You are the one who cares and advocates for your loved one with disabilities. They depend on you. While you may take on the role of caregiver now, you may not be able to help but worry about what could happen if you were no longer around to care for them. Estate...
We are your Southern California partner in estate administration and estate protection.
Estate Planning
Should I put my family member on my deed?
Probate can become complicated when an estate has complex assets, such as real estate. You may want to help your family avoid probate and protect your legacy by circumventing the probate process. When it comes to real estate, you may consider putting a loved one, such...
How can I make probate easier for my family?
It is common to hear quite negative, and even scary, things about probate. So, when you begin the process of estate planning, you may wonder: is there a way to make things easier on that front for your family? There are steps you can take. These are three actions you...
Do you really have to address all your assets in your trust or will?
Over the years, you fill your home with memories, things you love and value. You may have shelves of books, cabinets with heirlooms and souvenirs on display and many more knick-knacks. When it comes to creating your will, you may wonder: will it be necessary to...
How do you get your parents to start planning?
Life gets busy. The to-do list may seem never-ending, and the matter of planning for the future can fall lower on the list each day. However, this is a trend that seems to be widespread. This past March, Forbes reported that there has been a significant decrease in...
Is the will valid if your loved one has dementia?
One essential detail of creating a will – or any estate planning document – is testamentary capacity. Put simply, this means that the person who creates the will must have a sound mind. This aspect can come into question if a loved one faces a dementia diagnosis. Your...
Are these signs of dementia? What to know.
As you age, it is only natural to become more forgetful. It is only when this forgetfulness becomes more frequent or even dangerous, that it becomes a concern for you and your family. You might worry that this increased forgetfulness could be a much larger issue –...
Why does a will need witnesses?
If you have a will, it means that you must have two witnesses present when you establish it. This is a requirement, but this requirement serves a much larger purpose in probate. Here is the critical information you must know about the role witnesses play. Why...
What is a pet trust – and do you need one?
An estate plan helps ensure you can provide for the loved ones you leave behind. However, what happens to your furry friends? You cannot leave money or property to your pet like you would a person, even if they feel like just as much of a family member. But you can...
How living in California could impact your estate planning
Living in California, and particularly in Southern California, is a unique experience, with the weather, beaches, traffic and show business influence. What you might not realize is that a fairly unique California law can impact your estate plan, probate and trust...