Category: Estate Planning

Ideally, you should start with your estate plan as soon as California law allows. In California, a person who is at least 18 years old or is an emancipated minor can write a valid will, trust, and other estate planning documents.

If you are no longer a child and you become severely sick or...

The last thing that most people want is for their loved ones to get shortchanged because your estate had to pay avoidable expenses or taxes after you died. Every dollar that your estate has to pay in taxes or costs is a dollar that your family will never get.

There are many ways to...

Have you made a will or trust only to file it away and promptly forget about it? If so, you are not alone. While many of us are proactive in initial estate planning, we often fail to revisit our essential documents in the years following. However, California estate planning attorneys advise clients to remember that...

The advantages of remote work and increased wealth have offered many Californians the opportunity to maintain multiple residences across different states.

While this may seem like an enviable luxury, it carries with it the complications of distinguishing between one’s residences and one’s domicile. Why is this important? And what does domicile mean in California?

Many...

The sudden death or incapacitation of a loved one can be overwhelming. It can also create a financial crisis for the family. Without a comprehensive estate plan, a spouse may be unable to access accounts and funds the family needs to pay bills and living expenses. There could be confusion about who has the...

Probate in California is extremely expensive. By categorizing estate assets in California carefully, it can be possible to avoid probate or minimize the assets that have to pass through the courts. A California estate planning attorney can show you how to set up your estate plan to decrease much of the cost of...

A DIY movement has swept the nation, with internet tutorials and documents available for almost any need. But when it comes to matters as important as financial and legal affairs, is adopting

a standardized web-based approach the best idea? The convenience and minimal upfront investment of do-it-yourself wills and estate plans are attractive...

Transferring assets of a deceased person’s estate do not have to be onerous. California provides a simplified procedure that allows the transfer of estate assets in some situations without having to go to probate court. Also, there are ways that a living person can arrange for specific assets to transfer to their beneficiaries automatically...

Special powers of attorney grant the agent limited authority to person a specific task or category of actions. The agent is the person the power of attorney names to take action on behalf of the principal. The principal is the person who makes and signs the power of attorney. Another term for special power...

So, you got your estate-planning documents completed, and now you want to know where to store them. Many people are surprised to hear that one of the worst places to keep your will, trust, power of attorney, and other estate-planning documents is in your safe-deposit box. A California estate planning attorney can discuss...