Focused And Personalized Attention Concerning Your Estate Planning Needs
In California, trusts have long been a favored means of estate planning. Trusts provide great flexibility can help avoid probate and often significant tax advantages.A trust is created by a person known as the trustor or settlor, who places property in the trust and...
The death of rock legend David Bowie at the age of 69 on January 10 came as a shock to many music fans in Northern California. Fortunately for his loved ones, Bowie had prepared an estate plan and executed a will in 2004.Bowie left an estate estimated to be worth...
An estate plan is a written instrument used by individuals in California and elsewhere to pass their assets and property to their heirs and beneficiaries. In order for these assets to be transferred after the person's death, the probate process will need to be...
Many California music fans remember singer James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," who died nine years ago. Unfortunately, litigation over his estate remains ongoing. Recently, four of Brown's six children reached a settlement agreement, which has been submitted to a...
No matter the age of a couple, it is not uncommon to draft a will and establish an estate plan at some point during a marriage. Major decisions are made in these legal documents, and they can be very beneficial at delivering the wishes of the spouses at incapacitation...
An important aspect of estate planning is drafting a will. However, including a will does not always indicate that the legal document will serve the role it was intended to. This is especially true if a will is missing after the death of a loved one in California or...
Avoiding unnecessary taxation has long been one of the primary goals of drafting an estate plan for California residents. As we noted in a recent post, the federal gift and estate tax exemption will increase to $5.45 million on January 1, continuing an upward trend...
The primary reason to prepare an estate plan is to ensure that your assets are passed on to those you want to receive them. If you die without a will or trust in California, your estate will be distributed according to the state's intestacy laws. Our law firm...
Many individuals in Northern California have been meaning to get around to estate planning for some time. Some people may make it their New Year's resolution to prepare an estate plan in 2016. Preparing an estate plan is extremely important for those who wish to avoid...
Unfortunately, when a resident of Northern California dies, it is sometimes unclear whether they left a will, or which of several purported wills is valid. The result can be a court battle similar to one now taking place in New York over the estate of a man who died...