Archive for August 2025
Understanding California Trust Litigation: Advisor Do’s and Don’ts
As a trusted advisor—whether you are a financial planner, CPA, insurance agent, or fiduciary—you often stand on the front lines with clients navigating their estate plans. While your role is typically proactive and preventive, understanding the basics of California trust litigation is critical. When disputes arise, your guidance can help prevent missteps that could expose…
Read MoreThe Letter No One Wants to Write, But Every Family Needs
There are few things in life harder than thinking about a world where you’re not there for your family. Most of us avoid it entirely. We tell ourselves, “I’ve got a trust… I’ve named my beneficiaries… that’s enough.” But there’s one thing your estate plan can’t do for you: it can’t tell your family what’s…
Read MoreWhen Google Fails You: Why DIY Trusts Backfire in California
With a quick Google search, it feels like you can do almost anything yourself—fix a leaky faucet, bake a soufflé, even create your own living trust. But when it comes to estate planning, “Do‑It‑Yourself” (DIY) trusts often create more problems than they solve, especially in California. On the surface, a $99 downloadable trust template looks…
Read MoreLife Changes, Laws Change—But Has Your Plan?
Life has a way of moving faster than we realize. Kids grow up, parents age, careers shift, and new chapters begin. Meanwhile, the laws that govern how we protect our families and our wealth are constantly evolving. Yet, despite all of this change, one thing we often forget to update is our estate plan. If…
Read MoreBuilding Your Emergency Binder: The Most Important Packet Your Family Will Ever Hold
Imagine this: a sudden emergency arises. You’re unavailable—or worse, incapacitated—and your family is left scrambling to figure out what to do. In times of crisis, chaos thrives where clarity is missing. That’s where an Emergency Binder comes in. Sometimes called a “Family Emergency Packet” or “In Case of Emergency (ICE) Binder,” this single, organized resource…
Read MoreFrom Heirlooms to iCloud: Making Sure Your Personal Legacy Is Protected
When most people think about their legacy, they picture the big things: homes, investments, retirement accounts. But our lives are made up of more than assets on a balance sheet. Your true legacy includes the memories, stories, and personal items that carry your history forward—from your grandmother’s wedding ring to the photos on your iPhone.…
Read MoreYour Estate Plan in Action: What Happens in the First 48 Hours After You’re Gone
When you create an estate plan, it’s easy to think of it as a “someday” safety net—a collection of documents that will quietly sit in a folder until it’s needed. But the real test of your plan comes in the first 48 hours after you pass away. Those first two days are often an emotional…
Read MoreWhat Happens to Everything You Own If You Don’t Have a Plan?
Estate planning often feels like something you can put off—something for “someday.” But the truth is, none of us can predict what the future holds. And if you never get around to creating a plan, someone else will make the decisions for you. If You Don’t Create a Plan, the State Will Create One for…
Read MoreYour Digital Life After Death: What Happens to Your Online Accounts?
When most people think about estate planning, they picture wills, real estate, and family heirlooms. But what about your online life? From email and social media to cloud-stored photos and digital wallets, our lives are increasingly lived—and stored—online. The question is: what happens to all of it when you’re gone? The Rise of Digital Assets…
Read MoreStanding Still in the Whirlwind
This time of year always sneaks up on me. One moment, the days are long and lazy, filled with that summer looseness where schedules blur and time feels slower. And then suddenly, almost without warning, life is moving at full speed again. The start of August has always felt a bit like stepping onto a…
Read MoreAdvisors and Elder Law: Protecting Clients from Financial Exploitation
Financial exploitation of older adults is a growing concern—and it’s happening in ways that are increasingly subtle, sophisticated, and hard to detect. As an advisor, you are often on the front line. Whether you are a financial planner, CPA, fiduciary, or attorney, your position puts you in a unique role to spot the warning signs…
Read MoreHow to Spot Clients Who Need Immediate Trust Updates
A well-drafted trust is never meant to be a “set it and forget it” document. Life changes—and so do the laws that affect your estate plan. For many families, an outdated trust can lead to unnecessary taxes, family disputes, delays in asset distribution, or even a complete failure to achieve the trust’s original goals. Whether…
Read MoreDigital Assets, Cryptocurrency, and AI: The New Frontier of Estate Planning for Advisors
The world of estate planning is evolving faster than ever—and it’s not just tax laws or family dynamics driving the change. A new category of assets has emerged that is rewriting the rules: digital assets. From cryptocurrency to online businesses, social media accounts, NFTs, and cloud-stored data, our clients are living more of their lives…
Read MoreWhen a Will Isn’t Enough: Why Most Californians Need a Trust
For many Californians, relying only on a will leaves the door open to delays, added costs, and unwanted court oversight. In nearly every case—especially if you own a home, have investments, or wish to protect beneficiaries—a revocable living trust can offer vital advantages that a will alone cannot. The Limitations of a Will How a…
Read MoreVeterans Aid & Attendance: The Overlooked Benefit That Can Ease Your Care Costs
When it comes to paying for long-term care, many families find themselves overwhelmed by the costs and unsure where to turn for help. For veterans and their surviving spouses, there’s an often-overlooked resource that can make a meaningful difference: the VA Aid & Attendance (A&A) benefit. What Is the Aid & Attendance Benefit? Aid &…
Read MoreWhat Your Trustee Secretly Hopes You Did (and Most People Don’t)
When you name someone as the trustee of your trust, you’re giving them an incredible responsibility. They’ll be the one to step in and manage your financial and legal affairs if you’re incapacitated or after you pass away, following the instructions in your trust. Most people think signing the trust document is enough. But ask…
Read MoreBeyond the Basics: 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Trust Without Changing a Word
When you create a living trust, you take a major step toward protecting your family and ensuring your wishes are carried out. But here’s a secret many people don’t realize: the strength of your trust isn’t just in the words written on paper. A trust is like the foundation of a house—it only works if…
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