Digital estate planning is an increasingly important aspect of modern estate management, reflecting the growing digital footprint in the lives of American adults. In the simplest terms, digital estate planning involves making arrangements for your digital assets after...
Estate Planning
How many people die without a valid estate plan in place?
Estate planning is an important activity for all adults. Someone who has just turned 18 and plans to leave for college may need an estate plan. Someone who just got married or who had a baby would also likely benefit from an estate plan to put protections in place for...
Is it time to update your estate plan?
An estate plan is a set of legal documents that helps determine how someone's affairs should be handled at the end of their life. Many people create estate plans early in case of an emergency. However, these estate plans often sit around collecting dust, which can...
3 parts of an estate plan
You may wonder what you can do about your estate after you pass away. If you want to control what happens to your assets and personal effects after you die, an estate plan is essential. Making an estate plan is the process of anticipating your passing and instructing...
3 estate planning moves to make when preparing for retirement
There are many points in life during which an individual may have to consider their own mortality and what may happen in the future. For example, the months leading up to someone's retirement are one of the times in which people have to accept the consequences of...
4 ways of avoiding the red tape of probate
Probate is the legal process of administering your estate after you are gone. The court-controlled affair involves organizing your assets and paying off your estate's taxes and debts before distributing them to your heirs per the will. It may seem a pretty...
Who can witness a will in California?
A will is one of the most important legal documents you can ever create. Done right, a will can give you peace of mind knowing that your hard-earned assets will pass down to the people and causes you care about. For your California will to be enforceable, however, it...
When should you update your estate plan?
Many people don’t consider creating their estate plan. They may think it’s only for the wealthy or that they are too young. However, even though we don’t like to think about our mortality, it’s essential to be prepared for the eventuality. But what if you have already...
3 myths and facts about estate planning
Creating an estate plan is ideal for two reasons: it gives you control over how your assets are handled after your death, and it provides your beneficiaries some financial comfort. Nonetheless, some people are hesitant to make an estate plan due to the misconceptions...
Keep these tips in mind for beneficiary designations
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...