Santa Clara County probate lawyers hear quite regularly from heirs who are shocked to learn that the property they inherited from a loved one comes with a mortgage. Now what? It’s important to know that a mortgage does not die when the owner does. How that mortgage is dealt with depends on a variety of […]

As we continue on in this time of social distancing and, in some communities, shelter-in-place, more and more people are faced with a difficult situation: handling out-of-state probate proceedings after the death of a loved one. Many seniors today are “snowbirds” who spend their winters in warmer states like Florida while keeping their actual residency […]

There are several strategies available that Bay Area estate planning lawyers use to help seniors and their families avoid lengthy and costly probate proceedings, including adding other people as joint owners on their accounts or making beneficiary designations on accounts and policies. However, these strategies should only be done under the supervision of an experienced […]

A conservatorship is when a person is appointed by the court to look after another person’s financial and physical well-being. This is not always a great situation to be in since the court may appoint someone who would never be chosen by the individual or their family. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to […]

Did you know that more than half of all adults in America do not have a Last Will and Testament? Even fewer have a Revocable Living Trust. You’d think more people would create an estate plan, especially since there are so many public figures who famously left a mess for their families by not planning […]

Shelter in place and quarantine orders are the rule of the day with the coronavirus outbreak. Many of these executive orders came while snowbirds and retirees were staying in their second homes, and now they are likely stuck there for a little longer than they originally planned. From a legal standpoint, many snowbirds are now […]

Estate planning is a responsibility we all have, young or old. Yet only about half of all Americans with children have a Last Will and Testament or Trust to direct how their children should be cared for and who should inherit any assets left behind after death. It’s also troubling to know that most estate […]

On the heels of a very rough couple of months for our country, scammers are now coming out of the woodwork in an attempt to defraud individuals and vulnerable senior citizens who are isolated and perhaps unclear about current policies related to coronavirus stimulus payouts or testing. We wanted to warn our clients and readers […]

More than 10 percent of people who are acting as caregivers for an older family member are doing so from a distance. Living an hour or more away from an aging parent or other relative can present some additional challenges for caregivers. Among those challenges are the financial strains of hiring help and the difficulties […]

When an elderly parent reaches the point where they need assistance with their daily living tasks, caregiver duties often fall on the shoulders of their adult children. In some families, the caregiving responsibilities are divided between siblings or other relatives. Ideally, everyone sharing in those duties will be on the same page when it comes […]