estate planning

A marriage commitment comes with significant effects on our wealth and estates. Many ignore this fact and concentrate only on the matter until things are out of control. Whether you are getting into your first, second, or third marriage, it is essential to consider...

California law gives you the freedom to decide how you want your loved ones to inherit your assets after you pass. You can choose to use a will, which would set forth your wishes in a document that becomes effective after your death. Or you may use a revocable living...

If your family is like many others in California, the winter holidays are often the only time you and your adult children are in the same room together. This makes it an ideal time to hold a family meeting to discuss estate planning. Preparing for the conversation...

When a spendthrift is created in California, it is a trust that puts limitations on a beneficiary’s access to the funds that are within the trust account. There are two benefits to this type of estate planning tool. First, it sees to it that the beneficiaries you care...

When selecting an individual to act as an executor or an administrator of your estate, many people in California ask a family member or a close, trusted friend to do the job. However, for some people, this choice is not possible or practical. Consider these attributes...

California residents with estate plans in place enjoy peace of mind because they know that difficult end-of-life matters have been addressed, but they should not become complacent. An estate plan reflects an individual’s circumstances, and it should be revisited, and...

Planned giving allows California residents to support the charities they care about long after they’re gone. Planned giving is a fundamental part of estate planning for many philanthropists. Even if you didn’t donate much during your lifetime, planned giving is the...

If you live in California and plan to distribute your assets unequally to your children in your will, it's best to give them advance warning. Siblings don't always get along, but you don't want your uneven disbursements to splinter your family irreparably. Call a...

Sometimes, family planning doesn't exactly go as planned. This is all too true for parents in California and around the country who discover they are having an unexpected child years after their other children were born. If you find yourself in this situation, much...

Estate planning can be more complex than simply drafting a will. In California, people may choose to grant legal authority to a trusted individual to manage their business and financial affairs. This is typically accomplished through a power of attorney document. The...