It is estimated that 70% of Americans make charitable donations in some form. It could be yearly donations to their favorite charities or it could be in the form of making a charity the beneficiary of their trust. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has some tips for donating to…
A prenuptial agreement is a written contract that is created by two people before marriage. Prenuptial agreements are on the rise according to divorce attorneys. 73% of divorce attorneys report that in the last 5 years, there has been a steady rise in prenuptial agreements. 52% of such attorneys founnd…
If you are a client of a lawyer who dies, what happens to your file and the money that you may have in the attorney’s client trust account? Many attorneys keep their client’s original estate planning documents in their fireproof safe at their office. Maybe you are in the middle…
Many trusts created by married couples provide for the splitting of the trust into 2 subtrusts after the death of the first spouse. These types of trusts go by a variety of names: A/B trust, marital exemption trust, by pass trust, or disclaimer trusts. In these types of trusts, the…
If you have a revocable living trust, there may be questions that you have about the funding and operation of your trust. Here are a few frequently asked questions about your trust once it is in place. 1. How do I re-title assets into the name of my trust? If…
A probate conservatorship often becomes necessary when an individual cannot take care of himself or handle his own finances. A petition has to be filed in the San Diego Probate Court, usually by a family member, seeking to become a conservator of the person or the estate. The conservator of…
Some people think they do not have enough assets to need estate planning. The truth is even with a small to moderate estate, you may need an estate plan (will or trust) just as much as a wealthy person. An estate plan is a program for the distribution of your…
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that as many as 1/3 of American households have not taken out life insurance personally and are not covered at work. Life insurance can be an important tool in estate planning. There are several ways in which life insurance may play a role in…
Remember when hotel magnate Leona Helmsley left $12 million to her dog Trouble? It’s happened again! The late Miami heiress Gail Posner who recently died in Miami left $3 million to her dog Conchita and 2 other dogs who will live in her 7 bedroom $8.3 million mansion cared for…
If someone dies without a will or a trust, they are said to have died intestate. According to the Probate Code sections on intestacy ( Sections 6400 et seq.), that person’s estate will be distributed to the persons specified in the Code. For example, if you die without a will…