Wills are some of the most common estate planning documents. However, if your family cannot find the will after your loved one passes away, it can pose a real challenge. As we discussed in Part One of this series, Californians cannot file a will with a court before death. This applies to either a handwritten will […]

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Often when people use trusts to leave money to family in their estate plans, they don’t designate specific dollar amounts. They will designate that whatever assets are in the trust at the time of their death be divided — sometimes equally and sometimes not. If you’re the beneficiary of a trust, finding out how much […]

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Many of us have at least one family member we love but who has been lost to us due to alcohol and/or drug abuse or perhaps a series of bad life choices. When people are creating an estate plan, there are ways to set up a trust for someone like that so that they don’t […]

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There are times when you will want to have a trustee who oversees your trusts. However, there are also times when you should consider not having a trustee at all. Removing a trustee can be a good way to eliminate the possibility of trouble with your trust, especially if things are going wrong already. Here […]

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The role of a trust protector is basically what the term states — to protect the trust. Trust protectors became popular in the 1990s as offshore trusts boomed. However, now it’s considered wise for just about anyone who sets up a trust to have one. For example, say you set up a living trust for […]

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You and your spouse have worked hard all of your lives. You’ve given your kids everything they could have wanted and more. Unfortunately, because they’ve been so fortunate, they haven’t learned how to properly handle money. Saving hasn’t been a priority for them, nor has sticking to a budget. You want to pass on your […]

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Many people think of trusts as something that only people with considerable assets have. However, many California estate planning attorneys recommend revocable trusts for clients who have average-sized and small estates. Revocable trusts make it easier for executors to distribute the assets of an estate relatively quickly and easily after a person is gone. With […]

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Many California estate planning attorneys recommend that their clients set up living trusts. There are a number of advantages for your heirs if you place your assets in this type of trust while you’re still alive. If you have a relatively small amount of assets, there may be other ways for you to help your […]

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One of the main reasons individuals elect to set up a living trust is to ensure that their assets can be passed on to their loved ones per their wishes without having to go through probate. Setting up one can also serve as an easier way for an individual to manage his or her assets […]

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Nearly everyone here in Southern California has stayed at a Marriott hotel at some point. The Marriott company is the world’s largest publicly-traded hotel chain. However, all is not well with the family behind it. John Marriott III is alleging that his father has forced him out of the business and has taken away his […]

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