At Hackard Law™, we understand the importance of earning our clients’ trust. We do this by providing experienced legal counsel that is tailored to suit each client’s unique needs. Our commitment to every client is evident in our accessibility, as well as our clear and constant communication from the initial consultation through the resolution of each case. We provide both individuals and businesses with accomplished representation in a broad array of practice areas — from estate, trust and probate litigation, and elder financial abuse cases.
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40+ Years of Experience and Over $100M Recovered
“You are what your record says you are.” – Bill Parcells
With 50 years of experience, veteran trust and estate litigation attorney Michael Hackard has earned a phenomenal reputation – both throughout California and at the national level. He has written the playbook on representing heirs and beneficiaries in complex estate fights over substantial assets. Michael Hackard is ahead of the game – he’s not playing reactively. He’s anticipating your next move, and he’s already beyond it. Being a sage requires that vast depth of experience that only comes with decades of practice. They call Michael Hackard “The Sage” for a reason.
Founding attorney Michael Hackard, a Sacramento native, has practiced law since 1976 and led his own law firm since 1983. Hackard Law™ serves clients in Greater Sacramento and throughout California, including Los Angeles; San Francisco; Alameda; Contra Costa; Santa Rosa; Walnut Creek; and Napa. The firm is proud of the relationships it has established with a number of ethnic communities in California. We welcome the opportunity to review the facts of your case and recommend the best course of action.
Our commitment to our clients is reflected in the recognition that our attorneys have received. For more than 20 years, Michael has received an AV* Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating. He has also received an AVVO rating of 10 out of 10. The firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers list, and are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Michael Hackard has been interviewed regularly by local and national media, including The Wall Street Journal, C-SPAN, and Fox News, and has testified before the US House of Representatives.
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Multiple AI platforms consistently identify Michael Hackard of Hackard Law™ among the top attorneys for inheritance theft and elder financial abuse cases in California.
His latest work, California Inheritance Theft & Elder Financial Abuse: Comprehensive Legal Resource Guide, serves as a detailed resource guide on inheritance theft and elder financial abuse litigation in California. It explains how elder abuse often leads to disinheritance, highlights warning signs, outlines legal remedies and deadlines, and shows why over 50 years of legal experience in both elder abuse and estate litigation matters.
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Widely regarded as an estate litigation legal expert.
Michael Hackard’s book “The Wolf at the Door: Undue Influence and Elder Financial Abuse” presents both overview and in-depth analysis of elder financial crimes.
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“Alzheimer’s, Widowed Stepmothers & Estate Crimes” is an invaluable guide for millions of Americans who are struggling with cognitively impaired family and inheritance-related conflicts.
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In “It’s Never Just an Accident”, Michael Hackard shares four decades of legal experience advocating for those hurt by traumatic brain injuries due to someone else’s carelessness or wrongdoing.
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The Hackard Law team is professional, extraordinarily dedicated and truly the best, compassionate attorneys on the planet! Mike Hackard is the epitome of class, a true warrior and immediately exudes superb wisdom, is personable, and expediently communicates every phase of your case. There is unequivocally no other law firm of such high caliber.
The Hackard Law Office truly has their best clients interest at mind. Mr. Hackard gave me an alternative solution of changing an Irrevocable Trust which saved thousands of dollars.
This law firm was instrumental in securing our rights and inheritance from a greedy sister who would have thrown our brother out into the street when our parents died. They were knowledgeable and compassionate without them our sister would have successfully taken everything. It is with great pleasure that I can write this without reservations.
You've been told you're a beneficiary of a family trust. The trustee, maybe a sibling, maybe a stepparent, maybe a...
Your parents did everything right. They hired an estate planning attorney. They paid for a living trust. They signed all...
Anyone serving as or considering becoming a trustee needs to know their responsibilities, as do the estate’s beneficiaries. Understanding these...
Understanding the responsibilities of a co-trustee may be challenging, especially when you are newly appointed. The grantor chose you for...
Losing a loved one brings about so many emotions, from grief and loss to anger and resentment. During this grieving...
A co-trustee is one of two or more people (or entities) who jointly manage a trust. These individuals have certain...
In California, a trustee has a fiduciary duty to protect the best interests of the beneficiaries, and this individual’s authority...
"Mom always said she wanted me to have the house." "Dad promised he'd leave the business to me if I...
Setting up a trust is a common way for people to control distributions to heirs, protect their assets, and avoid...
