Estate Planning

Putting together a valid will can resolve many estate planning needs. A testator with a valid will can select the personal representative who administers their estate or the guardian who might care for their children. They can list their beneficiaries and clarify what...

People often use certain life milestones as indicators that it may be time to establish or review an estate plan. For many people, getting married or having children may be the personal changes that make them address their mortality. However, financial goals can also...

Most people know that dying without a will can lead to major probate challenges. Quite a few people know at least one person who lost a loved one who did not already have a will on record. They may have had a difficult time handling probate matters and may have...

While it is usual to leave your children something when you die, there may be occasions when you do not want to do so. Perhaps you wish to exclude one or all of them from getting anything. It’s your estate so you can usually do this. However, it’s not a decision to...

As you draft your estate plan, it may become clear to you that your life insurance policy is a substantial asset. Along with a family business or a family home, it’s probably one of your most valuable assets. As such, it’s important to you that it is passed down...

An important part of estate planning is choosing a guardian. For instance, couples sometimes have their first child and then start to take estate planning much more seriously. They know that they need to create a plan now that there’s another generation to consider....

When you look into estate planning, one thing that you’ll find is that most people haven’t done it. The majority of Americans don’t have an estate plan, and many people will pass away without ever writing one. There are a variety of reasons why this happens. However,...

For nontraditional couples, estate planning can be somewhat different. LGBTQ+ couples and heterosexual couples who don’t marry should be aware of the tax ramifications and other issues that can crop up during estate planning. Below is some pertinent information about...

Most people believe estate planning mainly focuses on what happens after they pass away. Their will instructs what happens to their assets, who should benefit from the estate and how an estate is settled. However, people have the option to decide in their will what...

Estate planning is a deeply personal process in which someone provides support for their loved ones and creates a legacy. Every testator in California has unique concerns and goals, but there are some desires that are relatively universal. For example, most testators...