The birth of a child is an event that often prompts parents to get their estate plans in order. Usually, they’re concerned about naming someone to step into their shoes if the worst happens. Choosing a legal guardian for your child is an important decision that...
As you start your estate planning, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is who will be the executor. Sometimes referred to as the personal representative, this is the person who will be in charge of carrying out everything you’ve detailed in your estate...
People with no close family still living and no children or spouse often give little thought to estate planning. If you’re this group, however, as increasingly more Californians are, estate planning is especially important. If you die without a will (intestate), your...
What you need from your estate plan may be very different from what your siblings or neighbors require from their documents. Everyone's wishes regarding their legacies will be different, and your personal relationships, as well as your resources, are naturally...
Some people want nothing more than to have their closest family members present when they experience some kind of medical emergency. Others loathe the idea that their estranged parents or the spouse that abandoned them might show up at the hospital when there is some...
Everyone eventually dies, which is why a will or trust is an absolute necessity in your estate plan. However, not everyone experiences cognitive decline when they get older or a period of incapacitation at some point in their life. You never know if a head injury...
As you set up a trust, you're probably focused on all the things the trust can accomplish and the specific ways that you can dictate how the money is used. If you just wanted to leave the money to your heir, you could do that without a trust. By using one, you're...