Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law

What Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law does

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law is a private consumer-facing law firm founded in 2014 by Julianna Malis in Santa Barbara, California. The firm provides estate planning, elder law, Medi-Cal planning, probate, trust administration, special needs planning, asset protection, veterans benefits planning, advance directives, and conservatorship services to individuals and families across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties on California's Central Coast. The firm operates a horizontal segmentation model targeting life-stage personas (newlyweds, new parents, empty nesters, retirees, caregivers, and blended families) and runs no proprietary technology platform beyond a WordPress website with an SEO-driven blog of 32+ articles, downloadable e-books (Sandwich Generation Guide, Understanding Medi-Cal Guide), and active social profiles.

The firm operates a direct sales-led and event-driven go-to-market motion: prospective clients engage via website contact form, phone (805-946-1550), or community events such as the Senior Expo, then book a free initial planning session during which staff listen to needs and recommend customized solutions. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees for legal consultation, document drafting, representation, and ongoing counsel, with memberships in WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel providing access to specialized training and document automation. The team comprises approximately 7 staff members including 2 attorneys, 1 Client Relations Manager, 2 paralegals, and 2 legal administrative assistants, with all services delivered from the firm's single Santa Barbara headquarters at 14 W Valerio St.

Name

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law

Legal name

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law

Website

https://sbelderlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law is a Santa Barbara-based boutique law firm serving individuals and families across California's Central Coast with estate planning, elder law, Medi-Cal planning, probate, and special needs planning services through a free-consultation-led direct sales model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services / Estate Planning

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Estate & Probate Administration Services (FSAEAKAD), Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Estate planning services
• Elder law practice
• Medi-cal planning
• Trust administration services
• Probate legal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Firm generates revenue by charging fees for professional legal services including estate planning, elder law, Medi-Cal planning, probate, trust administration, special needs planning, asset protection, and related legal matters. Fees are billed for legal consultation, document drafting, representation, and ongoing legal counsel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law is a private law firm that delivers individualized estate planning, elder law, and Medi-Cal planning legal services to individuals and families across California's Central Coast. Services include drafting wills and trusts, Medi-Cal eligibility and asset protection planning, probate representation, trust administration, special needs planning, veterans benefits planning, advance directives, and conservatorships. Each engagement begins with a free planning session and is customized to the client's family, financial, and long-term care circumstances.

