Estate Planning

Suppose you are severely incapacitated by an illness or a catastrophic injury and unable to communicate your medical wishes effectively. How long should you be kept on life support? Should doctors attempt a delicate surgery that may keep you alive but reduce your...

Digital estate planning is becoming an increasingly urgent concern. To better ensure that your digital assets and online presence are properly managed and protected after your passing, it’s important to add digital planning terms to an existing estate plan or to craft...

If you are worried that your heirs might contest your will after you die, you may want to consider a no-contest clause in your estate plan. Before you do, however, you need to understand their uses and limitations.  A no-contest clause can’t legally stop someone from...

Estate planning allows you to state your wishes should you become incapacitated or die. These include how to distribute assets, how to and who will raise your kids and who should make decisions on your behalf.  Anyone above 18 years and of sound mind in California has...

Do you have an irresponsible spender among your loved ones? You’re not alone. Nearly every family has at least one member who has trouble holding on to money. You probably have concerns about what will happen to the monetary gifts you leave behind for these loved...

Your estate plan is your business. From your choice of who you want to serve as your power of attorney in the event of a debilitating accident to how you wish your assets to be distributed upon your death, the details of your estate plan are yours to determine. With...

What happens to someone's body after their death can have profound implications for their family members. Burials are often expensive, but they at least provide a location for those struggling with their grief to visit and remember someone. Cremation can also give...

Many people think estate planning only has to do with passing assets down to your beneficiaries. This isn’t the case. You can also set up your plan for what will happen if you’re incapacitated. One component of this is designating a power of attorney for your...

A power of attorney is an extremely crucial part of the estate planning process. This legal document plans for your incapacity or inability to make vital decisions on your own. If you were to become gravely ill, lose consciousness following a car wreck or slide into a...

When you die, your estate will go through probate. This court-controlled process is used to validate your will and ensure it is executed based on your wishes.  When described in this way, probate seems simple. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and there are...