California family protected by estate planning
Estate Planning Attorney in California  ·  Se Habla Español

Protect Your Family's Future
Before Life Decides For You


Attorney Michelle Castillo helps California families create living trusts, wills, and healthcare directives — in English and Spanish — so your loved ones are always protected, no matter what comes next.

Serving Northridge · Bakersfield · San Jose & all of California
Why Families Choose Us

A Law Firm Built
Around Your Family


Bilingual Legal Services

Full legal counsel in English and Spanish — because your estate plan should be explained in the language you trust most.

Over 20 Years of Experience

More than two decades of estate planning expertise, giving every client the benefit of deep legal knowledge and real-world insight.

Military Family Advocates

With personal ties to military service, Attorney Castillo brings firsthand understanding of the unique needs of veteran and active-duty families.

Statewide California Coverage

Offices in Northridge, Bakersfield, and San Jose serving families throughout all of northern and southern California.

More Than Documents — Family Planning

Attorney Castillo facilitates the conversations families need to have, ensuring your plan reflects your true wishes, not just legal formalities.

Trusted by the Latino Community

A sought-after attorney in the Latino community, delivering professional guidance with cultural fluency and respect every family deserves.

Areas of Practice

Comprehensive Estate
Planning Services

Every layer of your estate, covered under one roof. From simple wills to complex trust administration, Attorney Castillo handles it all.


01

Living Trusts

A living trust keeps your assets out of probate, protects your privacy, and ensures a seamless, court-free transfer of wealth to the people you love.

02

Wills

A properly drafted will puts your exact wishes in writing — specifying who inherits your property and who raises your minor children if the unexpected happens.

03

Healthcare Directives

Ensure your medical wishes are honored when you cannot speak for yourself, sparing your family from an impossible decision made blindly.

04

Power of Attorney

Grant a trusted person legal authority to manage your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated, so life keeps moving forward for your family.

05

Guardianship Nominations

Designate who will care for your minor children if something happens to you — one of the most profound decisions any parent will ever make.

06

Trust Administration

Attorney Castillo guides trustees and beneficiaries through the process of administering a loved one's trust with clarity and compassion.

07

Probate

When an estate must pass through California's probate court, Attorney Castillo helps families navigate the process as efficiently and painlessly as possible.

08

Asset Protection

Protect your hard-earned assets from future creditors, lawsuits, and unforeseen risks with legal strategies tailored to your family's unique circumstances.

Attorney Michelle Castillo

Michelle Castillo

Attorney at Law

"Family is not an important thing. It is everything."

— Michael J. Fox

About Attorney Castillo

More Than an Attorney.
A Family Adviser.


Attorney Michelle Castillo founded her law office with a single purpose: to help California families plan for the future with confidence. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she serves clients across the state — from Northridge and Bakersfield to San Jose — bringing professional legal guidance to families who might otherwise go without it.

Her commitment to estate planning is rooted in a deeply personal story. When Attorney Castillo was in her early twenties, her grandmother suffered a stroke. Without a healthcare directive or estate plan in place, her family was forced to make devastating medical decisions without knowing her grandmother's wishes. That experience became the foundation of her practice.

As the wife of a U.S. Marine Veteran and mother of three daughters, Attorney Castillo understands the pressures facing military families and parents of young children. She is especially passionate about serving California's Latino community — delivering trusted, professional estate planning advice in Spanish, because every family deserves to protect their future in the language they know best.

20+
Years of Experience
3
California Office Locations
2
Languages Served
Schedule a Consultation
How It Works

Your Path to
Peace of Mind


01

Schedule Your Consultation

Call or fill out the online contact form. Briefly describe your situation so Attorney Castillo can come prepared to help you from the very first meeting.

02

Estate Assessment

Attorney Castillo reviews your assets, family situation, and goals to identify what protections are already in place and what critical gaps need to be addressed.

03

Custom Plan Development

A personalized estate plan is crafted around your specific wishes, family structure, and asset profile — explained in plain language you can fully understand.

04

Document Signing & Execution

Your legal documents are finalized, reviewed together in detail, and properly executed to ensure they hold up when your family needs them most.

05

Peace of Mind — Delivered

You leave with a complete estate plan and the confidence that your family, your assets, and your most important wishes are protected for whatever life brings.

What Sets Us Apart

The Standard for
Family-First Law


Attorney Castillo doesn't just draft legal documents — she guides families through the conversations they need to have before crisis strikes, so they are never left making impossible choices unprepared.

Fully Bilingual

English & Spanish legal counsel ensuring no critical detail is lost in translation when it matters most.

20+ Years' Experience

Two decades of estate planning, real estate, and insurance expertise inform every plan crafted for clients.

Military Families

As the wife of a U.S. Marine Veteran, Attorney Castillo brings firsthand understanding of military family needs.

All of California

Offices in Northridge, Bakersfield, and San Jose serving families throughout northern & southern California.

Common Questions

Your Questions,
Answered


Many California families benefit from having both. A will covers assets not held in a trust and names guardians for minor children. A living trust avoids probate, keeps your affairs private, and makes the transfer of assets far faster and easier. Attorney Castillo will help you determine the right combination for your specific situation.

Yes — Attorney Castillo is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. She is passionate about serving the Latino community and ensures every client understands their estate plan completely in the language they are most comfortable with.

The Law Office of Michelle Castillo has offices in Northridge, Bakersfield, and San Jose, and serves families throughout both northern and southern California.

The right time is now. Estate planning is not just for the elderly or the wealthy — it is for anyone with loved ones, property, or a preference for how their own medical care should be handled. Life is unpredictable, and a plan made today protects your family tomorrow.

If you pass away without an estate plan, California's intestacy laws determine who inherits your assets — which may not reflect your wishes. Your estate will also go through public probate, a court process that can be costly and time-consuming for your grieving family.

Absolutely. As the wife of a U.S. Marine Veteran, Attorney Castillo has a personal understanding of the specific needs military families face, including deployment planning, benefits considerations, and guardianship arrangements for children.

A healthcare directive specifies your medical wishes if you become unable to communicate them yourself. Without one, your family may be forced to make life-altering decisions with no guidance — a situation that can cause lasting emotional and financial harm to everyone involved.

Simply call (818) 825-8143 or fill out the online contact form below. Briefly describe your situation, and the office will schedule your appointment and ensure Attorney Castillo is fully prepared to help you and your family.

Take the First Step

Your Family Deserves a Plan.
Let's Build It Together.

Don't leave your family's future to chance — or to California's courts. Schedule your consultation with Attorney Michelle Castillo today and take the most important step you'll ever make for the people you love.


Northridge

9003 Reseda Blvd., Suite #101
Northridge, CA 91324

(818) 825-8143
Bakersfield

5500 Ming Ave #364
Bakersfield, CA 93309

(661) 220-5536
San Jose

325 S 1st St #117
San Jose, CA 95113

(818) 825-8143
¡Se Habla Español! — Bilingual Legal Services Available