One big mistake that people in California may make in their estate plan is carefully preparing a will or trust but neglecting their beneficiary designations. It can be easy to overlook these documents, but since they usually override wills and trusts, it is important...
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Estate Planning
The importance of understanding your will before you sign it
All California residents could benefit from having an estate plan. One aspect of it is a will. It’s important to know as much as possible about a will before you sign one. What is a will? A will is a legal document included in the estate plan that allows you to state...
Notarizing a will: When and how
A valid will does not need to be notarized in California. As long as the document is signed, it can easily be validated in probate court. Although estate rules are fairly lenient in California, the rules are stricter in other states. Requirements in California A...
Facts about codicils in estate planning
When creating an estate plan in California, there are several important documents to consider. One of the most important ones is the codicil, which you can use to make several changes to your will. What is a codicil? A codicil is an estate planning document that...
Protecting assets with a Medicaid trust
If you have the expectation of receiving long-term care as you age, then a Medicaid trust might be useful. Medicaid, if granted and used, enables you to protect your savings and retirement funds. During estate planning in California, it's important to plan for your...
Types of trusts in California
As a resident of California, your estate plan can legally consist of a diverse number of trusts. Trusts are flexible by nature, yet there are specific trusts for special needs, medical care or life insurance policies. Since you can write up a trust for any strategy...
What estate planning documents are worth considering?
When someone ages or comes face-to-face with concerns over mortality, they might start taking long-overdue estate planning steps seriously. With detailed and thoughtful estate planning, a person could make things less stressful for their surviving heirs. The...
What estate plan changes arise after a divorce?
Writing a will represents an important part of estate planning. Once signed, the legal document remains in effect until the testator decides to change it. And yes, someone can change a will under California law. Changes in either someone's life or relationships affect...
Creating an advance directive in California is essential
Preparing for the end of your life is an essential task you may want to consider if you reside in California and want to help ensure your needs and wishes are met. Creating an advance directive is one of the elements associated with this endeavor. It's a legal...
The privacy of your estate plan
Estate planning assigns your personal assets to certain beneficiaries and inheritors. Your privacy in California, however, isn’t established solely by having an estate. Holding high-worth assets in your portfolio often calls for privacy. Keeping the exact worth of...