Signing a last will and testament is often not a one-time affair. You may in fact execute several wills over the course of your lifetime. While a “last” will usually refers to the document signed most recently before your death, there are occasions when a California probate court may find…
Estate planning is typically concerned with a person’s tangible possessions and assets. But in the modern age when more of our lives exist online, how does estate planning deal with so-called digital assets? The California legislature may attempt to answer that question in a bill now pending before the state…
Recently a California appeals court faced an unusual situation. A woman wanted to reopen her late husband’s estate nearly 25 years after his death. The widow claimed there was a “clerical error” in the original probate court order that led to the unintentional omission of her children from a prior…
Nearly 60 million Americans receive Social Security benefits. Approximately two-thirds of these recipients are retired workers. According to Social Security, retirement benefits “represent about 39 percent of the income of the elderly.” But what happens to those benefits after the recipient dies? Can your estate continue to receive your Social…
The recent death of Prince Rogers Nelson sparked a great deal of interest in estate planning circles when it became known that the famous musician, commonly known by just his first name of “Prince,” apparently did not leave a last will and testament. Nelson was also unmarried and had no…
On September 21, 2015, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation authorizing the use of “Revocable Transfer on Death Deeds” as an estate planning option for residential property owners. As of this year, owners may use these instruments to bypass the normal probate process when disposing of their homes after death.…
Unlike a last will and testament, estate planning through a living trust involves the transfer of title to assets during your lifetime. For example, if you want your house to be part of a revocable living trust, you must execute and file a new deed transferring ownership from yourself to…
An “estate” does not necessarily include all of a person’s assets. In the context of estate planning, an estate refers to property subject to distribution under a person’s last will and testament—that is to say, their probate estate. This may exclude some or all of a person’s property depending on…
A power of attorney is a document authorizing someone to act on your behalf with respect to financial and contractual matters. Among other acts, a person holding your power of attorney may sell your house, write checks from your bank account, or access your safe deposit box. A power of…
The new year is a good opportunity to reconsider your estate planning needs. You should periodically review, and if necessary revise, your will, trust, and other estate planning documents such as a durable power of attorney, to keep your affairs current. Among other things, changes in the law may alter…