If a loved one died here in California owing money, it's essential to understand how to handle creditors' claims on the estate. These claims have to be filed within a year after the death of the person who owed money. If that deadline is missed, a creditor's claim is...
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Estate Administration
Actor’s ex-girlfriend loses bid to administer his estate
When Californians don't have an estate plan, there's the chance that people whom they wouldn't want to have any authority to administer their estate may petition to do so. The case of a former television actor is evidence of this. Mark Salling, who appeared in the TV...
Handling your deceased loved one’s estate
The loss of a loved one is a tragic event in a person's life. Even if you knew that the person wasn't going to be around for much longer, the actual death can be difficult to handle. Once you get past the final arrangements and funeral, you will likely have to deal...
What does being an executor involve?
If a loved one asks you to be the executor of his or her estate, it's understandably not something you want to think about until you have to. However, after your loved one is gone, you're likely going to be in a state of grief and perhaps denial. Therefore, it's...
Billionaire mogul’s estate the subject of California court battle
Recently, we discussed the battle over music legend James Brown's estate among those involved in his complicated personal life. Now the estate of another wealthy and colorful man, billionaire mogul Kirk Kerkorian, is the source of a legal battle here in California...
If you are an intestate heir, you might have options
If you have a close relative, such as your mother or father, who has recently passed away in the Torrance area, you may be able to claim that you are one of the heirs to the property in the estate. If your relative died without leaving a will, you might still be able...
Multiple people battling over Manson estate
Most people wouldn't assume that someone like Charles Manson had an estate worth fighting over. Manson, the "mastermind" behind multiple murders in the Los Angeles area in 1969, died in prison last year. These were infamously known as the "Manson murders," and...
Why are stepmother/stepchildren estate battles so common?
Disputes between widows and their stepchildren are among the most common type of estate battles. These can involve will and trust contests, accusations of elder financial abuse, deed revocations and much more. In many cases, tensions between stepmothers and...
Do you have what it takes to be an executor?
Someone close to you is working on his or her estate plan and has asked you to be the executor. You're honored and a little frightened. What does it involve? Do you want to take on the responsibility? Do you have the time, temperament and skills necessary? People...
What are your options when you inherit a home?
Your great aunt died, and you learn that because you were always her favorite, she left you her home. That may sound like an unexpected bit of good fortune amid the grief of losing a loved one. However, home ownership isn't all it's cracked up to be -- particularly if...