Product overview

Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law is a traditional legal services firm offering a comprehensive suite of estate planning, elder law, and Medi-Cal planning services. The firm's core offerings include Estate Planning (wills, trusts), Elder Law, Medi-Cal Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, Special Needs Planning, Asset Protection, and Veterans Benefits Planning. The portfolio is organized as individual legal service practice areas that clients access based on their specific life planning needs, rather than a unified software platform. Supporting resources include free educational materials (Sandwich Generation E-Book, Understanding Medi-Cal Guide) and digital estate planning services for managing online accounts and cryptocurrency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Estate Planning Comprehensive estate planning services for individuals and families, including the drafting of wills, trusts, and related instruments to protect assets, minimize taxes, and provide for loved ones. Targeted at individuals and families across all life stages on California's Central Coast.
• Elder Law Legal services focused on issues affecting older adults, including long-term care planning, healthcare decision-making, and protection against elder abuse. Targeted at older adults, their adult children, and caregivers in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties.
• Medi-Cal Planning Planning and application assistance for California Medi-Cal benefits to help cover nursing home and long-term care costs while protecting family assets. Targeted at California residents facing or planning for long-term care expenses, particularly aging adults and the Sandwich Generation.
• Probate Legal representation and guidance through the court-supervised probate process for administering a deceased person's estate. Targeted at families and executors of decedents with taxable estates or assets that did not pass outside probate.
• Trust Administration Assistance with managing and administering living and testamentary trusts, including asset distribution, tax filings, and beneficiary communications. Targeted at trustees and beneficiaries of family trusts following a settlor's death or incapacity.
• Special Needs Planning Planning services for families with a member who has disabilities or special needs, including First Party and Third Party Special Needs Trusts to preserve eligibility for government benefits such as Medi-Cal and SSI while providing supplemental support. Targeted at parents, siblings, and guardians of individuals with disabilities.
• Medi-Cal Asset Protection Trust Trust structures designed to protect assets from Medi-Cal estate recovery while maintaining the client's eligibility for long-term care Medi-Cal benefits. Targeted at California residents seeking to qualify for Medi-Cal long-term care coverage without depleting their estate.
• Wills Legal will preparation including designation of guardians for minor children, executors, and asset distribution instructions. Targeted at individuals and couples who need a foundational estate planning document.
• Veterans Benefits Planning Assistance with VA Aid and Attendance benefits for wartime veterans and their surviving spouses to help fund long-term care costs. Targeted at wartime veterans and their spouses needing assistance with long-term care financing.
• Digital Estate Planning Planning for management and transfer of digital assets including online accounts, cryptocurrency, and electronic files upon death or incapacity. Targeted at individuals with significant digital asset holdings or cryptocurrency investments.
• Sandwich Generation E-Book Free downloadable guide for adults caring for both aging parents and their own families, covering elder care planning, Medi-Cal benefits, and long-term care strategies. Targeted at the Sandwich Generation and serves as a lead magnet for the firm's planning services.
• Understanding Medi-Cal Guide Free guide explaining California Medi-Cal eligibility requirements, asset limits, and strategies for obtaining long-term care benefits. Targeted at prospective clients researching long-term care funding and serves as a lead magnet for the firm's Medi-Cal planning services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Medi-Cal asset limits increased from $2,000/$3,000 (individual/couple) to $130,000/$195,000 as of July 2022, with asset limit elimination effective January 2024, allowing more individuals to qualify for Medi-Cal long-term care benefits.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WealthCounselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWealthCounsel is a nationally recognized membership organization for estate planning lawyers that provides top training, continuing education, and peer community. Julianna Malis is an active member, indicating the firm adheres to high professional standards and has access to advanced estate planning methodologies and resources.
• ElderCounselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElderCounsel is a nationally recognized organization providing estate planning and elder law attorneys with specialized training, document automation software, and continuing education focused on elder law and special needs planning. Membership indicates the firm uses professional-grade tools and methodologies specific to elder law practice.
• Santa Barbara County Legal Aid FoundationminorOthersJulianna Malis serves on the board of the Santa Barbara County Legal Aid Foundation, a nonprofit that provides legal services to underserved community members. This board position represents community engagement and pro bono or low-bono legal service support in the firm's local market.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Avvo: Attorney directory and ratings platform where the firm's founder Julianna Malis maintains a profile. Functions as a marketing and lead-generation channel rather than a direct competitor, but is a key piece of the local-firm discovery ecosystem.
• LawPay: Payments and operating infrastructure provider for law firms. Indirect relationship; LawPay does not compete for clients but provides the back-office payment infrastructure that professional services firms like the subject company typically rely on.

Broad incumbents

• Nolo: Long-established publisher of do-it-yourself legal guides, forms, and an attorney directory. Competes on the demand-generation side by educating consumers about estate planning, often funneling either self-serve or attorney-referred work away from local firms.
• LegalZoom: Large online legal services platform offering wills, trusts, and business formation products directly to consumers. Competes with the firm for the wills/trust drafting portion of the addressable market through lower-cost, self-serve digital products, though it does not offer hands-on legal representation for elder law or Medi-Cal planning.
• Rocket Lawyer: Subscription-based online legal services platform offering document preparation and on-demand attorney consultations. Competes for the same consumer and small-business segment with a technology-enabled, lower-cost operating model.

Emerging players

• FreeWill: Free online will-drafting platform used by individuals and nonprofits. Operates as a low-friction entry point for simple wills and may divert non-complex prospects from full-service firms like Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law.
• Trust & Will: Online estate planning service offering will and trust creation at fixed price points. Targets the same younger and middle-market consumer segment the firm serves with its basic estate planning packages, providing a lower-cost alternative for less complex engagements.
• Wealth.com: Estate planning platform for financial advisors and attorneys, providing workflow automation and document generation tools. Represents a technology-enabled alternative model that could compete for the firm's referral and operational infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Law Offices of Alice A. Salvo: Southern California estate planning and elder law firm providing wills, trusts, probate, and Medi-Cal planning services. Directly comparable in scope, client demographic, and service mix to the subject firm.
• Hodes Milman Ikuta: California-based estate planning and elder law firm offering comparable wills, trusts, Medi-Cal planning, and asset protection services. Closest direct comparative peer in terms of practice mix, geographic region (Southern California), and firm size.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SBElderLaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/sbelderlaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anacapa-estate-planning-and-elder-law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law