Recent Blog Posts
Getting a Conservatorship for an Elderly Family Member with Alzheimer’s Disease
Is it completely necessary to get conservatorship for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease? Unfortunately, anyone that is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease sooner or later becomes incapable of caring for themselves. Consequently, a loved one may have to assume responsibility for their family member’s finances in case their condition worsens. When the person suffering from… Read More »
Commonly Overlooked Issues in Estate Planning
Most people are concerned with the big picture when planning their estates. For example, they may ask, who should inherit what and how much? Is a living trust completely necessary? Nevertheless, there are several details that are commonly disregarded, but can drastically affect the distribution of an estate plan and any intended beneficiaries. Below… Read More »
When is a Conservatorship Necessary?
If you have a close family member that is incapable of taking care of themselves, it may be in your best interest to seek a conservatorship for that relative. A conservatorship is a court proceeding wherein a judge appoints a conservator. A conservator is a responsible person appointed by a probate judge to handle… Read More »
Modifying Your Living Trust
Many people planning their estates create a living trust for their loved ones. Living trusts are a great way to pass on your assets to your beneficiaries, while sidestepping the expense, delay and complexities of probate. However, trusts can be difficult to properly design. Life is constantly changing and unforeseeable events often arise. For… Read More »
Guide to Removing a Trustee
One of the most important decisions when creating your estate plan is naming an honest and dependable trustee. It is the trustee’s job to administer, for the sole benefit of the beneficiaries, the trust. A dishonest trustee can readily steal all your hard-earned assets. Sometimes, problems may occur which make the beneficiaries of the… Read More »
Preventing Potential Family Conflicts with Your Estate Plan
The steps taken in the course of estate planning can have a huge impact on your entire family. Each and every decision relating to your trust and will can greatly affect your children, spouse and others close to you for a long time to come. That’s why it’s crucial that you make decisions related… Read More »
Reasons to Avoid Procrastinating Your Estate Planning
The biggest adversary of estate planning is procrastination. There are various reasons why people choose to hold off on creating an estate plan. Most people feel uncomfortable talking about their own death. Others may think that hiring a lawyer, to create an estate plan, is too expensive. People often argue that they are too… Read More »
Contesting the Validity of a Will
In order to contest a will under California law, the contestant must be considered an interested party. An interested party, may include the decedent’s children, spouse, creditors, beneficiaries named in the will, those with a claim against the estate, or those whose property rights will be impacted by the will. Contestants commonly consist of… Read More »
Understanding Probate
Probate is a court proceeding that is essential to settling the estate of a dead person. This includes appointing an executor or administrator to manage the decedent’s estate. Additionally, deciding the validity of the will, reconciling any debts of the decedent, and allocating the remaining assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries are all handled via… Read More »
The Most Important Estate Planning Documents
Throughout life we are forced to do loads of paperwork, such as college applications, taxes, and purchasing a house. Proper estate planning is no different. There are a number of vital documents to consider creating based on your overall estate planning objectives. These documents make certain that your decisions concerning health care preferences and… Read More »
