Many parents and grandparents don’t realize that a child, grandchild, or other beneficiary with a disability complicates an estate plan. If you have such a loved one you want to provide for in your estate plan, you need an appropriate trust even more so than someone without a disabled beneficiary…
San Diego Estate Planning Lawyer Blog
What Assets Do Not Go Through Probate?
If you have a will and not a trust, when you die your estate will have to go through probate. In general this means that all the property that the deceased owned at the time of death such as real property, personal property, bank accounts, investment accounts, etc. will be…
Celebrities Whose Estates Make Millions Long After They’re Dead
Wouldn’t it be nice for your heirs to conintue to receive money from your estate long after you are gone? A recent article in Forbes Magazine listed the top celebrities whose estates continue to make money long after their death. Not surprisingly, Evis Presley comes out on top, with income…
Do Living Trusts Protect Your Assets From Creditors?
We frequently get calls from prospective clients wanting to know if creating a trust will protect their assets from creditors or lawsuits. Unfortunately, they do not. A revocable living trust is a legal arrangement whereby you hold your assets in trust to be used and managed until your death when…
Can You Pass the Estate Planning Quiz?
Many younger Americans, even though they have managed to buy a home and acquire a number of other assets, remain unfamiliar with estate planning issues. A survey conducted by Fidelity Investments reveals that many Americans between the ages of 30 – 49 do not know some of the key issues…
Who Will Be Appointed Executor or Administrator in Probate
In our last blog, we talked about the timeline for probate in San Diego. Another question we are asked frequently is who is going to be appointed the executor or administrator of the estate? If there is a will created by the decedent, the will usually names the “executor.” If…
Time Line for San Diego Probate
If your loved one who resided in San Diego has passed away with a will or no estate plan, there will have to be a probate proceeding in the Superior Court. Probate can be a lengthy and complicated process with deadlines that have to be followed. Most people want to…
Medi-Cal for San Diego Seniors
With the aging baby boomers now becoming seniors and people living longer in general, one of the issues seniors face, especially in this economy, is the possibility of needing long term care. The cost of nursing home care has risen tremendously in the last decade. A survey done by Metlife…
Is a Handwritten Will Valid in California?
A will that is written in one’s own hand is called a holographic will and is valid in California. The basic requirements are: 1. The document must be completely written in the handwriting of the Testator (the individual creating the will). 2. The will must be dated and signed. 3.…
Some “No No’s Once Your Trust is in Place
At Law Office of Scott C. Soady, A Professional Corporation we see trusts everyday that are drafted by other estate planning lawyers in San Diego or even by our own firm that cause some concern. Once your trust is drafted, it is intended to be reviewed periodically and also there…