An advance directive is a legal document that allows you to proactively make certain choices about your medical decision making and end-of-life care prior to a crisis. An advance directive allows you to tell your loved ones and health care professional in writing who you want to make medical decisions on your behalf; who you […]

More than half of Americans over the age of 55 do not have an estate plan in place. Even more troubling, only 18% of people over the age of 55 have all of the recommended legacy documents, including a last will and testament, health care directive, and statutory durable power of attorney. So, what are

Attorneys these days are connecting with clients via video conference realms like Zoom or Skype in the comfort of their own home. The basic estate planning documents that clients want to discuss are: a trust to name who should inherit their property, a durable power of attorney that assigns an agent to make financial decisions for

Often estate planning focuses on the “big picture” issues, such as who gets what, how to avoid probate, and tax planning to minimize gift and estate taxes. Often, there are many smaller issues, which are just as critical to the success of your overall estate planning. Below are some of the issues that are often

In the United States, 75% of Living Trusts will be totally ineffective when the Trust creator dies. Why? Most people have and create a living will and trust in lieu of traditional Wills to dispose of their estate because they have been promised that a Trust avoids probate. Well, that’s partly true. In fact, a

In a perfect world, your ownership or share of ownership in your home would automatically to your spouse, children, or other chosen beneficiary as directed in your will. However, when you leave your real estate assets to your survivors via your will, those assets will need to go through probate. Additionally, there is always a

Plans Considering the benefits of a Revocable Living Trust, few families can afford to be without one. The objective of estate planning is to ensure that you control your estate, and ultimately transfer it to whom you want at the least cost as quickly and simply as possible. The process of estate transfer can be

Whether it’s Christmas, Kwanza, or Hanukkah, the holidays are a time we reflect on family and traditions. This can include going to grandma’s (or grandkid’s!) house for dinner, digging out traditional ornaments, or dusting off old recipes. It’s a busy season as we prepare for the special occasions and the special people in our lives.

As a special treat from our office, we wanted to share a special Thanksgiving recipe from Meghan Avila, our Associate Attorney.  Trust us – Meghan can cook!  Here’s a recent picture of her taking First Place at the Marin County Fair for one of her home baked creations!  Indian Corn Pudding Muffins (makes 12 servings)

As I was reviewing current statistics released during the National Estate Planning Awareness Week, which is annually the third week of October, I’m continually astounded that Estate planning is still a critically overlooked component of financial wellness, and yet it’s estimated that more than half of Americans, a staggering 56%, do not have an estate