Hey there, pet lovers! You’ve got the chew toys, the gourmet pet food, and even a pet cam to spy on—err, check in on—your furry friend while you’re away. But have you ever stopped to think about what would happen to your pet if you couldn’t be there for them? You probably already know the [&he...
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We’re setting sail on a voyage through some choppy waters of four estate planning horror stories. Trust me, these tales you don’t want to be a part of. 🚢💀 The Incapacitated Spouse and the Reverse Mortgage Debacle Emily and Jack have been married for decades. Unfortunately, Emily became i...
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It’s October, so in the spirit of spooky season, I thought I’d share a ghost story. Ok, really lessons we can learn from mistakes made by the rich and famous. 🌟 Estate planning might not be as dazzling as a Hollywood premiere, but listen, even the stars have to think about it. Let’...
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Let’s talk about something people often brush under the rug: estate planning. Now, before you scroll away thinking: “I don’t have an estate” or “The bank owns my house” or even, “That’s for the Jeff Bezoses or Elon Musks of the world” – hang on a sec. Estate planning isn̵...
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My youngest son just went off to college for the first time, so my husband and I are now empty nesters! It’s been more than 20 years since it was just us in the house, so it’s taking some getting used to. As an estate planning attorney, one of the things that I did to […]
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Ahoy there, fellow Californians, estate planning enthusiasts, and everyone who’s setting sail in the sea of life! I’m your friendly neighborhood lawyer, seasoned sailor of the legal seas, ready to guide you through the complex currents of estate planning. Today, we’re going to char...
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When a spouse is disabled and has qualified to receive Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program), what happens if the “well” spouse dies first? Medi-Cal is a “needs based” program. That means there are strict income and asset requirements. A person applying for and receiving Medi-Cal must have less t...
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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 […]
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...
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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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