One of the more high-profile deaths we had in 2020 was of Sir Sean Connery, who died peacefully on October 31, 2020, in his home in the Bahamas at 90 years old. Connery had a prolific, multi-decade acting career, but he was probably best known for his role as James Bond. He was the [...]

Children inheriting property from their parents will face significant financial consequences once California Proposition 19 (Prop 19) comes into effect on February 16, 2021. California voters approved Prop 19 on November 3, 2020, through the Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act. The law has two [...]

When you hear about trusts in the context of estate planning, you probably think about trust fund babies and about sums of money that are so big that they cannot logically belong to individuals, much less to young people. Surprisingly, revocable trusts, also known as living trusts, can also offer many benefits to the 99%. If the value of your property is high enough that you do not qualify for any of the California simplified probate alternatives, then you could probably save your family members a lot of money by setting up a revocable trust.  The good news is that revocable trusts in California do not have to be expensive to set up! You can save yourself a lot of money by having a California non-attorney legal document assistant prepare your revocable trust documents, instead of an estate planning lawyer.

Every parent worries about what will happen to his or her children after the parent dies, but single parents have double the worries. If you are married, the default option is that your children will stay with your spouse. They may remain living in the same house, and your spouse will most likely continue to work to take care of them financially. As horrible as it is to think about your spouse and children having to adjust to life without you, it is even scarier to think about your children’s future without you if you are a single parent.  Therefore, it is important for single parents to get started on estate planning — even single parents who are young and healthy.

When a loved one passes away, you may face the overwhelming task of settling their estate. Unfortunately, for some people, juggling attorney fees on top of funeral costs and other expenses can make probate an impossible task. If this sounds like a familiar situation, you may want to look into how to probate a will without a lawyer.

If you need to change the title on a house, be confident you have handled all steps in the process correctly. It's always best to hire a professional to prepare a deed or other title transfer. Otherwise, with an improper deed, you might not have the ownership rights you believe you have. Worst yet, you might retain ownership responsibilities you think you no longer should have.