California estate plans often include trusts that have dual roles. Assets in revocable living trusts benefit individuals during their lifetimes and reward beneficiaries when the trust creator, also known as a settlor, is no longer alive. For financial control reasons, many individuals choose to retain the roles of settlor, trustee and beneficiary when a revocable living trust […]

Posted in Trust Administration | No Comments »

A California attorney who specializes in helping clients formulate effective estate plans understands the usefulness of wills and trusts, but the average individual may be less familiar. Conversely, an estate planning attorney cannot decide an individual’s desires concerning end-of-life medical care, beneficiaries’ worthiness or assets to pass on after death. Those personal choices are up […]

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

Individual Retirement Accounts are investments designed to provide income during the later years of life. What happens to IRAs or the unused portions in them after death? Ideally, a Los Angeles estate planning expert will ensure that the IRA or remaining sum benefits heirs. Ignoring or misunderstanding IRA distribution rules can cause unnecessary taxation during life and […]

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

Not every person requires a trust to complete an estate plan. Sometimes a will and powers of attorney cover everything necessary for an estate. In other circumstances, trust instruments are needed to ensure assets and heirs are protected from probate and, sometimes, even from an inability to manage inheritances. All trusts are not the same. […]

Posted in Trust Administration | No Comments »