Long-term care (LTC) planning is an integral part of an all-inclusive estate plan. Given increasing life expectancies and advancements in medical technologies, the likelihood of requiring long-term care or assistance in later life is on the rise. Without adequate...
Estate Planning
Should you set up a living trust or a will?
You’ve worked hard and accumulated a significant amount of assets. Consequently, you are concerned about what will become of your assets when you pass on. Fortunately, there is something you can do about this. It is called estate planning. Some of the estate planning...
5 key components of an estate plan
Are you considering making an estate plan? As a testator, you want to be sure everything is ready so that your grieving loved ones or the courts aren’t left to make decisions against your wishes. But, what’s in an estate plan? Here’s what you should know: Will The...
Take care of your pets after you pass away
As a California resident, you understand how important it is to plan for the future. Estate planning ensures that your loved ones are cared for after you're gone, but have you considered the needs of your furry family members? There are several things you need to do...
Choosing an executor for your will
There are numerous estate planning instruments that all carry out various tasks. One of the most fundamental aspects of any estate plan is the will. This is a document that provides instructions for how your assets are to be divided upon your death. As well as having...
Did undue influence affect your loved one’s estate plan?
When someone in your family dies, it is a difficult time. You want to spend time grieving and remembering your loved one, but there are important affairs to attend to. If you find their estate plan and discover changes were made you were unaware of, you may wonder if...
Do healthcare powers of attorney need to know about medicine?
One of the people you’ll need to name in your estate plan is a health care power of attorney. Some refer to them as health care agents. This person will speak on your behalf if you cannot express your wishes about medical treatment due to incapacity caused by severe...
What you need to know about ancillary probate in California
California, like the other states, has its unique estate planning laws. When a loved one dies, their estate will be wound up and distributed according to their wishes or California intestacy laws. But what happens if they had properties in multiple states? Well, this...
Why you need an advance health care directive
Designating someone to have power of attorney (POA) over your health care is an important aspect of estate planning – even though it involves a time when you’re still alive, although unable to speak for yourself. This can happen at any age – often due to an injury or...
What are incentive trusts, and do you need one?
Incentive trusts are a trust with conditions. You can use them to incentivize a potential beneficiary to act in a certain way. You can set out particular rules when you create the trust. Then, once you die, it falls to the person managing the trust to check if the...