It’s a daunting task when your spouse enters a nursing home for long-term care, especially considering all of the logistical nightmares and care coordination concerns that are part and parcel of such a move. Throw in financial planning for Medicaid eligibility and you’ll be subject to even more stress since there are strict asset and […]

You should consider making plans for your estate as soon as you have assets you wish to protect and people or organizations you want to pass them on to. Life is full of uncertainties, and it’s never too early to make preparations for the future. One of the biggest misconceptions about estate planning is that […]

If you’re like many Americans, your home is the single most valuable asset you own, and perhaps the single most important item to consider when drafting your estate plan. It’s important to know that your children will inherit the family home after you have passed away—and to that end, there are several legal instruments that […]

The holiday season is often a time of great joy and the chance to gather with loved ones.  Yet for many families, it can also be a time of loss.  In our years of practice, we’ve found that more people pass away during the holidays than at any other time of the year.  Losing a […]

The process of settling an estate can take months to years, and the length of time for probate in Santa Clara County can vary drastically, depending on factors such as whether a will is in place and the complexity of the estate. Sometimes the probate process takes only nine months or so, but some cases […]

Creating an estate plan to protect your loved ones, assets, and interests in the event of your passing is important. It can give you peace of mind to know that the people you love will be taken care of after you’re gone. However, poor planning can undermine your efforts and leave your beneficiaries struggling to […]

A revocable living trust is an integral part of many estate plans. Its main purpose is to give you more control over how your estate is handled both before and after death while allowing your estate to avoid the lengthy probate process. The idea of a revocable living trust is fairly simple: it becomes the […]

It’s not something most people want to think about, but funerals, even modest ones, can be very expensive. Many families pay more than $10,000 for services, burials or cremations, and other aspects of a loved one’s funeral. One idea that Santa Clara estate administration lawyers have seen grow in popularity over the years is paying […]

While digital assets have been around for quite some time, it seems like only very recently have people been making them an integral part of their investment portfolio. We won’t weigh in on whether that’s a good or a bad thing; however, we will explore the effect of digital assets on estate planning. Namely, what […]

When you ask someone what they know about estate planning, most people will tell you about the Last Will and Testament. In fact, very few people will mention a Pour-Over Will.  Today our Silicon Valley estate planning lawyers will explain the difference. While a Last Will and Testament is a standalone legal document that directs […]