Ideally, you will take time to create an estate plan that provides for your needs now and after you pass. If you fail to make a will or trust, California law may distribute assets to your spouse or child by default. In addition to a will or trust, it may be a good...
Wills And Trusts
Why estate planning may be important for you
Physicians and other professionals in California may want to consider creating an estate plan that they review and modify over the years as there are changes in their families, their assets and the law. There are two elements to estate planning. One is about planning...
When to make changes to a will
Californians with any assets or property to their name should consider drafting a will regardless of their age. Wills can help ensure that assets are allocated to beneficiaries as intended. It is also important to revise wills when needed to add beneficiaries, such as...
Estate planning: wills vs. trusts
In California and across the U.S., it is important to have an estate plan. This plan can be guided by a will, one or more trusts, or a combination of both. Usually, either the will or the trust will have primary importance in an estate plan. When individuals use a...
When might you want to update your will?
Taking time to stop and think about your plans for the end of your life isn't likely something that you want to do while you're busy living your peak years, but it's important to do it. This will ensure that things end up getting handled exactly as you'd like them to...
The required elements of a will
Each state in the country has its own set of estate planning rules for what constitutes a valid and legal will. For this reason, readers of this post are encouraged to fully understand the estate planning laws in their state. However, this post will offer an overview...
Ways that an estate plan can be challenged
A number of legal documents can make up an estate plan. However, the mere existence of these documents is not enough to constitute a satisfactory and efficient plan. In fact, any errors in the creation of these documents can render an entire estate plan invalid,...
Wills, trusts and no-contest clauses
Many Californians who establish wills and trusts simply want their assets to be distributed in accordance with their wishes while avoiding conflict. This is especially true when loved ones are written out of an estate plan or assets are distributed in a lopsided...
The pour-over will can make estate planning simpler
Wills and trusts can be tailored to fit an individual's needs. This is the beauty of estate planning. Regardless of one's family makeup, resources, or desire for asset distribution, there is a legal strategy for them.Some Californians may feel comfortable relying...
Common issues when creating a will or trust
The will is often thought of as the most basic of estate planning tools. This is true to a certain extent. This document basically spells out how one's assets will be distributed upon death.As easy as that may sound, the truth is that even basic estate planning...
