Elaine’s book
Knowledge that extends beyond the conference room.
Elaine shares why planning early matters and how thoughtful estate planning can protect freedom, security and peace of mind.
Certified expertise. Personal guidance.
Secure your family legacy with expert planning.
Get the peace of mind a Certified Specialist can deliver. Elaine Andrews helps families protect their wishes, assets and independence with plans built for real life.
01Estate Planning Attorney
02Trust Attorney
03Probate Law Attorney
Practicing since 1992
Certified Specialist
Northern California
Personal counsel
Meet your attorney
Planning that protects more than property.
Elaine Andrews began her estate planning practice in 1992 and founded The Andrews Law Firm two years later. Since moving the practice to Truckee in 2010, she has served families across Tahoe, the Central Valley, the Bay Area and greater Northern California.
Her approach to “Bulletproof Estate Planning” grew from seeing how a wrongful conservatorship could drain a person’s independence and estate. That experience shaped a practice focused on clear documents, careful coordination and personal guidance.
1992Estate planning practice began
2010Truckee practice established
1:1Personal attorney guidance
Practice areas
Complete care for your legacy.
From building a living trust to administering an estate, every service supports the same goal: protecting the people, property and decisions that matter to you.
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Estate Planning
Prepare for the management and distribution of your assets while protecting your wishes, family and future.
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Business Succession
Plan ownership and leadership transitions with a clear structure designed to protect long-term continuity.
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Estate Tax
Coordinate your estate plan with tax considerations that may affect how wealth passes to the next generation.
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Tax Planning
Integrate tax-aware planning with your broader estate and wealth-transfer strategy.
Asset Protection
Structure planning decisions to reduce avoidable exposure and help preserve family wealth.
Conservatorship
Understand protective legal options when an adult can no longer safely manage personal or financial decisions.
Small Estate Administration
Determine whether a streamlined California estate-administration procedure may be available.
Probate Lawyer
Navigate court-supervised estate administration with organized steps and clear legal guidance.
Trust Administration
Help trustees understand their duties and carry out the terms of a trust after death or incapacity.
Living Trust
Create a trust designed to manage properly transferred assets during incapacity and after death.
Client-recognized care
Best Law Firm in Truckee — 2025.
Recognized by BusinessRate®, based on verified Google review data and consistent client satisfaction.
Client satisfaction
Strong reputation
Service excellence
Helpful guidance
Make informed decisions.
Living trusts
The Assets That Should Stay Out of Your Living Trust
Not every asset belongs in a trust. See where California planning requires a different approach.
California estate law
Saving for a Child's Education: What California Law Does Differently
How 529 plans, gifting rules and California tax treatment intersect with an estate plan.
Trust funding
The House Never Made It Into the Trust: What a Heggstad Petition Can Fix
Why a funding mistake does not always mean a California home must go through full probate.
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Client experiences
Trusted for clarity, care and follow-through.
Estate planning is personal. Clients consistently describe Elaine as approachable, organized and easy to understand.
Real client experiencesClient feedback featured by The Andrews Law Firm
★★★★★
Client review“Working with Elaine was seamless, easy and reassuring. She explained everything clearly, tailored the trust to our specific needs, and made a complex process feel simple.”
Frequently asked
Clear answers before you begin.
These general answers can help you frame the conversation. Your plan should still reflect your family, property and goals.
Many people begin after buying property, starting a family or business, marrying, or experiencing a major life change. Planning before a crisis gives you more choices and more control.
A plan may include a will, revocable living trust, financial power of attorney, advance health care directive and related transfer documents. The right mix depends on your circumstances.
Review it after major family, financial, health or legal changes and periodically even when life feels stable. An attorney can help identify provisions that no longer fit.
A revocable living trust holds properly transferred assets under instructions you create. You generally remain in control while able, and a successor trustee can act when needed.
Assets properly transferred to a living trust can often pass outside probate. Ownership, beneficiary designations and the way each asset is titled all affect the result.
A basic list of assets and debts, current estate documents, beneficiary information and the names of people you may trust to act for you are useful starting points.
Plan today. Protect what comes next.
Whether you are starting an estate plan, updating a trust or administering a loved one’s estate, begin with a clear conversation about your options.