One of the most difficult decisions you may face is choosing the person who will speak on your behalf when it comes to financial or health care decisions or raising your children if you can’t speak on your own behalf. In fact, this is where most people get stuck in the estate planning process – [&he...
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Who takes care of you if you cannot care for yourself? Do you know who will take care of you if you are so sick that you cannot make your own healthcare decisions? Will that person be legally allowed to talk to your doctor and make decisions on your behalf? And, will that person know […]
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I was recently asked the question, “How old should I be when I start my estate planning?” It’s a great question, and the answer surprised her: Estate planning should begin as soon as someone legally becomes an adult (18 years old). At 18, you don’t need complicated estate planning, but there are sev...
Read moreI hear a lot of excuses why people are not ready to prepare an estate plan. I even used some of these myself. I thought I would share the ones I hear most frequently. Seeing a lawyer is intimidating Lawyers can be intimidating, plus as a general profession, lawyers do not have the greatest reputati...
Read moreWhat would you think if you received an estate plan as a gift? Would you be pleased? Or freaked out? I’m an estate planning attorney, so I may be a bit biased, but I think it is a great gift. Here’s why. Intestate Succession – California (or Your State)’s Plan for You Did you know […]
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For many people, their retirement assets consist of accounts such as an employer sponsored 401(k) plan and/or IRA accounts. The reason for doing so it obvious: they allow for either tax-deferred growth of your hard earned money. One pitfall of these accounts is what will happen to them when you pass...
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Lawyers seem to have their own language. Many certainly speak in jargon. While I try to speak in plain English, there are many terms that are used in estate planning that need to be explained. One is “Intestate Succession.” Intestate Succession is the method by which property is distribu...
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Estate planning is often associated with death. But it’s just as important for your plan to address incapacity associated with illness, injury, advanced age or other circumstances. Unless you specify how financial and health care decisions will be made in the event you become incapacitated, there’s ...
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There are certain indispensable documents they should have in place in the event that the unthinkable happens. The following is a list of some of the most important documents, along with a description of why they are important. Durable General Power of Attorney A Durable Power of Attorney is designe...
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