According to a new Caring.com survey, only 32.9% of U.S. adults currently have estate planning documents such as a trust or will. Settling the final affairs of a deceased person and distributing their assets to inheritors without a will, trust, or estate plan can bring about several challenges.
When it comes to the process of probate, many people are unfamiliar with what it is and how it works. Whether you are planning your estate or have recently lost a loved one and dealing with the probate process, having an experienced attorney guiding you through the process and educating you on important probate terms can help.
Estate planning is not just about setting up wills and trusts to care for your loved ones when you’re gone. It’s also about preparing for the unexpected surprises in your own life, especially when it comes to your own health.
Estate planning helps Californians protect their most valued assets, their family and even their pets. For many people, pets are as special as anyone else in their family. If you’re worried about what will happen to your pet if you unexpectedly pass away, become...
Your children are grown up and out of the house. You are proud of how independent they have become, but you are still their Mom or Dad. You want to be there to help them if they ever need it. When your kids were teenagers, you had parental rights over them that...
Disabled Californians rely on public benefits payments to support them in their daily lives. Receiving a large sum of money as an inheritance, however, can put those benefits at risk. In these cases, establishing a supplemental needs trust could give them the funding...
The news often reports about persons in the public eye with fortune and fame that die suddenly without a will or with a terribly outdated estate plan. Because the celebrity with high net worth failed to address who will inherit their assets with a will or trust that...
Real estate is often among the most valuable assets we own. A house purchased a few decades ago may have ballooned in value, making it worth far more than you could have ever imagined. The question is: What should you do with it long-term? Many older adults want to...
If you have an estate plan, you’re doing better than about 50% of Americans, who don’t have a plan in place at all. Good job! Now, have you considered the need to update or amend your plan? You can’t just cross things out and initial your changes. For one thing, you...
We have been talking about the importance of timely estate planning in many of these posts. Obviously it is optimal to plan when we are clear-headed. We also know that grief can cloud thinking. This is why an estate plan, complete with health care directive, can...
