Is It Time to Set Up an Elderly Conservatorship? By Sandra McCarthy|February 23rd, 2022|Family Law, Probate| Aging may be a privilege denied to many, but not many people like to admit they're enjoying that privilege. For plenty of people, part of the aging process is becoming subject to a conservatorship. If you have a loved one who is becoming unable to care for themselves, you may wonder: is it time to [...] Read More 0
What Is Guardianship and Conservatorship? An Explanation in Plain English By Sandra McCarthy|February 14th, 2022|Family Law, Probate| Guardianships and conservatorships exist to help people who can't always help themselves. However, unlike other states, California defines guardianship and conservatorship as two completely different arrangements. Both have to do with caring for someone who can't care for themselves, but they have separate meanings and applications. So, what is guardianship and conservatorship in the [...] Read More 0
What Is a Mental Health Conservatorship in California? By Sandra McCarthy|February 9th, 2022|Probate| Poor mental health is a massive problem for many adults. Although old age can trigger mental health instability, other external factors may also be responsible. For instance, lack of attention or care for older adults often leads to dejection and depression, and long-lasting depression can spur other problems. Perhaps this is [...] Read More 6
Conservatorship vs Guardianship in California: Which Is Right for Me? By Sandra McCarthy|February 2nd, 2022|California Courts, Family Law, Probate| Most people have no idea what conservatorship or guardianship is, let alone the difference between the two. And for good reason! These two words can mean completely different things depending on which state you live in. For example, California and Texas have totally separate interpretations of guardianships. This makes the conservatorship vs guardianship question a [...] Read More 0
Estate Planning 101 for Californians: Here Are the Basics By Sandra McCarthy|January 25th, 2022|California Courts, Estate Planning| Do you have an estate plan? If you live in California, do you know the basics of estate planning in the Golden State? If your answer is "no," it's time for Estate Planning 101. An estate plan is a must for every adult, but before planning your estate, you need to understand the estate [...] Read More 0
What Is an LPS Conservatorship? By Sandra McCarthy|January 24th, 2022|Probate| Illness and injuries can alter the course of our lives. That's why it sometimes comes as a relief to the sick and disabled when a loved one steps up to care for their needs and manage their affairs. In California, there are legal arrangements in which the court appoints such a caregiver. One of these [...] Read More 0
What Is The Role of an Executor In Estate Planning? By Sandra McCarthy|January 19th, 2022|Estate Planning| As the old adage goes, "Someone who fails to plan plans to fail." Planning is an integral part of human life, and the Stamp Act of 1797 gave rise to a different type of planning: estate planning. An executor is an integral part of the process. But what is the role of an executor in [...] Read More 0
SLAT Estate Planning: A Great Option for Large Estates By Sandra McCarthy|January 17th, 2022|California Courts, Estate Planning, Probate| There are many estate planning strategies out there, but which one is best? To be honest, it really depends on your situation. While most real estate strategies are designed to grow and successfully transfer assets, some are meant to look even further ahead to future generations. One of the latter, spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT) [...] Read More 0
What Is a Conservatorship Bond? By Sandra McCarthy|January 13th, 2022|Family Law, Probate| When people have to enter into conservatorship arrangements, they often have some concerns. These fears are very valid because, unfortunately, there have been quite a few instances of the conservatee falling victim to conservatorship mismanagement and fraud. The bad experiences have, however, given rise to solutions, including a conservatorship bond. What is a conservatorship [...] Read More 0
State Specific Estate Planning Laws for Californians: What You Need to Know By Sandra McCarthy|January 12th, 2022|Estate Planning| Are estate planning laws the same in every state? Definitely not! That's why if you've recently moved from one state to another, let’s say North Dakota to California, you might have some reading about state specific estate planning laws ahead of you. The same goes if you own a business with outlets in many [...] Read More 0
Why and How You Can Plan Your Estate Today By Sandra McCarthy|January 10th, 2022|Estate Planning| According to Forbes, most people avoid estate planning. They might feel they're too busy and will get it done at a later time in their lives. They may also fear the expense. Finally, some people also perceive estate planning as some kind of jinx. If you're like the average Joe, you may prefer to live [...] Read More 0
What Are Letters of Conservatorship in California? By Sandra McCarthy|January 5th, 2022|Probate| What happens when a person becomes incapacitated in California? Are there laws under the California probate code that state how such individuals can receive special care? Yes, of course! Conservatorship is the answer to anything pertaining to the incapacitation of an individual, and letters of conservatorship are an important part of that arrangement. Personal conservators [...] Read More 0
How to Fight a Conservatorship in California By Sandra McCarthy|January 3rd, 2022|Probate| Conservators have a key role in ensuring that incapacitated adults lead meaningful lives. At times, however, someone may want to fight a conservatorship. Relatives or close family to the conservatee may not like how the conservator cares for them. Similarly, the conservatee themselves may want to change or remove a conservatorship (see the famous example [...] Read More 6
What Is a Joint Managing Conservatorship in California? By Sandra McCarthy|December 29th, 2021|Probate| Conservatorship in California can be a confusing topic. To make things more complex, there are quite a few different types of conservatorships, and their definitions can vary from state to state. One of these—one that seems to invite more confusion than others—is the joint managing conservatorship. If you think a joint managing conservatorship might be [...] Read More 2
Is Conservatorship Valid After Death? By Sandra McCarthy|December 27th, 2021|Probate| Conservatorships are supposed to help folks who are no longer able to take care of themselves. If you have elderly or incapacitated loved ones, this is likely a subject you've encountered before. But what happens to the conservatorship when the incapacitated individual dies? Is conservatorship valid after death? This is a reasonable question if [...] Read More 2
What Is a Sole Managing Conservatorship in California? By Sandra McCarthy|December 22nd, 2021|Probate| From Joni Mitchell to Britney Spears, conservatorships spend quite a bit of time in the spotlight. However, there is more than one type of conservatorship. So, if you're in the position of having to seek out conservatorship options, you may well wonder: What is a sole managing conservatorship in California? There is a lot of [...] Read More 0
6 Critical Estate Planning Tools Explained By Sandra McCarthy|December 20th, 2021|Estate Planning| "Nothing is certain but death and taxes," as Benjamin Franklin famously said. That's why estate planning is so critical; you know life has to end eventually, so you might as well be prepared. To get started, you'll need to know about some of the best estate planning tools. There are plenty of estate planning [...] Read More 0
Conservatorship of a Minor in California: Everything You Need to Know By Sandra McCarthy|December 16th, 2021|Probate| Life isn't perfect. That's why sometimes, someone may need extra help and require another person to lend a hand. And sometimes, that person is a minor. In some states, that's where the conservatorship of a minor comes in. In California, when an adult is subjected to protective care following incapacitation, we call it "conservatorship." But [...] Read More 0
Single Member LLC Operating Agreement Filing Instructions for Newbies By Sandra McCarthy|December 15th, 2021|Business| If you're starting your own LLC, first of all, congratulations! This is a step towards your financial and business freedom. To make those dreams come true, you're going to need a single member LLC operating agreement. Yes, you read that right. A single member LLC operating agreement has significant benefits just like multi-member LLCs, and [...] Read More 0
The Difference Between Elder Law and Estate Planning By Sandra McCarthy|December 13th, 2021|Estate Planning| "Aging is a privilege denied to many." This saying rings so true, and we should treasure our time on this earth as we grow older. But there are also certain complications, such as elder estate planning, that come into play as we (or our loved ones) accrue more birthdays. Elder Law and estate planning [...] Read More 0