Conservatorship Scams: What to Look For By Sandra McCarthy|March 2nd, 2022|California Courts, Family Law, Probate| It's a sad story, one we hear on the news from time to time: a vulnerable, elderly person is robbed by their own conservator. It’s a bitter tale, and it's all too common. You never want to hear that someone close to you has fallen victim to a conservatorship scam. Concerned? To establish whether someone [...] 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
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
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 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
What Is a Murphy Conservatorship? By Sandra McCarthy|December 9th, 2021|Probate| All conservatorships are taken seriously in California, but some are taken more seriously than others. Why? The severity of a conservatorship case is determined by the state of the conservatee or potential conservatee. While we have made other posts explaining the concept of conservatorship, this article will focus on a vital type of conservatorship [...] Read More 0
The 7 Most Common Estate Planning Questions Answered By Sandra McCarthy|December 6th, 2021|Estate Planning| Do you have an estate plan? If you don't and you're in the US, you're one of the more than half of Americans who doesn't have a will. However, this isn't something you want to sweep under the rug. You should prioritize drafting an estate plan for your personal assets. And when you do, [...] Read More 0
What Is a Permanent Managing Conservatorship? By Sandra McCarthy|November 15th, 2021|Probate| There are many reasons why someone may be unable to care for themselves. The government knows this, which is why the constitution of most sovereign states or nations makes provisions for people in this category. In the US, when someone is unable to take care of themselves (be it minor or adult), there are [...] Read More 0
Digital Assets Estate Planning: What You Need to Know By Sandra McCarthy|November 8th, 2021|Estate Planning| We can't overemphasize the importance of having an estate plan. And while estate planning is as old as personal assets, with the growth of technology over decades past, there’s so much more to talk about. Instead of just giving away your house and car, you now have to consider digital assets estate planning. When [...] Read More 0
How to Create Your Own Estate Planning Flowchart in 7 Easy Steps By Sandra McCarthy|November 3rd, 2021|Estate Planning, Probate| Do you ever procrastinate? Everyone has at some time or another, and estate planning is no exception in this regard. However, estate planning is one of those tasks that you shouldn't put off for long. Estate planning has significant benefits if you become incapacitated or die unexpectedly, leaving behind potential heirs. An estate planning [...] Read More 0
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate: What’s the Difference? By Sandra McCarthy|November 1st, 2021|Divorce| No one really likes paperwork, but it's part of a lot of the important processes of life. This includes divorce. Once you make up your mind to file for divorce, you’ll encounter different types of documents before, during, and after the completion of the divorce process. Arguably the most important of such documents is [...] Read More 0
Estate Planning for Blended Families: Our Top Tips By Sandra McCarthy|October 25th, 2021|Estate Planning| Estate planning is essential for any family, be it nuclear or extended. And if estate planning is important for a standard family, how much more important is it be for blended families, with their added members and complexities? Financial and other relevant aspects of a person’s life, when planned carefully in advance, can benefit [...] Read More 0
Sales of Real Property in Probate: What You Need to Know By Sandra McCarthy|October 20th, 2021|Probate| Probate administration can be stressful, costly, and generally not fun. It comes when people are already grieved over losing a loved one, and it can involve jumping through a lot of administrative hoops. Therefore, when people are planning the proper distribution of their assets in their estate plans, they often try their best to [...] Read More 0