Our Estate Planning Library Articles

Our legal library contains a variety of articles to help people understand the California estate planning process. Browse through our library to learn about the documents included in an estate plan, how to protect your future health and medical care, and how to ensure that your wealth will be appropriately passed down to your loved ones.

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Deciding If Your Estate Plan Needs a Letter of Instruction A letter of instruction isn’t a legally binding document, but it can help your loved ones easily settle your estate after you have passed away. Learn more here.
Deciding If a Totten Trust Is Right for You A Totten trust can help you pass cash to loved ones without the need for probate. However, these trusts can have distinct drawbacks. Learn more here.
Why You Should Create an Estate Plan Even If You Don’t Have Heirs You may not want to create an estate plan if you don’t have children or a spouse. But, you still have options to create a legacy protected from the court.
When You Should Rewrite Your Will Completely While changing your will to include a codicil may seem easier, it is often simpler and safer to redraft your will outright. Learn more here.
Creating a Special Needs Trust A special needs trust can help California parents protect their children’s well-being while ensuring they can still get government assistance.
How to Ensure Your Will Is Valid and Safe From Challenges Wills in California have to meet certain legal requirements. If any are missing, the writer’s estate could be invalidated. Learn more here.
Why You Need to Update Your Estate Plan After Moving to California While many legal documents may still be valid after a move, you need to understand estate planning laws in the state where you choose to live. Learn more here.
Business Succession and Estate Planning Only 10% of all family-owned businesses last beyond two generations, which is why it is important to have a business succession plan in place. Learn more here.
Estate Planning for Your Pet CA is one of several states which lets residents name guardians or create trusts to ensure a pet is well cared for after their owners die. Learn more here.
Community Property in California California is one of nine states with community property laws. These laws can have a significant impact on the estate plans of married couples. Learn more here.
Estate Planning for People Who Are Single Estate planning is not just for married couples. Single people need to plan for their future, as well. Learn why you need to create a plan if you’re not married
An Intestate Will Leaves Your Assets and Loved Ones in the Court’s Hands Sorting out an estate without a will can cause unexpected problems in California probate court. Learn more here.

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Experience and Expertise. Estate planning and post-death administration are all we do. Our attorneys have over 70 years of combined expertise in the field, and three of our attorneys have passed an additional Bar examination and peer review process to become State Bar Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Two of our attorneys also have Master’s Degrees in Tax Law, giving us unique insight into how estate tax and income tax will affect your family’s inheritance.
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