When setting up an estate plan, most people are concerned with what will happen to their belongings: money, jewelry, house, etc. But usually little thought is given to what will happen to their debts when they pass away, notably their mortgage. For years, many people expected to pay off their mortgage long before they died, […]

As you work with a trust attorney in Santa Clara, you will likely end up making a list of your assets. Some of these are tangible, such as property and heirloom jewelry. Others are not so obvious and could include important documents related to marital status or military service. Each of these items is an […]

Let’s start off by saying that not all conservatorships are bad. Conservatorships play a vital role in Santa Clara County by allowing caretakers the means to make financial (Conservator of the Estate) and health (Conservator of the Person) related decisions for those who are not able to any more and have no one else to […]

Wills and trusts administration lawyers in Santa Clara County often have the opportunity to work with local families who—in addition to planning for their regular home—have a vacation home to take into consideration during the planning process. While you might think that real estate prices or the vacation home’s location would be the driving forces […]

The IRS just announced the 2016 federal estate tax exemption amount, which will be $5.45 million per person (effectively $10.9 million for married couples). This means that wealthy Americans will be able to leave up to $10.9 million to their heirs without being subject to federal estate tax rates, which top out at 40%. In […]

Contrary to what some believe, San Francisco Peninsula estate planning attorneys aren’t here just for the wealthiest members of our community. In fact, after years of experience, we come to see how nearly every person in the San Francisco Peninsula can benefit from putting together an estate plan, including a will. While you may not […]

As an individual puts together his or her estate plan, there is a need to really think about how it will be administered.  Wills and trusts administration can be a complex process in California, although having an estate plan in place is without a doubt one of the best ways to simplify it.  Another way […]

It’s not often that a new kind of deed comes along, but one is coming to California next year.  It’s called a Revocable Transfer on Death Deed, it was passed in the California legislature this year, and it will become effective January 1, 2016. The basic idea is that, like the Pay On Death (POD) […]

The short answer is: it depends. This is a question we get a lot, and one we typically discuss at length with non-married parents during our planning sessions.  When one of the parties of a divorce decree dies, this will end the custody agreement because there’s no longer anything to govern.  In most cases, custody […]

Wills and trusts lawyers in the Bay Area handle so much more than just the creation of legal documents.  One of the most important parts of the job is educating and guiding clients through their options, which often depend on the client’s unique financial and family needs.  To that end, today’s article is a basic […]