Estate planning attorneys don’t always just help people who want to create an estate plan. Sometimes they help people with grievances begin the litigation process, or help others defend against litigation filed against them. Estate litigation can arise for any number of reasons, but some causes are more common than others. Let’s take a look at some of the more common reasons why people begin the litigation process in estate planning. Litigation and Loss of Capacity One of the more important … [Read more...] about When Estate Litigation is Most Likely to Occur
BLOG
Common Questions About Pet Insurance and Your Estate Plan
For pet owners, taking the time to develop an estate plan that will ensure your pet is cared for after you are gone might require you to incorporate pet insurance. In addition to making a pet trust or taking other steps to protect your furry loved one, pet insurance can be a useful and practical tool. Like all estate planning elements, you will need to carefully consider your needs, abilities, as well as the effects that pet insurance might have on the other elements of your estate plan. Here … [Read more...] about Common Questions About Pet Insurance and Your Estate Plan
Estate Litigation in Sacramento CA: What Happens in Arbitration and Mediation?
Sometimes, legal disputes surrounding estate planning issues don’t end with litigation, but rather as a result of a successful arbitration or mediation process. Even though it isn’t as commonly encountered in estate planning as it is in, for example, contract law, arbitration and mediation is an option in some situations. But what is arbitration and mediation? Most people, even though they might have heard of the terms, don’t really know what these two processes entail. Basically, they are … [Read more...] about Estate Litigation in Sacramento CA: What Happens in Arbitration and Mediation?
How do You Know When You Are Incapacitated?
People who create estate plans typically have a number of tools that address the possibility of becoming incapacitated. Whether you create a health care directive, financial durable power of attorney, living trust, or other devices that allow you to plan ahead against the possibility that you might not be able to one day make your own decisions, the idea of incapacity is an important one that you need to understand. But what is incapacity? What does it mean to be incapacitated and what … [Read more...] about How do You Know When You Are Incapacitated?
3 Big Risks You Take When You Ignore Estate Planning
If you ask the average American whether they have an estate plan, a number of them would likely have no idea what you were talking about. And even if a person knows what estate planning is that doesn’t mean they have taken the time to create one. Estate planning often feels about as enjoyable as planning a trip to the dentist, but there are some pretty big risks you take when you don’t have a plan. Even a simple plan can correct these mistakes, but not having one in place will almost guarantee a … [Read more...] about 3 Big Risks You Take When You Ignore Estate Planning
Identity Thieves Don’t Care About Death
When someone steals your identity, that person uses your personal information for his or her own benefit. Typically this involves, for example, someone who finds your name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and other information in order to open a fraudulent account, such as a line of credit or cellular phone account. If you’ve ever had your identity stolen you know how long it can take to repair the damage, but what you may not know is that identity theft can happen even to someone who is … [Read more...] about Identity Thieves Don’t Care About Death
Your Special Needs Children Need You to Act
Parents who have special needs children often need to deal with issues that parents who don’t have special needs children don’t have to face. While all parents need to create a comprehensive estate plan, especially after they have a new child, parents of special needs children have to take a little extra time when they develop their plan so they can address the specific issues relevant to their situation. Let’s take a look at some of the common concerns that parents with special needs children … [Read more...] about Your Special Needs Children Need You to Act
How Can I Determine if I Need a Trust?
Quite often, the popular notion of a trust is that it’s a device used primarily by the wealthy. Trusts are for grandparents who want to leave their grandchildren healthy inheritances so those grandchildren never have to work their entire lives, or so the popular misperception says. But that notion is far from the truth. The reality is that trusts offer almost everyone the ability to take advantage of specific benefits not afforded by other estate planning tools. Whether you have a high net … [Read more...] about How Can I Determine if I Need a Trust?
Home Ownership and Revocable Living Trusts
Many homeowners want to create estate plans that allow them to protect their homes and more easily pass them on to their children or inheritors after they die. Because of this, estate planning attorneys often counsel homeowners to create a revocable living trust. Through the trust, the homeowners can transfer title of their real estate into the trust’s name to obtain various benefits. However, using a revocable living trusts to own and transfer property does take some additional work, and these … [Read more...] about Home Ownership and Revocable Living Trusts
Getting a Head Start: Estate Planning for the Under-40 Crowd
The common wisdom about estate planning says that it’s an old person’s game. No one starts state planning until 50, and even then you aren’t really worried about it. But this common wisdom is not legally sound. The reality is that estate planning concerns affect everyone. Estate planning lawyers like to say that you need an estate plan as soon as you become an adult. Even then, beginning your state planning efforts before you reach the age of 40 is not something a lot of people do, even though … [Read more...] about Getting a Head Start: Estate Planning for the Under-40 Crowd