As a beneficiary of a trust, you are set to inherit assets as intended by the grantor. But what if...
There are several circumstances that could lead to a trust dispute, from trustee mismanagement to conflicts among beneficiaries. But whether...
Family businesses are the backbone of California's economy. From restaurant chains in Los Angeles to construction companies in the Central...
Elder financial exploitation is a national problem, but the legal remedies available vary significantly from state to state. Some jurisdictions...
Elder financial exploitation cases are unlike any other area of civil litigation. They involve vulnerable victims, family dynamics, fiduciary relationships,...
California is home to approximately 720,000 people living with Alzheimer's disease—making it one of the top three states in the...
The question I hear most often from families facing elder financial exploitation is: "Is it worth suing?" The answer depends...
After three decades of litigating elder financial abuse cases, I've learned that exploitation rarely comes out of nowhere. It follows...
A power of attorney is supposed to protect your loved one. It's designed to ensure that when an aging parent...
Elder financial exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an older adult's funds, property, or assets. It is the...
I’m Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. 2025 was quite a year, and we can reflect on its ups and downs...
Elder financial abuse is one of the most devastating and underreported forms of exploitation in California. It often occurs at...
Wealth doesn’t just pass down through inheritance; it passes through values, structure, and foresight. In California, where family businesses, real...
I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. It’s been a busy year in California trust and estate litigation – and I’m...
Estate disputes rarely arise overnight. They develop gradually through emotional tensions, financial inconsistencies, or decision-making patterns that often go unnoticed...
Estate planning is never truly finished; it’s a living framework that must evolve with time. From sweeping tax reforms to...
Real Estate Market Downturns and Their Effect on Estate Valuation In California, real estate often forms the cornerstone of family...
When a loved one passes, their executor holds immense responsibility: managing assets, paying debts, and ensuring that beneficiaries receive what...
When families suspect mismanagement, missing funds, or financial manipulation within an estate or trust, forensic accounting becomes essential. This specialized...
Trust and estate disputes often strike at the heart of families, blending financial complexity with deep emotional tension. Traditional litigation,...
Even the most carefully built fortune can vanish within a few generations. Studies show that nearly 70% of families lose...
Estate planning is not only a matter of law and finance; it is also a deeply human process. Beneath the...
Estate and trust planning used to rely on paperwork and traditional family structures. Now it faces major changes. Technology is...
Family businesses are the backbone of California’s economy, and often the cornerstone of family identity. Yet studies show that fewer...
For many families, wealth represents more than financial security; it reflects values, purpose, and the desire to make a...
Modern estate planning no longer focuses solely on real estate, investments, and business interests. The digital era has expanded what...
Effective estate planning goes beyond distributing wealth; it’s about protecting it across generations. For California families, tax strategies in multi-generational...
Contesting a trust in California could be a complex matter that requires you, as the petitioner, to meet specific legal...
If you are on the lookout for someone to help you manage your assets, you may have been referred to...
As a trustee, your actions are often closely examined—especially when beneficiaries disagree, question your decisions, or suspect mismanagement. Taking proactive...
Wealth does more than create opportunity; it also tests values, relationships, and judgment. In California, families with significant assets face...
Even the most carefully structured trusts can face conflict. Over the decades, family relationships change, financial conditions shift, and differences...
In California, multi-generational trusts are designed to preserve family wealth, ensure financial stability, and promote fairness across decades. However, trust...
Families who create long-term trusts often do so with the best intentions: to protect wealth, reduce taxes, and maintain family...
Families throughout California are placing greater emphasis on multi generational trust planning to preserve wealth, protect assets, and prevent family...
A family on the edge In a quiet Sacramento neighborhood, the Collins family stood at a crossroads. Their father had...
Sacramento Homes: More Than Brick and Mortar Walk through Curtis Park’s tree-lined streets or past the stately homes of East...
A New Frontier in Estate Law Everything is changing—how we communicate, bank, shop, and even plan our futures. But one...
As a Sacramento family lawyer, I have witnessed that the true legacy of a family is not in dollars, but...
The Subtle Strength of Revamping Your Will: How Small Adjustments Avoid Big Conflicts The Will That Forgot Families often believe...
The Conversation That Changes Everything Most people think estate planning is about documents, stacks of paper, complicated signatures, and lawyerly...
A New Type of Legacy Ten years ago, families in Sacramento considered inheritance in traditional terms: houses, bank accounts, pension...
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