Online estate plans and document “kits” are all the rage these days.  They typically appeal to people who are looking to save money and at least get something in writing should they pass away. I’ve actually worked with quite a few such people in my own practice, namely when their DIY plan backfires and fails […]

I hear the same excuses over and over…. I don’t have an “estate.” I have more debt than assets. The only thing I have is my home. As you may have guessed, these are excuses that people make for not preparing an estate plan. These people are sadly misinformed. They think estate planning is only […]

Couples who choose to marry later in life have different concerns than those marrying earlier, and a good Menlo Park estate planning lawyer can help you make the right decisions for your circumstances.  Each situation is a little different, but there are some fairly common topics that should be considered: Do the husband and wife […]

Have you ever wondered what would happen to all of the pictures and precious memories stored on your Twitter or Facebook pages after you die? It’s certainly different than having loved ones sort through your old keepsake boxes in the attic and taking what they want after you are gone.  When it comes to social […]

It is clear to Menlo Park estate planning attorneys that the modern American family comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and configurations. This creates unique circumstances when creating wills and trusts, writing prenuptial agreements, and putting long-term care plans in place. There is always potential for conflict when it comes to estate planning in general, […]

There are a variety of reasons that people in Silicon Valley seek out a qualified estate planning lawyer. There’s the need to provide for your heirs or to protect them from tax penalties, for example. But many people are discovering that an estate planning lawyer can also help them develop the legacy they wish to […]

When meeting with a wills and trusts lawyer in Menlo Park for the first time, many adult children realize that they have no idea where their parents stand in terms of having the right plans in place to protect their assets and wishes if something happens to them. Do their parents have a will or […]

As an estate planning attorney in Menlo Park, I have unfortunately seen many circumstances where a person goes through the time and expense of having an estate plan done, only to fail to update their beneficiaries on their financial or retirement accounts before they pass away. An example of this would be Mary naming her […]

As a lawyer with extensive trust administration experience in San Mateo County, I have seen that the death of a loved one, particularly if the deceased is a spouse or parent, is one of the most difficult periods in a person’s life. At a time when the survivor is already struggling with loss and grief, […]

Wills and trusts lawyers in Menlo Park frequently get inquiries about arrangements for long-term care. Life expectancy continues to rise, due in part to more effective treatments for diseases previously thought to be terminal. This is great news, but with a larger elderly population, new dilemmas arise, including uncertainties related to assisted and rehab care […]