Estate Plans

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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Q: Are their 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 their particular circumstances.

And you don’t necessarily need to be high-net-worth individuals to take advantage of these estate tax planning benefits.
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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 easiest task. 

Claimants Must Act Quickly When Dealing with a Decedent’s Estate

In most state cases, those interested in bringing suit against a deceased person’s estate must first file what is called a creditor’s claim, before they are able to proceed with bringing a lawsuit in Superior Court. Since claimants only have a one-year statute of limitations under California Code of Civil Procedure section 366.
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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 many newlyweds don’t think about is making an Read more . . .

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 which assets.
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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.
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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.
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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 estate plan.

While an estate plan virtually always results in your wishes being followed, sometimes will contest or other wrinkles arise that may threaten your plans and/or result in estate litigation.
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 Q: Can a trustee be removed due to lack of mental capacity?

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 trusts and estates.

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California estate planning lawyers are often asked by clients whether they should tell their adult children or other loved ones what they will inherit under their will. In the vast majority of cases, that disclosure will evoke feelings of gratitude on behalf of the intended beneficiaries.

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Q: Why do same-sex couples need estate planning?

After decades of fighting the good fight, the LGBT community scored a major victory when it won the constitutional right to marriage equality in the 2015 United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell vs. Hodges.

The landmark decision conferred valuable federal privileges and rights upon same-sex married couples, similar to those enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.  But just as it is inadvisable for heterosexual couples to die without wills...

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