A: One valuable tip, although insurance-related and not necessarily a legal tip, is to contact your insurance agent and have them revisit and advise you on your replacement cost average on your homeowner's insurance. You want to ensure that, in the event you lose your...
In most cases, any inheritance money that you receive is yours to keep regardless of your marital status. This is generally true whether you obtain the funds prior to getting married or during the course of a marriage. However, California law generally considers any...
A: If you have children who cause you to lay awake at night wondering how they might waste their inheritance, make sure to tell your trust attorney. Evaluating the maturity, spending habits, and bad choices of your children will help determine how you should plan for...
A: No! Estate planning is essential for every family. Even if you're not wealthy, you should at least have a will, a financial power of attorney, and a power of attorney for health care. A will names who will receive your belongings after your death. It also names who...
A: Although a will is an essential piece to an estate plan, on its own, a will does absolutely nothing to help keep your family out of probate. Having said that, just because you only have a will does not automatically mean your estate will be subject to probate. For...
A: If probate is necessary, someone must come forward to start the probate process, which generally lasts six months to a year and consists of three main phases: 1) Appointment of the executor/administrator; 2) Administration of the estate; and 3) Closing of the...
