When most people put together their estate plan, they want it to be a complete and comprehensive plan to handle their affairs after they are gone. But there is one critical part of an estate plan that gets overlooked more often than any other, and that is beneficiary designations. Beneficiary designations control many of the […]

When clients come to see a Bay Area estate planning lawyer, they generally have multiple goals in mind. Interestingly, they don’t always realize this fact, thinking that they “just” need to put together a will that stipulates who gets what after they have passed away. While this is obviously a very important part of what […]

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, […]

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 […]

Probate law varies from state to state, but there are several things that you and your San Francisco Bay Area probate lawyer can expect to happen during the process.  The following is a simple breakdown of some of the most common aspects of probate law. First of all, probate is the name of the legal […]

One of the important things to discuss with your San Francisco Bay Area estate planning lawyer is the topic of your IRA.  Because estate planning lawyers work so extensively with these plans, they can usually offer insight into how best to utilize them.  For many people, the IRA will be left to their beneficiaries, and […]

Part I of a two-part piece looking at the most important estate planning documents for young professionals. Bay Area estate planning for young professionals?  Perhaps nothing about the word “young” makes you think of the need for estate planning.  The truth is, however, that those folks who have recently graduated from school and into professional […]

Will and trust administration is an interesting aspect of estate planning law, and one that has a really important impact on the beneficiaries of an estate.  Generally speaking, a lawyer in Bay Area who does will and trust administration will offer a variety of services. Administration with a Will When the deceased has left behind […]

We’ve pretty much all heard about “bucket lists,” but that term can take on a little bit of a different meaning when you’re a Bay Area estate planning lawyer.  We deal with the reality every day that life is fleeting, and it’s our goal to help clients to maximize what they are able to leave […]

Parenting isn’t always easy, and it’s even less so when your child has a disability.  We all have dreams of our children reaching full independence, but sometimes, this just isn’t possible.  Our children may have needs that go beyond what others require, special needs that demand specific planning in order to make sure that the […]