If you are at all familiar with estate planning, you’ve heard the term “power of attorney.” You may also have heard some of the variations of that term, such as medical power of attorney or durable power of attorney. Each type of power of attorney has its own rules and limitations. Choosing...
Estate Tax Laws in CA — See How They Affect You
Considering the potential impact of taxes on your beneficiaries is essential in the estate planning process, but California residents, in particular, may be confused about how estate tax laws will impact the inheritance they wish to pass on.
Consultation with an attorney who specializes in estate planning will clarify...
Copyright? What to Consider With Your Estate Plan
Estate planning is a powerful means to protect your wealth as it transfers to future generations. It involves not only common assets, such as bank accounts, real estate, and vehicles, but also more specialized assets like intellectual property assets.
More specifically, copyrights are extremely valuable and deserve special attention...
Ask the Attorney: Should I Leave Everything to My Spouse? (Spoiler — Your Kids May Never Get It)
Leaving all your assets to your spouse seems like the easiest and best decision; you want them to remain financially stable after you’ve passed, and you trust that they will make sound decisions. If you have children, you may assume that your spouse will pass on an inheritance to them, as you...
First Date With Your Estate Planning Attorney: Here’s How to Prepare for Your First Consultation With OC Wills & Trusts
Estate planning is one of the most important processes you will ever work through; you are essentially deciding what happens to your hard-earned assets and those that have been given to you, but even more than that, you may also be deciding how to provide for loved ones upon your passing.
4 Ways to Respect Traditional Eastern Values in Estate Planning
Orange County, California, is home to the nation’s third-largest Asian population, with nearly 600,000 Asian Americans living in the area. With that said, the county’s estate planning attorneys are learning that the needs of people who maintain traditional Eastern values are different than those with traditional Western values.
Western...
Why Estate Planning Isn’t Just for Older People
If you intend to wait until your golden years to get the ball rolling on the estate planning process, you may already be missing out on an opportunity to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Estate planning has value for people of all ages, and fortunately, more younger adults...
Ask the Attorney: My Dad Has Dementia, but His Name Is Still on the Property Deed. How Can I Transfer the Deed Over to Me?
As parents get older, they face several challenges, including declining health. You not only have to deal with the emotional aspects of these changes but also the additional struggles that come with it, like planning for the future.
Dementia is one of the hardest health issues to deal with,...
Estate Planners: Here’s Why Just a Will Isn’t Enough
There is a common misconception that an estate plan equals a will, and that’s it. In reality, a comprehensive estate plan can involve several different types of documents, depending on your wants and needs.
While a will is a crucial part of any estate plan, it isn’t the...
Estate Planning Lessons From Hollywood
Take away the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, and celebrities are not unlike you. However, there are very few things that set celebrities apart from others, including the size of their estates. Celebrities often have much to protect, which is why estate planning is critical.
Many celebrities don’t take...