Archive for February 2020
What Happens If a Beneficiary Dies Before I Do?
When creating an estate plan with the help of an estate planning lawyer in Orange County, you’ll be asked to choose the beneficiaries whom you want to inherit your money and property when you pass away. In most cases, our clients tell us that ultimately they want their life’s hard work to go toward the…
Read MoreThe SECURE Act (Part 1): What It Means – the Basics
This is the first in a series of videos on the SECURE Act and its impact on your retirement accounts and what that means for you and your family. The “Secure Act” was part of a larger law that passed with (rare) bipartisan support in late-December 2019 and became effective January 1, 2020, for most purposes.…
Read MoreWhat the New SECURE Act Means for Your Retirement Accounts
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement), which was included in a last-minute appropriations bill designed to avert a government shutdown before the end of the year (updated March 29, 2022 to SECURE 2.0 Act). The new law will now affect how individuals…
Read MoreWhat to Know When Serving as a Trustee or Executor After Your Spouse Dies
Dealing with the loss of a spouse is one of the most difficult situations a person can face. The grief alone can be crippling and adding to the stress is the need to deal with funeral arrangements and any other tasks that may have arisen during your spouse’s final illness. And if you’re like most…
Read MoreWhat to Do When a Trustee is Untrustworthy
A trustee is legally required to administer a trust solely in the interests of the beneficiaries. So, what can you do as the beneficiary if you feel the trustee has breached his or her fiduciary duty? As an Irvine estate attorney, I would like to share some remedies to consider when you find yourself dealing…
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