Often, when we think of someone having property overseas, we think of George Clooney and his Italian villa or Richard Branson and his private island. However, plenty of everyday Americans own property or assets in other countries, and it may become part of their estates when they pass on. There are special considerations to keep […]
As a Santa Clara elder law attorney, I get this question quite a bit. Should I invest in long-term care insurance? The answer is… maybe. Let me explain. First, you should consider the fact that the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that anyone reaching the age of 65 has a 40% chance of […]
It’s entirely possible for someone to have an estate and no one to inherit it when they die. It could be due to not having children of one’s own and no other family. It could also be due to outliving all of one’s relatives, or not having relatives who live in the United States. Whatever […]
Even with the best intentions, most senior citizens don’t plan for a future in which they may be incapacitated. Perhaps they didn’t want to face the prospect of losing autonomy, or perhaps they fell ill before they had a chance to plan. Either way, for those with elder relatives and loved ones who no longer […]
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As a Silicon Valley Probate Lawyer, I’m commonly asked, “What are the most important steps I need to take after the death of a loved one?” While each situation is different, there are eight general tasks that I advise families to start with when attempting to finalize their loved one’s affairs and close out the […]
Unfortunately, family feuds that center around someone’s will or trust are a tale as old as time. Even if this is not something you have personally experienced, you may have heard a few horror stories. As Santa Clara will and trust lawyers, we have seen them! While family squabbles after the death of a loved […]
Being a responsible parent is usually associated with bedtime stories with toddlers, homework reminders for grade schoolers, and trying to decide whether or not your teenager is responsible enough to drive to school on his or her own. Creating an estate plan for those children is not something we usually associate with responsible parenting, but, […]
Not too long ago, a person who decided to leave an inheritance behind for their pet might be considered eccentric, to say the least. Take, for example, the case of Leona Helmsley: when she died in 2007, she left her dog Trouble an inheritance worth $12 million. While there may have been other factors weighed […]
Many people plan for their retirement by using Roth IRAs due to their great tax benefits, but most don’t know that Roth IRAs are also excellent for avoiding probate. First, here are some basics about tax planning with Roth IRAs that Santa Clara County probate lawyers typically go over with their clients: Unlike traditional […]
The elderly are too often targets of unscrupulous individuals who may try to take an unsuspecting senior’s money. Seniors are especially vulnerable as they become less cognitively able and thus more dependent on other adults. Unfortunately, elder financial abuse is common in California. As your San Francisco Peninsula elder law lawyer, I want to let […]
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