Things You Need to Know as Successor Trustee
Being named as a successor trustee in someone’s revocable living trust document can be considered a great honor. But with that honor comes responsibility. Whether you were appointed to this role due to someone’s death or incapacity, we are here...
Reviewing Your Accounts and Property upon the Death of a Loved One
How your accounts are owned makes a big difference in estate planning. The main objective is usually to ensure that no accounts and property are in only your name when you die. Otherwise, they will be subject to probate, a...
Is Our Home Community Property or Separate Property, and Why Does It Matter?
When two people get married, the property they obtain during their marriage is called marital property. This includes anything from real property like homes and rental properties, to stock options, investment accounts, heirlooms, and employment income. A common assumption is...
Myths We Tell Ourselves about Estate Planning
Estate planning can be a very difficult process. While it is not brain surgery, making the decision to move forward with an estate plan requires us to face the fact that we will not live forever. This thought stops many...
Important Questions Your Estate Planning Attorney Will Ask You
For many people, the thought of meeting with an estate planning attorney strikes fear into their hearts. It can be uncomfortable to even consider the possibility of no longer being able to manage your own affairs, let alone no longer...
Life Insurance and Estate Planning: Protecting Your Beneficiaries’ Interests
A common misconception people have about life insurance is that they only need to designate their spouse, child, or loved one as the beneficiary of the policy to ensure that the life insurance benefits will be available to the beneficiary...
Why Singles Should Worry about Estate Planning
As a single individual, you may feel overwhelmed when you think about who will step in and make decisions for you if you cannot make decisions for yourself and who will receive your money and property when you die. You...
Handling the Legal Affairs of a Missing Person
Approximately 600,000 people go missing in the United States each year.[1] The loved ones who are left behind must carry not only heavy emotional burdens but significant practical burdens too. People who go missing often leave behind real estate and...
Decanting: Redoing Your Loved One’s Estate Plan
In a constantly evolving world, having the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances is a valuable trait. But is flexibility less important in estate planning than in other areas of life? In many situations, you may not want your estate...
Can a Beneficiary Also Be a Trustee of a Trust?
Clients often naturally choose their children to be beneficiaries of their revocable living trusts. Many clients also wish to name one or more of their children as the trustee of that trust, but are not sure if that is allowed...