Incapacity Planning. Incapacity is an unexpected wrinkle in your estate plan. I am a planner. I make plans, I like making plans, and sometimes my plans go awry. Despite any prudent effort on my part, I cannot prepare for every contingency AND neither can you....
Estate Planning Blogs Estate Planning Blogs. Have you ever wished there was one location to find basic information about estate planning? One location where you could get some definitions for concepts e.g., what is a trust? What is a Trustee? What goes into an estate...
Probate Process Probate process basic steps. When someone passes away, their estate is generally required to go through probate unless there was a valid trust in place. It is a lengthy and often expensive process. Expensive not just in terms of the financial cost, but...
Reasons for having an insurance policy. Do you have life insurance? If not, have you considered purchasing some? Life insurance is one of the most important components of an estate plan. There are a number of reasons why you might consider incorporating life insurance...
Funding the trust with out-of-state property. Imagine your primary residence is in the state of California. But you also have a second home in Idaho and a piece of unimproved land in Nevada. Your California lawyer created a trust-based estate plan and funded your...
Estate planning for artists. Do any of the following apply to you? Do you create art as a hobby? While you might not be making money from your art, your work might nonetheless have value either later in your life or after you die. For that reason, it’s important that...
What Powers Should I Give to My Trustee? Trustee powers. What Powers Should I Give to My Trustee? A grantor can grant to her trustee any number of powers. She can expand, limit, or restrict the powers that her trustee may exercise. Here are just a few of the many...
Estate Planning Myths are a cause for trouble. Myths are widely held but false beliefs. People talk themselves out of creating an estate plan for many reasons. Considering the overall benefits, I ask, are those reasons valid? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Buying into...
Why a Pet Trust? Why a Pet trust? When most people think of creating an estate plan, the conversation focuses on the spouse, the children, and in some cases the grandkids. Unless encouraged to do so, rarely is the protection of ones “furry children,” considered. Yet,...