People sometimes move quickly to disinherit a child. Estrangement, arguments, disability, and addiction are typical reasons for making this choice. Before this is decision becomes definitive, however, it may be prudent to review the following considerations: First, it is important to consider whether or not these decisions will cause or worsen a riff between this […]

Although many understand the importance of creating an estate plan, it can often seem like a daunting task. To help ease the process, here are a few first steps you can take to get started: Make a list of your assets. The first step is to know what is in your estate, so grab a

Preparing for the care of your children if you were to pass away in their minor years is not only an important aspect of estate planning, but a critical protection to your children. The law provides several avenues of planning for these often unexpected circumstances:   Perhaps the most important of these avenues is to

The laws of California provide a court process by which all estates belonging to deceased persons are distributed: probate. It is a long and difficult process, and can often aggravate for the surviving family an already painful situation. The good news is, a living trust can allow one’s estate to avoid this process entirely. However,

Inheritance distribution can be a complicated process, often resulting in disagreement and negative interactions between surviving family members. These difficulties can be compounded in a blended family, particularly when both spouses come into the marriage with adult children. In a case like this, a living trust can become an incredibly beneficial tool. Consider the following:   A

Creating a revocable living trust is the first step to executing your estate plan. The second step is the administration of the trust. This takes place following the death of the last grantor (the person who created the trust), at which moment the appointed successor trustee steps in to ensure that all of the beneficiaries

The primary purpose of a living trust is to help your beneficiaries avoid the grueling process of probate. There are additional benefits, however, that are important to consider. One such benefit is the ability to provide asset protection for your beneficiaries. A properly drafted revocable living trust with asset protection provides a protective wall around

The Advance Health Care Directive (or Living Will) is an essential document to have alongside your Revocable Trust. While the Revocable Trust both prescribes and protects post-death decisions, the Advance Health Care Directive (Living Will) protects your decisions while in life, when you are found incapable of making them on your own. A typical situation

Many people seek a Living Trust for a singular purpose: to protect their assets from a potential or pending lawsuit. The hope is that transferring assets from the person’s name to that of the trust can block a creditor’s ability to access them. This way of thinking is not totally correct. There are two forms

One of the key tax protections provided by a Revocable Living Trust is the inheritance of property with a step up in basis. This means that your beneficiaries will inherit any of your property at the market value it holds at the time of your death, rather than the market value it held at the