What an LDA is

A Legal Document Assistant is a California-registered professional authorized to prepare legal paperwork for the public at the customer's specific direction. We're regulated under California Business and Professions Code §6400 et seq. We have to be registered with the county we work in, bonded for consumer protection, and meet experience and education requirements set by the state.

What an LDA can do:

  • Prepare legal documents at your direction
  • Provide general factual information about the process
  • Furnish published legal information
  • File and serve documents on your behalf

What an LDA cannot do:

  • Give legal advice
  • Recommend a specific legal strategy
  • Tell you what to choose
  • Represent you in court

What an estate attorney is

An estate attorney is a licensed lawyer who can do everything an LDA does, plus give you legal advice, recommend strategies, and represent you. The trade-off is cost: most California estate attorneys bill by the hour ($350–$550/hour is typical in the Sacramento region) or quote flat fees that reflect that hourly value.

When you should hire an attorney

If any of the following are true, you're probably better off with an attorney:

  • Your estate is over the federal estate tax exemption (roughly $13.6M individual / $27.2M married as of 2026)
  • You own a closely held business that needs a succession plan
  • You have a blended family with potential conflict between children from prior marriages
  • You want to disinherit a child or spouse
  • You have a child with special needs requiring a special needs trust
  • You're trying to qualify for Medi-Cal or VA benefits and need asset-protection planning
  • You expect a will contest or have already had family disputes about money
  • You're already in a probate case and need representation

For situations like these, the legal advice itself is what you're buying. Don't try to save money on it.

When an LDA is a fit

For the vast majority of Placer County families, the situation is much more straightforward:

  • Married couple or single person
  • One primary home, maybe one rental
  • Standard retirement accounts and life insurance
  • Adult or minor children, mostly on speaking terms
  • You know who you want to inherit what

In situations like these, you don't actually need legal advice — you know what you want. You need the documents prepared correctly, the deed recorded, and someone to walk you through it. That's exactly what an LDA does, at a fraction of attorney pricing.

The honest version

If you can confidently answer "who gets what, who's in charge, and who takes care of the kids," you don't need legal advice. You need documents and follow-through.

What "registered and bonded" actually means

California requires every LDA to register with the county where they do business. Madison Kopta's registration is LDA #26-006, filed with the Placer County Clerk-Recorder. To register, an LDA has to:

  • Pass a background check
  • Post a $25,000 surety bond that protects consumers
  • Meet education or experience requirements set by state law
  • Renew the registration every two years

If you start with an LDA and realize you need an attorney

That happens occasionally. When it does, we'll tell you — and we refer to trusted Placer County estate attorneys we've worked with. No ego, no upselling.