As we age, so do our parents. At some point, the parent-child relationship dynamic effectively flip-flops and an adult child becomes the caretaker. If you find yourself at that point, you are undoubtedly worried about your parent becoming the victim of elder abuse. Among the most prevalent type of elder abuse is financial exploitation. To help you keep your elderly parent safe, the elder law attorneys at Northern California Center for Estate Planning & Elder Law discuss signs that your … [Read more...]
Are Your Digital Assets Included in Your Estate Plan?
When you think about estate planning, you undoubtedly think about the need to protect your assets and include plans for their distribution within your estate plan. You may even believe you have already done exactly that within your current plan; however, you may have forgotten some important assets – your digital assets. In today’s electronic age, including your digital assets in your estate plan is often necessary to ensure that all your assets are protected and to make it easier for your … [Read more...]
Can I Contest a Will in California?
The emotional aftermath that follows the death of a family member is rarely easy to handle. Survivors often experience a number of heightened emotions, including grief, despair, and even anger. It can also be a confusing time for those left behind as they try and focus on the practical and legal ramifications of their loved one’s passing. What happens though, when questions arise about your loved one’s last days, weeks, or months? Specifically, what should you do if you question the validity of … [Read more...]
The Use of Trusts In Medi-Cal Long-Term Care Planning (Part I)
As many of our clients know, we regularly assist families facing daunting long term costs with planning aimed at obtaining available financial benefits from both the Veterans Administration and the Medi-Cal program. This planning is often very complicated but, nevertheless, extremely worthwhile for families struggling with these expenses. Valuable tools commonly used in our planning are various Medi-Cal Trusts. In this series of articles we’ll introduce you to these various trusts, and how … [Read more...]
Handling an Inheritance
If you are the fortunate recipient of an inheritance, be it small or large, from someone else’s estate, it is prudent to pause to evaluate the consequences. Tax Issues In the past, inheritances often came with tax consequences. Fortunately, this is not a problem for most Californians who inherit money or assets from other’s estates. The two most common tax issues related to inheritances are the estate tax, sometimes referred to as the “death tax” and the inheritance tax. The estate … [Read more...]
Dead Hand Control: How Much is Too Much?
This article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett examines trying to exert control over your beneficiaries after death. Often, clients try to dictate the exact manner in which funds are used. Usually, it is a better course to give the trustee discretion. Dead Hand Control: How Much is Too Much? … [Read more...]
6 Important Estate Planning Considerations – Part 6: Taxes
An estate plan considers many important aspects. One of the many aspects to consider is the impact of taxes. This article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett examines some of the many ways consideration of taxes might impact an estate plan. 6 Important Estate Planning Considerations – Part 6: Taxes … [Read more...]
Planning for the International Client
Estate planning for the international client can be tricky. This article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett looks at the estate tax treatment of U.S. citizens and non-resident aliens. The article then looks at an example of someone who lived in the U.S. and then departed. Planning for the International Client … [Read more...]
Planning for the Unexpected
This article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett examines the death of Charlotte Fox, one of the most famous mount climbers ever, who fell down her stairs at home. You never know what risks might be around the corner, so you should be prepared. The article looks at the elements of a basic plan. Planning for the Unexpected … [Read more...]
Do I Qualify for California Medi-Cal for Seniors?
Access to affordable healthcare has been a hot topic in the United States in recent years. Although we have some of the best medical care and practitioners throughout the world here in the U.S., we also have some of the highest costs. The high cost of healthcare is particularly problematic for seniors who are often living on a fixed income. For those who are eligible, California’s Medi-Cal program can help. How do you know if you qualify for Medi-Cal as a senior though? In this blog, the … [Read more...]
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