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    Estate Planning Documents for Children Over 18
    • 3 min

    Estate Planning Documents for Children Over 18

    Recommended steps to get a basic estate planning foundation in place for a child over 18, so parents can still be involved and help them.
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    Where Should I Keep My Will and Trust?
    • 3 min

    Where Should I Keep My Will and Trust?

    Clients often ask where they should keep their Will and Trust. Although some people ask their attorney to hold the original documents of their estate plan, Forbes’ recent article, “Keeping Your Estate Planning Documents Safe,” explains that, because of the expense of storage and the move to paperless offices, many estate planning attorneys are now having their clients hold the original documents. I believe that is the right answer. I’ve seen well established law firms with se
    80 views
    What is Community Property in California?
    • 2 min

    What is Community Property in California?

    Marital property in community property states is owned by both spouses equally, according to nj.com’s recent article, “Does this house really become community property after marriage?” Let’s imagine you own a home before your second marriage and created a will leaving the condo to a child. However, you sold the home and purchased another house in your name using funds from the sale and your own funds. Does your new spouse own half the house, even though it’s in your name beca
    16 views
    Estate Planning with Transfer on Death Accounts
    • 3 min

    Estate Planning with Transfer on Death Accounts

    Estate planning with a will (as opposed to a living trust) often carries with it the need to involve a court process called probate to transfer assets out of a deceased person’s name after they pass away. In states such as California, probate is a lengthy, public, and expensive process that most people are highly motivated to avoid. That is why I love estate planning with transfer on death accounts as a probate avoidance tool. By changing some accounts to transfer on death (T
    5 views
    Estate Planning Attorney Advice for Aging Parents
    • 3 min

    Estate Planning Attorney Advice for Aging Parents

    Imagine that a perfectly fine, aging-well parent has a minor stroke and is no longer able to manage their financial or legal affairs. What happens, asks the Daily Times, when you are confronted with this scenario in the aptly-titled article “Senior Life: What a nightmare! Untangling a loved one’s finances”? Estate planning attorneys know how stressful of an event this can be if an aging parent has not planned in advance by getting the appropriate legal documents in place. It
    7 views
    Beneficiary Designation Mistakes to Avoid
    • 3 min

    Beneficiary Designation Mistakes to Avoid

    Many people don’t understand that their will (or trust) doesn’t always control all of their assets. Some of a person’s assets pass by beneficiary designation. That’s accomplished by completing a form with the financial institution that holds the asset and naming who will inherit the asset upon your death. While legally effective, there are common beneficiary designation mistakes that can lay estate planning traps for the unwary. Kiplinger’s recent article, “Beneficiary Design
    11 views
    Top 3 Reasons to Have a Living Trust
    • 3 min

    Top 3 Reasons to Have a Living Trust

    There are many reasons to have a Living Trust. Living trusts (also called revocable trusts and revocable living trusts) are a great estate planning option for people who own real estate or any significant investments, for those with more complicated family situations (including concerns of an heir who may challenge their estate plan), those with concerns of diminished capacity in later years, or those who simply value privacy over their affairs and want to ensure a smooth and
    12 views
    Avoiding Probate in California
    • 3 min

    Avoiding Probate in California

    Avoiding probate is a major estate planning objective of many California individuals and families. Probate is the legal court process necessary to recognize a person’s death, and administer their estate according to the terms of their will, or according to the laws of intestate succession of their was no will. The probate process in California can be lengthy and expensive for those who have a will, and even more so for those without one. For example, the median value of a Bay
    37 views
    Estate Planning if You’re Childless
    • 3 min

    Estate Planning if You’re Childless

    Estate planning is a very personal process. If you’re childless, it’s actually much more important to have an estate plan than you might realize. When a person has no children or close relatives (other than perhaps a spouse), the decisions needed to create an estate plan can be overwhelming. Kiplinger’s recent article, “No Children? Why You Still Need an Estate Plan,” provides some ideas: Incapacity Planning Documents Everyone should have an advance healthcare directive and a
    53 views
    Estate Planning for New Parents
    • 2 min

