Estate Planning Is For Everyone
At the Law Offices of Karen J. La Madrid in Riverside, California, firm founder Karen J. La Madrid and her staff help individuals and families plan for the future. Planning works to ease difficult transitions, protect people and property and provide for loved ones and favorite charities for many years to come.
Estate planning is not just for the very rich or old. Our clients come from many backgrounds and are at many stages of life. We offer accessible services tailored to exactly what you need when you need them.
The Planning Services You Need
We believe the primary goal of an estate plan is to make transitions easier for you and your family. We help with documents such as:
- Will and trust creation
- Powers of attorney (POAs), advance health care directives and health care proxies
- Health care planning
- Modifications to existing estate plan documents
- California probate issues
You may need a relatively simple plan consisting of a will, POA and health care directive. If you are at a different place in your life, you may need more complex tools, such as a trust or health care planning guidance. When relationships change, a modification to an existing plan may be in order.
Probate And The Importance Of Planning
When a person passes away, all their property becomes known as their estate. A probate court oversees the distribution of the estate to the heirs. In cases where the person left a valid will, an executor or personal representative distributes the estate as the person instructed in the will. The court oversees the process to make sure everything goes according to law and decides any disputes that arise in the probate process.
If the person did not leave a will, the probate court must decide how to distribute the estate according to state law. Essentially, this means the estate goes to the person’s surviving spouse and nearest of kin. In practice, the process can take a long time, leave less of the estate to go around and, often, lead to results that are not what the person would have wanted.
Estate planning can also make a big difference during your lifetime. Documents such as POAs and advance health care directives allow you to make decisions about your own life and the types of health care services you will receive in advance. This means you spare your loved ones from having to make those decisions if you become unable to make them yourself. This prevents a lot of second-guessing, blame and often heartache.
Plan Well Today For A Better Tomorrow
With three decades of estate planning experience, Karen will help you craft a plan that exactly meets your needs. Reach out and set up a consultation to find out how estate planning can improve your life and the lives of the people you love. Call our office at 951-224-9209 or contact us by email. We will help you make a plan, see it through and leave a legacy.