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Our attorney, Eric E. Davidson, grew up in neighboring Berkeley and began his professional career in the East Bay. We combine that regional familiarity with practical estate planning guidance to help Kensington residents consider how their property, other assets, and family circumstances affect the arrangements they put in place.
Property Values and Probate in Kensington
For many households, the family home represents a substantial portion of the estate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Kensington is $1,539,000, and 86.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.
California's simplified procedure for transferring a deceased person's primary residence has a $750,000 property-value limit for deaths occurring on or after April 1, 2025. The area's median home value is more than twice that threshold. Although exceeding the limit does not automatically require full probate, it makes reviewing property ownership and transfer options especially important.
When formal probate is required, Contra Costa County Superior Court generally handles estates of Kensington residents, with proceedings at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, 725 Court Street in Martinez. Probate can involve public court records and statutory fees based on the gross value of assets subject to administration.
Planning for Property Transfers and Inheritance
How a Kensington home is owned can affect what happens to it after the owner's death. We help homeowners review property ownership and existing trust arrangements, including whether recorded deeds reflect their intentions. For example, if a home was removed from a trust during refinancing, it may never have been transferred back, which could complicate its transfer after the owner's death.
Leaving a Kensington home to children also raises property tax considerations. Under Proposition 19, qualifying parent-child transfers may preserve some or all of the property's existing assessed value if an eligible child occupies the home as a principal residence and meets the applicable requirements.
For transfers from February 16, 2025, through February 15, 2027, the adjusted exclusion amount is $1,044,586 above the qualifying taxable value, according to the California State Board of Equalization. The Contra Costa County Assessor administers the relevant claims.
We also help families consider whether their children intend to occupy, retain, or sell a Kensington property and how those decisions could affect other beneficiaries. These questions matter most when the home represents a substantial share of the estate.
Planning for Your Family, Assets, and Future Care
Kensington's high home values make property planning important, but a home is only one part of an estate. We review retirement accounts, investments, business interests, and beneficiary designations alongside existing wills and trusts to identify gaps or outdated arrangements that may affect how assets pass to loved ones.
If a Kensington resident can no longer manage their affairs without proper legal arrangements, family members may need to seek a conservatorship through Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. We help clients establish powers of attorney, health care directives, and successor trustee arrangements that may reduce the need for court intervention.
Estate Planning and Probate Services for Kensington Families
Whether you're planning to transfer your property, preparing for possible incapacity, or handling a loved one's estate, we can help you understand your legal options. Our firm assists Kensington residents and families with:
Meeting With Us from Kensington
Whether you're creating your first estate plan or reviewing an existing one, you can meet with us in person or online.
Our Oakland office is located at 1300 Clay Street, Suite 600, in the Oakland City Center complex, a short walk from the 12th Street/Oakland City Center BART station. From El Cerrito Plaza, which serves Kensington and neighboring communities, you can take a Richmond–Berryessa line train directly to downtown Oakland.
If you're driving, the City Center parking garage has an entrance on 14th Street. Our Oakland office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Before your consultation, it can help to gather any existing wills or trusts, information about financial accounts and other significant assets, and your intended beneficiaries. If you own a Kensington home, your deed and recent property tax bill may also be useful. You can obtain copies of recorded property documents through the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder.
We review these materials with you, discuss your family's circumstances and priorities, and explain the legal arrangements we recommend. We also identify practical follow-up steps, including updating existing documents or coordinating asset ownership with a trust.
Why Kensington Families Choose Davidson Estate Law
We are a family-run law firm with more than 25 years of experience helping Bay Area families with estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Our attorney, Eric E. Davidson, is a third-generation attorney and fifth-generation Californian who grew up in Berkeley, just down the hill from Kensington.
He attended Berkeley High School and earned his bachelor's degree in political science from UC Berkeley in 2005. Before entering legal practice, he spent five years as a licensed commercial and industrial real estate agent in the East Bay, working with clients through property transactions.
Eric began his legal career in 2009, working alongside his father, Steven Davidson, and earned his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University in 2016. He is a member of the East Bay Trust & Estates Lawyers Association and the California State Bar's Trusts and Estates Section. We bring his legal experience and long-standing familiarity with the surrounding communities to help families plan for their property, loved ones, and future.
Whether you're preparing your first estate plan or reviewing existing arrangements, we can help you understand your options and plan for your family's future. Call Davidson Estate Law at (510) 405-3505 to schedule a free consultation at our Oakland office or remotely.