    Estate Planning for New Parents

    Estate planning is something new parents need to put at the top of their must do list. I know you may be sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and frazzled. But don’t let that become an excuse to put off your estate planning. Having a child dramatically changes one’s estate plan and makes having that plan all the more necessary, says ThinkAdvisor’s recent article, “5 Legacy Planning Basics for New Parents.” Create a checklist—and set attainable dates to complete the items. Here are fi
    4 views
    How to Incorporate Charitable Giving into an Estate Plan
    • 2 min

    How to Incorporate Charitable Giving into an Estate Plan

    When looking into charitable giving, it can easily become overwhelming. Talking to an experienced estate planning attorney can help make this a simple part of your estate planning that you feel great about. The Press & Guide’s recent article, “Estate planning and charitable giving,” explains that there are a number of ways to incorporate charitable giving into an estate plan. It is something that almost anyone can do. Let’s look at some common ways to give: Giving in your wi
    11 views
    Should I Create My Will Online?
    • 3 min

    Should I Create My Will Online?

    More than 50% of Americans don’t have a will, according to a 2017 survey by Caring.com. A U.S. News & World Report’s article asks “Should You Make a Free Will Online?” According to the article, before writing your will or using an online service, you need to know the legal requirements in your area. In many instances, this is best left to a legal professional in your state. There are plenty of online tools that will help you create a will. However, before clicking on a websit
    5 views
    How to Talk to Your Parents  About Estate Planning
    • 2 min

    How to Talk to Your Parents About Estate Planning

    Fox 5 NY says in the article “Why estate planning is important regardless of your age or wealth” that this is great time to begin talking to your loved ones about estate planning, especially older relatives and parents. The key to a successful discussion with your parents about estate planning depends upon the right approach. Try to always make suggestions, rather than demands. One great way to start the conversation with family members, is to mention what you’re doing. You m
    6 views
    Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?
    • 3 min

    Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?

    Estate planning is fairly easy to do. That said, it is also very easy not to do (as evidenced by the statistics on the subject). Therefore, it is helpful to understand the reasons why putting together your estate plan is so important.  Awareness of the importance of estate planning can help propel you into action. Investopedia’s recent article, “4 Reasons Estate Planning Is So Important,” says you should consider the following four reasons why you should have an estate plan.
    9 views
    Estate Planning Review for 2019
    • 4 min

    Estate Planning Review for 2019

    Your estate plan has a big impact on your finances and should be considered as important as your investment portfolio, says Wealth Management in the recent article “Eight Simple Estate Planning Review Items for 2019.” Here are the items that may need your attention: Beneficiary designations When was the last time you checked these? Beneficiary designations are usually created when an account is initially opened, and often that’s the last time people see them. That is a huge m
    5 views
    Proper Estate Planning Can Prevent Family Fights
    • 3 min

    Proper Estate Planning Can Prevent Family Fights

    If you’re concerned about family conflict after you pass away, you must have an estate plan to minimize that potential for conflict by making your wishes clear and legally documented. Unfortunately for families, most people (whether they are concerned about conflict or not) never get around to estate planning. In fact, research shows that about 60% of U.S. adults don’t have even a simple will. For those that do have a will, they often fail to recognize that not all of their p
    8 views
    Six Common Estate Planning Mistakes That You Can Avoid
    • 3 min

    Six Common Estate Planning Mistakes That You Can Avoid

    The number one estate planning mistake is failing to have or to update an estate plan, says the Times Herald in the article “Top six estate planning mistakes.” Therefore, start by working with an estate planning attorney to create an estate plan, and you’ll be way ahead of most Americans. Why does this matter? An estate plan allows you to stay in control of your assets while you are alive, provide for your loved ones and for yourself in the event you become mentally or physic
    8 views

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    4695 Chabot Drive, Suite 200
    Pleasanton, CA 94588

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