Successfully addressing and legally formalizing the inheritance of family values and assets can be challenging, especially if parents wait too long to begin instilling family values. Undoubtedly the best time to teach and empower your children as eventual inheritors of your family legacy is during childhood, then continuing throughout adulthood. Waiting until your later stages […]
Trusts
How to Protect Your Children’s Inheritance
Estate planning for the future inheritance of your children and grandchildren should include protective measures to keep assets from disappearing or being claimed by a creditor. A simple way to achieve inheritance protection is through a trust. A trust can pass your wealth bypassing probate. This allows specific trust provisions to ensure the money left […]
What 5 Documents You Should Include in Your Estate Plan
An estate plan is important for people of all ages, but as we age, the need for planning becomes even more critical. Many people avoid estate planning because they do not want to think about the end of life, failing health, or disability. Others believe that an estate plan is only for rich people. However, […]
I’ve Been Named as Someone’s Successor Trustee. Can I Turn Down the Job?
As part of the estate planning process, Irvine trust lawyers will always encourage clients to have open conversations with the person they intend to appoint as their Successor Trustee to ensure that they actually want the job if called upon. There are many responsibilities that someone’s successor trustee may be asked to handle (dealing with […]
Wills vs Trusts – Which Do You Need in Orange County?
Planning your estate with a wills and trusts attorney in Orange County is an important step in protecting your assets, your wishes, and the people that matter to you the most. There are a number of options available, as any estate planning lawyer can tell you. Do you need a will? A trust? Is it possible […]
6 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Special Needs Trust
A Special Needs Trust (also called a Supplemental Needs Trust) is a legal document that holds assets for a person with disabilities, while also providing legal authority for a trustee to manage money and make financial decisions on behalf of the individual with special needs. Read on to discover four common mistakes in creating a […]
What 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 […]
5 Legal and Financial Moves to Make Before the Year-End
As 2019 draws to a close, it may be time to take a fresh look at your financial and legal documents to ensure that your affairs are in order and that you are ending the year on a solid foundation before the estate planning year-end. This is especially important if you’ve experienced any notable life […]
Orange County Will and Trust Lawyer: 5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Guardian for Your Child
No parent likes to think about the possibility of dying while their children are still young. Regardless of how uncomfortable the issue may be, it’s important to name someone to care for your minor children if you pass away. As an Orange County will and trust lawyer, I can tell you that choosing a guardian […]
How to “Marie Kondo” Your Financial Life and Streamline Your Estate Planning Process
Listen to the Audio Version If you’re not familiar with Marie Kondo, take some time this week to watch one of her videos on YouTube or check out her new Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. It’s incredible to watch the relief and joy that people experience just by implementing her simple strategies to […]
Estate Planning for Military Families and Veterans in California
Although Memorial Day just passed, it is important to honor those that have served our country. This time is also a good opportunity for members of the military and their loved ones to consider setting up an – or revising an existing – estate plan. Military families need to consider special estate-planning issues that others […]
New Baby? Time to Create Your Estate Plan
Estate planning is often one item that gets pushed back on nearly everyone’s to-do list. That’s especially the case when you are so focused on loving and caring for your new bundle of joy. The other reasons you might be delaying vary: lack of time, not thinking you have enough assets, not knowing how to […]
Why You Should Sweat the Small Stuff in Your Estate Plan
When planning their estates, most people focus on major assets, such as business interests, real estate, investments and retirement plans. But it’s also important to “sweat the small stuff” — tangible personal property. Examples include automobiles, jewelry, clothing, antiques, furniture, artwork, photographs, music collections, personal papers, collectibles (such as stamps, coins or baseball cards) and […]
Sweat the Small Stuff in Your Estate Plan
When planning their estates, most people focus on major assets, such as business interests, real estate, investments and retirement plans. But it’s also important to “sweat the small stuff” — tangible personal property. Examples include automobiles, jewelry, clothing, antiques, furniture, artwork, photographs, music collections, personal papers, collectibles (such as stamps, coins or baseball cards) and […]
Three Legal Things to Do After a Scary Health Diagnosis
A scary health diagnosis can be emotionally and logistically challenging for many reasons. For instance, how can you take care of your family if you’re physically incapacitated? In addition to working closely with your medical providers, consider these three legal tips: Check your estate plan with your attorney to make sure it is up […]
How to Get Your Estate Planning Done in Just 10 Minutes
Research tells us that the majority of Americans today still do not have estate planning in place and only a third of parents have properly named legal guardians for their minor children. That’s problematic because life happens to all of us and gives none of us a heads up. But our message this week is not about […]
Checking Your Estate Plan: Is It a Trick or a Treat?
When was the last time you reviewed your estate plan? Do you know if it will work when you need it to and be a treat for your loved ones to manage? Or is there a nasty trick lying in wait? Get our Estate Plan Checklist to give your plan a quick audit. It’s no […]
The Estate Planning and Conversations You and Your Spouse Need to Have
When was the last time you and your spouse discussed your estate planning? We know it is probably not on your list of “date night” conversations. In fact, many of our friends, family, and even professionals we work with tell us that once they create their estate plan, they consider it finalized and do not […]
How to Plan for a Loved One Who Has Autism
If you have the responsibility of a loved one with autism, the fate of this person’s future is in your hands. Planning for this person’s future is not a task to take lightly, or to begin without careful planning. Although the specific needs of an autistic individual can vary greatly depending on the severity of […]
How to Plan for Your Client’s Growing Family
If your clients are having a child, adopting, or marrying a spouse with children, you may already be meeting with them to discuss the family’s finances—everything from managing current costs to providing for the children’s future. But in those discussions, give them a huge gift: Let them know an estate plan is essential for any […]