Estate planning attorneys are finding that people are increasingly drafting wills and other estate documents at younger ages than in the past. The unexpected deaths of so many celebrities last year got a lot of people thinking about their own mortality sooner than they might have otherwise. The widespread coverage of terrorist attacks and other […]

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Very few people actually seek to become an executor of an estate or the trustee of a trust that becomes active after someone dies or becomes incapacitated. It is a dubious honor, typically unpaid, that can create a lot of personal stress as well as interpersonal conflicts. People that you have known your whole life […]

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If you have a responsibility for someone’s estate, whether that person is still alive or has passed away, you are likely a fiduciary. A fiduciary’s specific title may be power of attorney, trustee, executor, conservator or agent. As a fiduciary, you have certain legal responsibilities. Namely, a fiduciary is required to act in the best […]

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Choosing someone to manage a trust is one of the most significant estate planning decisions you’ll make. This is particularly true if you’ve set up a trust to provide for family members, both while you’re still alive and after you’re gone. However, sometimes a trustee doesn’t live up to your expectations. He or she may […]

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One of the areas covered in many Californians’ estate plans is what actions they want and don’t want taken to extend their lives if they are unable to speak for themselves. These can be spelled out in detail in an Advance Health Care Directive and overseen by a health care power of attorney. In California, the […]

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There’s something to be said for the value of transparency in all human relationships. Generally, even if the truth hurts, knowing the truth will help you and everyone else in the long run. This is especially true when it comes to estate planning. Let’s say you’re like most Americans, and you have the kind of […]

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