Losing a loved one can be hard. But when you add in having to deal with their estate it can get extremely difficult and often overwhelming – especially if it goes to probate.
Probate is the settling of an individual’s estate by a court-appointed executor. Although it can be simpler if the estate fits...
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Maximizing Estate Tax Exemptions
Q: Are there benefits to designating a charity as my IRA beneficiary?
Everyone wants to save money but most people don’t realize that hiring a skilled San Mateo estate planning attorney who understands how to minimize or eliminate estate taxes can save their estates – and consequently their beneficiaries – big time depending on...
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California Allows Plaintiffs to Recover Additional Costs When Suing Decedent’s Insurer
Sometimes the individual who was responsible for causing you injury may pass away before you have the opportunity to bring suit for damages. So what can you do if this happens? You have the option of bringing suit against a deceased person’s estate. However, in the state of California, this is not always the...
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The Best Gift for Your New Spouse: An Estate Plan
Marriage is an exciting new journey; one that brings with it a series of new hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. Many of these goals you will make together as you begin your new life. You may think about opening joint bank accounts, filing joint taxes, buying a home, and more. But what...
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What is a Holographic Will?
It is certainly a good idea to create and regularly review your will with an experienced estate planning and probate attorney. In it, you are able to share your wishes for what you would like to happen after you pass away, including who you wish to inherit your assets. But what happens if...
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Is being left out of a parent’s Will necessarily a bad thing?
Most headlines surrounding celebrities are filled with drama and often possible misrepresentations. So, it was not likely a surprise to read that the late actor, Burt Reynolds, reportedly left his son, Quinton, out of his Will when he did his estate planning. That statement, coupled with the revelation that he reportedly named his...
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How Does Probate Work in California?
Probate in California is the court-supervised process used to settle a person’s estate after death, including validating a will, paying debts and taxes, and distributing assets to heirs. Whether probate is required, how long it takes, and how involved the court becomes all depend on the size of the estate, how assets...
How Can I Protect Myself From Financial Elder Abuse?
California estate planning attorneys know that, while you can't always protect senior citizens from becoming victims of elder abuse, having a comprehensive estate plan is an important step in the right direction.
As we age, our physical and mental capacities generally diminish, leaving elders vulnerable to physical, emotional, and financial abuse by predators. Where...
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When Administrators Sue to Recover Estate Assets
What happens when someone won’t return an estate asset?
San Mateo estate planning attorneys know that the best way to secure your own future and that of your loved ones and ensure that your property ends up in the hands of those you want to have it after you’re gone is through a comprehensive...
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The Princess and the Trust
Q: Can a trustee be removed due to lack of mental capacity?
The Princess and the Trust Continue reading…
Historically, princesses have been portrayed as being surrounded by riches and being accustomed to having their own way. But estate planning attorneys can tell you, they are subject to the same rules as everyone else when it comes to their...