Estate Plans

Estate planning is important because it helps you to prepare for whom or where you want your assets to go when you pass away. Alternatively, when you fail to execute an estate plan, the state in which you live prior to your death makes this important decision for you.
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It’s comforting to know that when we pass, we have the ability to provide our families with our own property. But since we know our families and our assets better than just about anyone else, wouldn’t it make sense for us to create our own estate plan? While executing your own estate plan may seem to be the best solution (after all, think of all of the money you’ll save), it’s essential to keep in mind that it can be even more expensive to fix any estate planning mistakes that you make than it would be to hire an attorney who can ensure that it is done right from the very beginning.
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For many of us, retirement is the ultimate goal of working. Though we’d all love to retire early, most of us aren’t able to retire until after we reach the age of 65. However, while many people can’t wait for retirement, others find a real sense of purpose in their work. And sometimes, individuals who retire decide that they want to go back to working after all. So how do you know if coming out of retirement is right for you? Here are some signs that it may be in your best interest.
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From finding a place to live, to changing your driver’s license, there are many things that you may want to consider when you move to California. However, one thing that you should consider that you likely haven’t is whether you should change your estate plan.

When you move to California it’s important that you take into consideration the fact that California’s laws are different from those of many other states (and countries). Therefore the language in or the structure of your current Read more . . .

There’s no doubt that the global landscape looks very different these days in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. With great feelings of uncertainty, you may feel the need to ensure that your orders are in affair. To help bring you some peace, here are 5 components of your Read more . . .

When you pass away it’s important that your assets go to the correct recipient(s), as in those whom you designate. But what may be surprising is that despite how important it is for the right person or entity to receive your assets, many people fail to give much thought to their beneficiary designations.

Beneficiary designation is important because your beneficiaries may be entitled to a lot of money. Your beneficiaries will receive proceeds from life insurance, retirement plans and pay-on-death accounts.

In order to assign a beneficiary, you can use a beneficiary designation form since these assets will pass to the individual by contract.
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There’s no doubt that it’s an extremely scary time for many people. In the age of COVID-19, the idea of becoming sick and unable to make decisions for yourself and your family is terrifying. However, you can help to alleviate some of these fears by establishing a comprehensive Read more . . .

A revocable trust is a legal document that allows the person who creates it, known as the grantor, to manage its assets and to maintain the right to alter the trust or its beneficiaries at any time during his or her life. This “living” trust (as it’s often called) is commonly leveraged in order to transfer assets to the trust’s heirs in order to avoid the probate process, which can be long and costly.
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When we think of estate planning and protecting our assets, we generally think of having a will. However, while a will is an extremely important legal document in your estate plan, it is not the only one that should be considered. A comprehensive estate plan generally includes various legal documents. Here are the Read more . . .

Many people find estate planning to be somewhat confusing, but for same-sex couples it can seem quite complex – regardless of whether or not they are married. The good news is that estate planning for same-sex couples does not have to be so complex or confusing.
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When individuals die without a will (intestate) the state has a certain order in which it provides the decedent’s assets to particular individuals. For example, when someone dies intestate, their property will generally transfer equally among their children (should they have any). But what about children who are adopted? Can the same be said for them? What are their rights? Here’s what to know about adoption and inheritance rights in California. 

In the state of California, adopted children enjoy all of the same rights as their biological counterparts do concerning their inheritance rights. Adopted children may inherit from their deceased adoptive parent or they may inherit from someone else through their deceased adoptive parent.
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