Address
4438 Ingraham Street,
San Diego, CA, 92109
Phone
(858) 241 6195
Connect
About Me, Jake T. Howell, Esq.
I’m Jake Howell, the founder of Howell Estate Planning, PC, and a dedicated estate planning attorney based in San Diego, California. My goal is simple: to help individuals, families, and business owners protect their assets, avoid probate, pay less in taxes, and plan for the future with confidence.
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I earned my law degree from the University of Southern California (USC) and began my legal career as a corporate M&A attorney in the New York City office of the international law firm McDermott Will & Emery. After moving to California to litigate at a regional firm, I developed a deeper understanding of how lawsuits arise when proper planning is neglected—and more importantly, how to prevent and protect people from them with proper planning.
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With a background in accounting, I bring a well-rounded strategic and financial perspective to estate planning. Whether you need a simple will or a complex trust and tax-efficient succession plan, I offer clear, straightforward legal solutions tailored to your needs. I believe estate planning shouldn’t be confusing or intimidating. I make the process efficient, transparent, and personalized, so you can move forward knowing your family and assets are secure.
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Let’s start planning for your future.
Education
Juris Doctor
University of Southern California (USC)
Jake earned his J.D. from The University of Southern California, where he also earned a Business Law Certificate and the USC Law Tax Institute Scholarship. Jake excels in his understanding of complex legal structures, having earned high honors in Business Organizations and the American Jurisprudence Award in Mergers and Acquisitions (an award given to the student earning the highest grade and rank in the class). During law school, Jake was also a teacher’s assistant for an undergraduate law course and a member of USC Gould’s Hale Moot Court Honors Program.
B.S., summa cum laude
Business Administration, Accounting
Monmouth University, Honors School
Jake graduated summa cum laude from Monmouth University, and earned his B.S. in Business Administration, with a concentration in accounting. While at Monmouth, Jake ran Division I cross-country and track & field, earning all east honors in his senior year. Not only did he excel on the track, but he also excelled in the classroom. Jake earned the two most prestigious college scholarships from the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, which were given to New Jersey students showing the most promise in the field of accounting. Jake also earned a full-time audit position at the number one ranked audit firm in the world, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC), but turned it down to pursue his law degree.
Core Estate Planning Services
Ideal for young families, individuals who own property, and retirees.
Wills & Trusts
Drafting living trusts, wills, and special needs trusts.
Powers of Attorney & Heathcare Directives
Legal documents for financial and medical decision-making if incapacitated.
Guardianship & Minor Protection Planning
Naming guardians for minor children.
Asset Protection Planning
Strategies to protect assets from lawsuits, creditors, and divorces.
Probate Avoidance Strategy
Helping clients minimize or eliminate probate through trust-based planning.
Trust Administration & Probate Services
Ideal for families with trusts and executors of estates.
Trust Administration
Assisting trustees in managing trust distributions & compliance.
Probate Representation
Helping families navigate California's probate process efficiently.
Estate Settlement Services
Managing assets, debts, and distributions after a loved one passes.
Advanced Estate & Wealth Planning
Ideal for high-net-worth individuals, real estate investors, & entrepreneurs.
Tax Efficient Estate Planning
Minimizing estate, gift, and inheritance taxes.
Irrevocable Trusts
Asset protection trusts, grantor trusts, etc.
Charitable Giving & Philanthropy Strategies
Charitable remainder trusts, foundations, and tax-exempt gifting.
Family Legacy
Planning
Wealth preservation strategies to pass assets through generations efficiently.
Business & Succession Planning
Ideal for business owners, LLC/Corporation owners, and family businesses.
Business Succession Planning
Ensuring a smooth transition for family-owned businesses.
Buy-Sell Agreements
Protecting co-owners in case of death, dissability, or retirement.
LLC & Corporate Estate Planning
Structuring businesses to protect assets and minimize tax burdens.
Key Person & Executive Planning
Estate strategies for key business owners & executives.
Specialty Planning Services
Ideal for families, real estate investors, and individuals.
Blended Family Estate Planning
Protecting children from previous marriages while ensuring fairness.
Special Needs Planning
Creating Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) for loved ones with disabilities.
Real Estate & Estate Planning
Structuring property ownership (trusts, LLCs) to avoid probate.
Digital Estate Planning
Ensuring protection of online assets, whether it is crypto currency or run of the mill online accounts.