At the end of a calendar year, a Torrance resident may take stock in where they have spent their money and what they need to do to save for the future. This is often the result of looking at one's earnings and how they might be affected by federal and state taxes. For some, a surplus of income may mean looking into options that include giving to organizations and individuals that can benefit from financial support.
Giving to charities through estate planning
The difficult topic of writing an heir out of a will
There are a number of planning issues that California residents can run into when they are preparing their wills. On one hand, some people want to leave bequests to so many people that they cannot figure out how to include everyone in their estate plan. On the other hand, a person may wish to exclude a child or other close family member from their will and may fear the repercussions that will develop from that action.
Changes to estate plans may be necessary after divorces
The start of a new marriage is rarely the time for a young couple to take stock in their future and plan for the time when they have both passed away. Though estate planning is something that all men and women should do, it is often put off until couples share children or hold significant assets and desire to have their wishes for the distribution of their wealth honored in the event of their deaths. California residents should note, though, that the ends of marriages are also important times to revisit their estate plans to ensure that they are accurate and up to date.
Do not fall victim to common estate planning errors
Our readers know that any person can benefit from having a plan for their end-of-life estate in place. A person's estate constitutes the wealth and assets that they have amassed over time, and most people would prefer to decide what happens with their hard-earned money rather than allowing the state and the process of probate to intervene. Therefore, one of the biggest mistakes a person can make with regard to their estate plan is neglecting to execute one.
Approach of the holidays may prompt estate planning discussions
Not all families in California have the luxury of living near each other and experiencing their loved ones' company throughout the year. As such, some individuals rely on the holidays to meet up with their relatives and to catch up on what has been happening in their lives. The winter holiday season, which is quickly approaching, is a time for family and for fun, but also for planning.
Can you prevent someone from benefitting from your estate?
One of the main reasons that California residents choose to create their own personal estate plans is to take control over how their money and assets are divided and passed out after their deaths. For example, if a person dies without an estate plan in place, their estate may be distributed to their heirs based on the laws of intestacy currently included in the state code. This could mean that an heir that the decedent did not want to collect from their estate could benefit from the decedent's passing.
Different types of trusts serve different estate planning needs
A trust is an important estate planning tool that California residents may use to protect their assets and wealth and preserve them for the benefit of their loved ones once the estate planner has passed on. However, there are many different kinds of trusts that individuals may establish. Different trust formats can accomplish different estate planning goals and may serve the diverse needs of California residents.
What can be accomplished with a living will?
There is no question that making major decisions about one's own health can be difficult and can require a significant amount of consideration. California residents may struggle to decide just how much support they want from doctors and nurses if they need to be hospitalized and may not be able to communicate their own wishes. However, once they have plans for how they want their care managed, they may want to take proactive steps to ensure that those plans are followed.
The role of mental capacity in the preparation of a will
Readers of this California estate planning blog may be familiar with the purpose of a will. Generally, a will is a testamentary device that puts into words a person's wishes for how their property and assets will be passed on to others when they die. For example, through a will a person may bequeath their jewelry to their daughter, their fishing gear to their son and their vacation home to their sibling.
Mine, yours & ours: Estate planning for mixed families
The traditional American family of a mother, a father and several children is slowly disappearing as the standard household in California and other states throughout the nation. As individuals become parents without marriage, divorces separate families and new marriages create new unions, the make-up of families is changing to become more inclusive and representative of how people actually live. With all of these changes, though, planning for the future can become complicated when families blend, separate and reorganize in new groupings.
