California Estate Planning And Probate Law Blog

You’re doing the responsible thing and getting your estate plans in order. But you still need to pick someone as the executor who will oversee your final affairs. Should you name your spouse? A sibling? Your oldest child? The answer to all three is, “Probably not.”...

When you’re putting together your estate plan, one thing to do is to consider adding in a personalized trust. A personalized trust is one that considers your specific assets as well as the circumstances that may influence your estate, heirs and more. There are plenty...

One of the best things about working with an experienced legal team as you do your estate planning is that you can think of the big picture. You may be making your estate plans for the first and only time, but someone who has seen various estate plans in action can...

In terms of estate planning, the first medical document that many people include is an advance directive. It can simply tell the medical team what type of care you do and do not want. For instance, if you’re unconscious and can’t communicate your wishes, it could tell...

Most people assume that they will be doing their estate planning long after their own parents have passed away. Generally, this is true, but there are plenty of cases where it’s not. Just a quick glance at the car accident statistics for any given year shows you that...

Estate plans can protect your children in a few ways, which is why it’s a good idea to talk to an estate planning attorney as soon as possible once you know you’re going to be a parent. Two important things that your estate plan can offer include ways to protect your...

Losing a spouse changes just about everything in your life. Your daily routine, where you live and even how you view yourself will all potentially change in the aftermath of a spousal death. It can feel overwhelming to confront all of those changes at once. Handling...

If there’s anything worse than having to go through probate, it’s having to do it more than once. That second (or third or fourth) probate is called ancillary probate. If you live here in Southern California and own property in another state, that’s what the executor...

When you are injured or ill, who do you want to have there to take care of you? Who would you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf? If you can’t make decisions for yourself, you’re going to want to have a health care proxy in place. A health care proxy,...

The legal issues you’ll deal with as you age are complex. There are many regulations and laws that will vary by state, so in the case that you move from another state to California, it will be important for you to take a second look at your estate plans. Elder law is...