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...
Estate Planning
Q: How do I keep my children from blowing away their inheritance?
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...
Q: Is estate planning only for wealthy families?
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...
¿Esta comprando o ya es dueño de una casa? Planifique ahora para después de su muerte.
A medida que usted comience a poseer bienes inmuebles, una cosa que debería planificar es cómo transferir esas propiedades a sus herederos en caso de su muerte. Un buen plan para transferir su casa puede ayudar a evitar que, después de su fallecimiento, su familia...
Q: I only own one property here in Napa, and it still has a sizable mortgage on it. Do I still need a trust for my children to avoid probate upon my death?
A: Yes, without a trust that property is destined for probate, and here’s why: The current law states that if the fair market value of the property is greater than $166,250 - and it’s hard to imagine a home in the Napa area that is worth less than...
How can a parent leave money for a child with special needs?
It may not matter how old your child becomes. As a parent, you will probably always want to make sure your child has what he or she needs to lead a comfortable and fulfilling life. This may be especially true if your child has special needs. Financial support may be...
Buying property? Plan for its use after your death
As you start aging and own real property, one thing you need to plan for is how to pass on that property after you pass away. A good plan for your home and other properties can help prevent your family from going through a lot of stress after you die.Deciding how you...
Choose a successor as you focus on business estate planning
When you own a business, you need to include it in your estate plan. Not including it means that the business could be passed on to a beneficiary that you didn't designate after your death. It could be sold or run in a way that you would not have approved of.When...
Q & A about inheriting property
For many, it sounds like a dream come true. A long-lost uncle with no other heirs passes away, only to leave a magnificent beachfront property to you. While nearly everyone would love to inherit a dream home after a relative or close friend dies, the reality is...
3 Estate Planning Considerations for Your Family Business
Your family business is likely more than one thing. It could be a mainstay of your family throughout generations, a source of income and employment, a place of fulfillment for multiple family members and more.As the owner of your California company, bar, restaurant,...




