Financial and Legal Consulting
Thomas L. McKenzie received his Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law, in Fullerton, California. While working full-time at night and attending full-time daily classes, Tom graduated law school with honors in 1993. While at law school, Tom was on the Dean’s List, and was selected as Associate Editor of Western State’s Law Review. He also received several American Jurisprudence Awards for excellence in academics and real estate. During his second year of law school, Mr. McKenzie was the recipient of the Scott McCune Scholarship. Passing the bar on his first try, Tom established McKenzie Legal & Financial, and went on to practice in the areas of estate planning, financial consulting, elder law and real estate.
Memberships & Associations
Tom is a member of the California State Bar, as well as the Trust & Estates Section of the Bar. He is an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and was a member of their National Multidisciplinary Task Force. Mr. McKenzie is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, and is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Elder Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association. Tom is also a member of the Orange County Bar’s “Master’s Division,” comprised some of the most experienced attorneys in Orange County.
Mr. McKenzie has written numerous articles for various publications and legal periodicals, including the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys’ NAELANEWS, the Gilfix Elderlaw Newsletter, the Leisure World News, the Los Cerritos Community News, and the Orange County Bar Association’s Elder Law Section Newsletter. He frequently lectures on estate planning, financial planning, real estate, elder law, and Medi-Cal long-term care planning issues. Tom has been an expert panelist on programs sponsored by Continuing Education of the Bar (University of California), Orange County Bar Association, and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.
Mr. McKenzie is also a Series 7 licensed securities broker and Registered Representative, a licensed independent insurance broker, and a Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Orange County, and in 2011, 2012, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Tom was selected as a “Five Star Wealth Manager Award Winner” by Los Angeles Magazine, which is an award given to less than 2% of all wealth managers in Southern California.
Finally, Tom is a licensed real estate broker, a Realtor®, and a member of the California Association of Realtors®, and owner/broker of NextHome Estates Realty Group, an independent real estate brokerage firm. He holds many advanced real estate certifications and designations. For example, he is a Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE®), Pricing Strategy Analyst (PSA®), First-Time Buyer Specialist (FTBS®), Resort & Second Home Specialist (RSPS®), and Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES®). With an understanding of legal, financial and real estate issues, Mr. McKenzie is uniquely situated to advise his clients in the development of a truly comprehensive estate and financial plan.
Mr. McKenzie resides in Orange County with his wife, Natalie, and their three children, Macy, age 20; Cody, age 14; and Noah, age 12. The firm offers estate planning, long-term care planning, financial consulting, real estate brokerage and educational services to consumers throughout California.
