Los Angeles estate planning attorneys just got very busy. In one fell swoop, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the Defense of Marriage Act and shot down Proposition 8 in California. Gay couples who reside in the state now can marry and gain federal financial benefits that were once denied to them. The high court’s […]

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What excuses do people in Los Angeles use to avoid making an estate plan? The same excuses people across the U.S. employ. If your internal argument includes “I’m too young to think about death” or “I’m not wealthy enough to make a will,” then it’s likely you may die intestate. While dying without a will […]

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The youngest members of the baby boom generation are celebrating the last year of their 40s. First-born boomers entered retirement age two years ago; they turn 67 this year. The massive generation adds to the 65 and older population at the rate of 10,000 people per day, providing estate planning attorneys with a vast potential client list. […]

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The content of an estate plan is a compilation of wishes and how to make them come true. Los Angeles estate planning attorneys act as translators and communicators so individual desires are carried forward legally, properly and completely. The inventory calculations that precede drafting estate planning documents include a valuation of assets and feelings. Most […]

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The short answer is “Yes,” although the emotional response is usually “Why would you do that?” Los Angeles attorneys know that no two estate plans or plan creators are exactly alike. Individual personalities, family disputes and relationship dynamics color the content of wills, trusts and other estate documents. Legitimate reasons exist for a parent to disinherit […]

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Periodic reviews of California estate plans are necessary to keep legal documents in line with personal, family and financial changes. Anticipated events, like marriage or childbirth, and unfortunate occurrences, like divorce or family death, can have instant effects on estate planning documents. Drafting estate planning documents takes extensive thought and planning. It makes no sense to throw […]

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Los Angeles attorneys will answer “no” to this question, but there are good reasons. The focus of estate planning seems to have narrowed to tax avoidance, which legal experts admit is a vital part of any estate plan. Many individuals forget that complete plans go well beyond keeping assets from the IRS. The American Taxpayer Relief Act […]

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Millions of people in California employ social media sites to share information and images every day. Beyond the public presence, consumers are also dependent upon online sources for financial transactions that may not be recorded or stored in any other form. Estate planning attorneys and clients concentrate heavily on tangible asset distribution and protection. A secondary […]

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California family members come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of closeness. Step relatives, half-siblings and unmarried partnerships are as common today as they were once scarce. Attorneys caution individuals who are building estate plans to be extremely careful when naming heirs. Wills, trusts and other estate planning documents must be clearly interpreted by probate judges, trustees, […]

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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 to inherit. […]

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