Estate Planning

There are many elements to estate planning, and it is easy to overlook things. Doing so could make things difficult for those you leave behind. One of those things you might overlook is a letter of instruction because it does not get as much attention as things such...

Many people do not make medical plans in advance, either as part of their estate plan or otherwise. This is a major risk, though. If you don’t have a plan and become incapacitated, then doctors and family members won’t know the type of care you would have wanted to...

When you draft a will, your main focus may be organizing the distribution of your assets. You can use the will to choose certain beneficiaries and specific assets that you want to go together. In some cases, joint ownership will also be used, such as when passing a...

When setting up a trust, you are required to name both a trustee and a beneficiary. The beneficiary is the person who receives payouts from the trust. The trustee, on the other hand, is the person who makes those distributions. In some cases, this means the trustee is...

A no-contest clause can be used as part of an estate plan to prevent someone from challenging that plan. If they challenge, the clause states that they have to give up the inheritance that they otherwise would have received. For example, say that you have two children...

When someone gets disinherited, it typically means that they expected to get an inheritance, but they did not receive one as part of the estate plan. This could be a person who was previously included in the will and then removed or a direct descendent. For example,...

One of the first and most important estate planning documents that California adults should put in place is an advance directive for health care. This allows you to state your preferences for things like what kind of life-prolonging measures you want to continue under...

One step that’s critical when you’re getting an estate plan is making a list of all your assets so you can ensure that you’re addressing all of them in the plan. The assets you have will need to be listed in your will or placed in trusts if you want to have a say in...

One of the most important people in the estate planning process is the executor of the estate. The executor is responsible for settling the decedent’s estate. What this means is that they will need to go through several steps to help ensure several concerns of the...

Preparing for potential incapacitation is a crucial estate planning step that you shouldn’t overlook. It involves making decisions now about the medical care you wish to receive if you become unable to communicate your preferences in the future due to illness, injury...