Every day in California and around the country, people die without a will. Some of these deaths are through accidents and therefore unexpected. Others involve older people who never got around to putting an estate plan in place because they didn't want to contemplate...
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Year: 2016
Can you send a parent with Alzheimer’s to a nursing home?
You're growing worried about your parent. Alzheimer's has set in, and memory issues have turned into safety issues. Maybe a stove was accidentally left on. Maybe your parent got lost outside of the house and couldn't get home. You think it's time for mom or dad to go...
Why you need to have a will
Approximately half of all Americans have no estate plan -- not even a will. Many people understandably don't want to contemplate their own demise. Others assume that their family will sort things out once they're gone. Some think that they don't have enough assets to...
Discussing your estate plan with your family over the holidays
If there's anything that people dread discussing over family holiday get-togethers more than politics, it's financial issues. However, the holiday season brings family members together who rarely if ever see each other during the rest of the year. Therefore, it is...
For estate executors, it’s all in the details
At this very moment, there are hundreds, even thousands, of individuals throughout California who have been handed the awesome responsibility of administering a substantial estate. For each, there are many ways that even the most well-intentioned executor or...
What’s the best way to leave a vacation home to family members?
Many Los Angeles area families have a vacation home. It may be a getaway cottage in Big Sur or a place farther north in Napa or Sonoma wine county. Regardless of the location, when people draft their estate plan, they generally leave the property to their children....
Will the estate tax be repealed under the next administration?
With a Republican president in the White House next year and a Republican-controlled Congress, some people who have considerable assets to leave to their heirs are hoping that the estate tax (sometimes referred to by those opposed to it as the "death tax") will be...
What happens when a person dies without a will in California?
A person who dies without having a will is said to die intestate, which opens up a battle for the belongings of the decedent. California laws cover what is to happen to the person's estate when this situation occurs. Understanding how the succession laws impact the...
Ensure that your kids aren’t left out of your will if you remarry
When people remarry, they often rewrite their wills to ensure that their new spouses are covered. Unfortunately, their children from previous marriages and relationships may be left without any inheritance, even if that's not what their parents intended. Sometimes...
Don’t forget your digital assets in your estate plan
Many people who draft their estate plan are surprised by the number of assets they have, large and small, that need to be considered. An experienced California estate planning attorney will help you ensure that you've codified how you want those assets disbursed and...