As 2017 draws to its end and 2018 shines on the horizon, Californians may be starting to consider what resolutions they would like to work toward in the New Year. While some may desire to improve their health or get ahead at work, others may make plans to simplify their lives and focus their attention on family and friends. However, few many look far into the future to an eventuality that all people must face: their death.
That fact is, though, that every man and woman in the state will leave behind some amount of property or some type of assets when they pass on. And if they fail to create a sound estate plan that outlines where they want their assets to go and to whom the benefit of their wealth should flow, the laws of intestacy may impose their regulations and create bequests and inheritances that the deceased party never would have intended.
If a person has an estate plan in place, they have a head start on those who have not yet taken the important first step of putting their testamentary wishes to paper. However, even those who have estate plans may need to make changes to their testamentary documents if their wealth, family life or testamentary desires have changed.
Michael A. Sawamura, Attorney at Law, understands that the New Year is a time of hope for the future, and he encourages his clients and blog readers to evaluate the plans they have put in place for their estate plans. He and his team are available to assist those who want to start 2018 with a solid estate plan in place as well as those whose plans need modifications to reflect their creators’ intentions.