As a young adult, you have a lot of new responsibilities. You might think that you have everything covered, but have you made an estate plan? An estate plan is an important part of being an adult, especially if you have a spouse and children, because the estate plan lets those who are left behind […]

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Many Californians are permanent legal residents from countries around the world or are married to someone who is. In the tax world, these people are referred to by the rather un-politically correct term “resident aliens.” This is an important term to know when you are developing your estate plan and have a large estate because […]

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Politics impacts virtually every aspect of our lives, whether we realize it or not. That’s because our elected leaders make and sign the laws by which we all are required to live. The new Trump administration and the Republican-led Congress have indicated that there are a number of areas in which they plan to exert […]

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Often, when people do their estate planning, they include their grandchildren only as alternative beneficiaries. That means that they receive an inheritance only if their parent (the grandparent’s child) dies before the grandparent. Even if someone dies without a will and has no living children, grandchildren will receive the assets that would have gone to […]

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Virtually every adult, no matter how young and healthy, should have a will and possibly other estate planning documents. An estate plan, even a simple one, can save loved ones time, stress and money if something happens to you. An estate plan lets you designate how you want your assets distributed. They may not appear […]

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California seniors move into assisted living communities for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they just want to be free of responsibilities like home maintenance, cooking and cleaning. Many newly widowed people feel isolated and want the socialization that these communities provide. Some people need a little help with activities of daily life (ADL) like bathing […]

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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 practical time to discuss serious matters like estate plans. The conversation can flow naturally […]

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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. While it may sound great to inherit all […]

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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 estate is something that can help anyone who has […]

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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 people designate that their spouses receive all of their assets if they predecease them, and they […]

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