A revocable trust is an important estate planning tool. These trusts are set up while the trust maker, a.k.a., the grantor, is still alive. After formalizing the trust within a legal document, the grantor will transfer assets to the ownership of the trust and becomes...
Do I need a probate attorney?
Year: 2018
Do I need to update my will?
Have you written your will or funded any trusts? If so, you may feel that your estate planning duties have ended.But estate planning is ongoing in nature. Once you have drafted your will and set up any trusts, you will periodically need to review these documents and...
Charitable remainder trusts can help a worthy cause
Do you have a house, investment or some other kind of property that has increased significantly in value? Do you want to liquidate this property and reinvest the money to start generating an income from it, but you don't want to pay the tremendous capital gains taxes?...
Protect your heirs from themselves with a spendthrift trust
Imagine you don't have any children who can inherit your estate, except you do have a niece who happens to have a serious spending problem. As soon as she has any amount of money in her hands, she spends it on something irresponsible. Considering that this is your...
Are you considering a pet trust? Read this first
California pet lovers who want to create a responsible plan for their animals may want to consider the creation of a pet trust. This can be an excellent way to ensure that your animal is cared for long after you're gone, or in the event that you become medically...
What are the goals of your estate planning trust?
Many California estate planners have benefited greatly from incorporating a trust into their estate plans. In fact, some individuals have saved their personal assets from certain depletion through a strategically-crated trust document.Let's take a look at some of the...
Estate planning tips: What to do immediately after someone dies
When someone close to you passes away, your head will be swimming with emotions -- especially if you are the one who discovers that he or she passed. You may be panicking because it's so difficult to face this kind of reality. However, it's important to focus and take...
Why you need to create a will (before it’s too late)
Many California residents have not completed the most basic element of an estate plan: the last will and testament. If you ask them, they'll say something like, "I'm going to do it soon. I just haven't had the time." Or they'll say, "I'll take care of it before the...
Estate planning for unmarried couples
In today's social climate, it much more common for couples to live together for long stretches of time before deciding whether to marry. Some choose to remain together and unmarried indefinitely. While this may not cause too many complications while both parties are...
Using lottery trusts to protect your interests
While most people think of good luck as finding a good parking spot at the store or avoiding an accident on the freeway, some people find their lives turned upside down by good luck when they win the lottery or come into some other sort of windfall of good fortune. Of...
