California Essential Estate Documents Kit (5 Templates)

California Essential Estate Documents Kit (4 Templates)

The core California incapacity and planning documents without a living trust: the statutory Advance Health Care Directive, a HIPAA release, the statutory financial power of attorney, and final memorial plans.

What's included

Start Here cover with contents and a signing-requirements chart

Advance Health Care Directive (14 pages): the statutory form in Probate Code §4701. Part 1 names a health care agent and alternates (power of attorney for health care); Part 2 records instructions for health care, including end-of-life choices and pain relief; later parts cover organ donation and a primary physician.

HIPAA Authorization / Release (9 pages): lets the people named receive protected health information from doctors, hospitals and health plans. Built on the federal core elements (45 C.F.R. §164.508) and California's Civil Code §56.11 rules, including 14-point type. Includes a separate stand-alone psychotherapy-notes authorization and a revocation form.

Final Memorial Plans (8 pages): written directions for burial, cremation or donation, services, and how costs are paid, set up around Health and Safety Code §7100.1 (written directions) and §7100 (who controls disposition).

Uniform Statutory Form Power of Attorney (14 pages): the state's statutory financial power of attorney (Probate Code §4401). Includes the form for signing through December 31, 2026 and the new AB 2199 form for signing on or after January 1, 2027 (successor agents and digital-asset powers), plus an optional agent notice and a revocation form.

Each document starts on its own page with plain-English completion notes, followed by the blank form. Where California law supplies a form, the statutory wording is reproduced verbatim.

Signing requirements (California)

Advance Health Care Directive: sign and date, then have it signed by two qualified adult witnesses OR acknowledged before a notary (Probate Code §4673). Witness limits apply, and at least one witness must be unrelated and not entitled to any part of the estate (§4674). A skilled nursing facility patient also needs a patient advocate or ombudsman to sign as a witness (§4675).

HIPAA Authorization / Release: signature and date only; no witnesses or notary are required.

Final Memorial Plans: signature and date; witnesses and a notary are optional.

Uniform Statutory Form Power of Attorney: must be acknowledged before a notary public (Probate Code §4402); witnesses do not replace the notary for this form.

File formats

Editable Word (.docx) and print-ready PDF (US Letter) for every document, delivered as a ZIP digital download. Nothing is shipped.

Legal research last verified September 29, 2026.

This is a fill-in template, not legal advice. Laws change; check your state's current requirements before signing.

Licensed to the original purchaser for personal use only; not for resale or redistribution.

Some content in this template was drafted with the help of AI tools and reviewed before listing.

NEW: Now includes a California Simple Last Will and Testament with step-by-step signing instructions, making 5 templates in all (Word + PDF).

Simple Last Will and Testament — California (Word + PDF)