I’ll take care of it tomorrow. How many times have you said this in the past year? It seems innocuous enough, especially when something is as trivial as mailing a letter or taking out the garbage. But there are some things, such as going to the doctor or planning your retirement, that could have major […]

Tags: common-law, couples, death, intestacy, intestate, joint tenancy, leaglly married, living together, Marriage, Probate, tenants-in-common, trust, unwed, Wills
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In 1987, your mother purchased her home for $85,000. It’s now 2018 and the home is worth over $500,000. Better yet, it’s about to become yours. The caveat: the transfer of this property will immediately trigger reassessment of the property tax, which means you could end up paying a great deal more than what your […]

Tags: Estate Planning, exemption, inheritence, prop 13, prop 193, prop 58, property, property tax, proposition 13, proposition 193, propostition 58, reassessment, tax, transfer
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No matter what happens, no one can bring anything with them when they die. The most we can do to prepare for the inevitable is draft a will or trust, which guarantees that the assets left behind (the decedent’s estate) are transferred to the correct heirs. It seems easy enough, but the process of transferring […]

Tags: California, California Legal Codes, California Penal Codes, California Probate, California Probate Codes, Legal Codes, Penal Codes, Probate, Probate Code, Trusts, Wills
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A lot of movies in the marketplace are titled Inheritance (or some variation of that). These films tend to take a dramatic, morose look at inheritances and can be relatable or therapeutic if you’ve recently lost a loved one. But they also focus more on character relationships than with the inheritance itself. On the other […]

Tags: brewsters millions, conditional bequest, creative, creative wills, easy money, Estate Planning, inherit, inheritance, movies, the bachelor, will, Wills
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No matter how much planning one does to prepare for the future, no one knows exactly when they’re going to die. In the matter of probate, this can cause various issues, especially when dealing with assets and property in multiple states. The probate process can be time-consuming and expensive when someone dies with all of […]

Tags: ancillary, ancillary probate, Estate, Estate Planning, Probate, process, residency
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In a lot of movies, we often see grieving families gather together to observe the reading of the deceased’s will, after which, everyone receives their inheritance without a lot of fuss. The reality concerning the distribution of assets (also known as probate), though, is far more complex. An executor must be named to oversee the […]

Tags: bond, bonding company, California Probate, estate bond, executor bond, fiduciary bond, insurance broker, intestate probate, posting bond, posting probate bond, Probate, probate bond, probate court, Probate Fiduciary, Probate Process, surety agent, Wills
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Marriage is considered by most to be a blessed event that binds two lives together. But no matter how much we all want to believe in happily ever after, the hard, cold truth is that a healthy percentage of marriages in the U.S. fail within fifteen years. No matter the reason — including age, family […]

Tags: contemplating divorce, Divorce, long-term marriage, Marriage, short-term marriage, Spousal Support, Spouse support, standard of living, Support
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It may not seem like it, but there are a lot of things to consider when dealing with a loved one’s death beyond funeral arrangements. One must be prepared to notify heirs and/or beneficiaries, safeguard and distribute the decedent’s assets, pay off any outstanding obligations, and manage the liquidation of investment portfolios, retirement funds and […]

Tags: benefits, Estate Admin, Estate Administrator, Estate Planning, Fiduciary, Probate, Probate Fiduciary, Professional Estate Administrator, Professional Fiduciary, Professional Trustee, Trustee, Trusts, Wills, Wills and Trusts
Posted in Estate Planning - Wills, Trusts, and Probate, Fiduciary | 1 Comment »

Coping with the death of a loved one can be a very painful time for anyone. In a perfect world, you’d be able to mourn your loss in peace. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world; when a loved one dies, there are a litany of personal and legal matters that must be attended […]

Tags: Death Certificate, Death of a Loved One, death of family member, death of loved one, Funeral, Funeral Arrangements, Letter of Testamant, Obituary, Probate, Probate Process, steps to take after a death, steps to take after a loved one dies, steps to take when loved one passes, Trusts, what to do after a death, What to do after loved one dies, what to do when loved one passes, Wills, Wills and Trusts
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It was only one month ago we lost two iconic celebrities who also happened to be family. Character actor, writer and loving philanthropist Carrie Fisher (best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars) passed away on December 27, 2016 after suffering a major heart attack. The next day, her mother, actress Debbie […]

Tags: California Probate, California Probate Code, California Probate Law, Carrie Fisher, Celebrities, Celebrity, Celebrity Deaths, Debbie Reynolds, Estate, Estate Planning, Pop Culture, Probate, Probate Law, Trusts, Wills, Wills and Trusts
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