When you create a revocable living trust, you focus on avoiding the probate court process, maintaining privacy, and ensuring a smooth transition of your real estate, bank accounts, and personal property to the people you care about. However, a common question arises regarding long-term financial security: does a revocable living trust shield your beneficiaries from […]
Estate Planning
The Most Important Role In Your Estate Plan
Who is your successor trustee? So this is the person who is paying bills, selling property, gathering your assets to pay for a long-term care need, or if you’ve passed away, distributing it to the people in your family. And this isn’t any small job and it isn’t something you should just pick your […]
Define Your Estate Planning Objectives
What are the most important goals you want your estate plan to accomplish? Do you want to ensure that your assets go to the people you intend? Reduce taxes and legal complications? Appoint trusted individuals to make financial or health care decisions on your behalf? These questions form the foundation of an effective estate […]
Can You Turn Down an Inheritance?
When people think about receiving an inheritance, they usually picture an unexpected financial windfall or a cherished family heirloom. Society teaches us to view any inheritance as a gift, and the automatic assumption is that everyone will gladly accept it. However, life is rarely that simple. In the real world, receiving an inheritance can come […]
Can You Disinherit a Spouse in California?
California law makes it very difficult to completely disinherit a spouse. The state’s community property system gives your surviving spouse a legal claim to a significant portion of your estate, regardless of what your will or trust says. Understanding where those boundaries are helps you make informed decisions about how your estate plan is structured. […]
Still Fighting: The Estate Planning Legacy of Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty spent years fighting breast cancer with courage and candor. In her final days, she also fought to finalize her divorce – signing the settlement just one day before she died. More than a year later, her estate is still fighting to enforce it. Shannen’s story is a powerful reminder that even the best-laid plans can unravel when the wrong people are involved – and that naming the right Trustee may be the most important decision you ever make.
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