A common question that Silicon Valley trust lawyers are asked when helping clients create their estate plans is, “How hard will it be to sell my house if I put it in a trust?” The simple answer is that it’s not hard at all. In most cases, the grantor (or trust maker) also serves as […]

As a Santa Clara County probate lawyer, I commonly say, “If you don’t create your own will while you’re alive, the state will give you one when you’re gone.” What that means is that if a person dies without a will (called “intestate”) their estate will be administered according to state law. Likewise, the heirs […]

One of the most difficult decisions that parents of minor children have to make when creating their estate plans is choosing the person(s) they would want to raise their children if they were incapacitated or suddenly passed away. In our office, we often find that the conversation starts with, or eventually winds its way back […]

While a power of attorney (POA) does not technically expire unless it’s revoked by the person who created it, you may run into a situation where a bank or a brokerage firm refuses to accept the document because it’s “too old.” You may also hear the phrase, “the document is stale.” So, what does this […]